Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini (Print)

Grilled chicken breast layered with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, and garden vegetables in toasted ciabatta bread.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Panini

05 - 4 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half
06 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto
07 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
08 - 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
09 - 1 handful fresh baby spinach or arugula (optional)
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Spread 1 tablespoon pesto on the cut side of each bottom ciabatta half.
04 - Layer sliced chicken, mozzarella, tomato, and spinach or arugula on top of the pesto. Cover with the top ciabatta halves.
05 - Lightly butter the outside of each sandwich.
06 - Heat a panini press or grill pan over medium heat. Place sandwiches in the press or in the pan, pressing down with a heavy skillet, and grill 3 to 4 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted.
07 - Slice each panini in half and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything melts together in under ten minutes, so you get that restaurant quality bite without leaving your kitchen.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, meaning you don't need a pantry full of spices.
  • It's flexible enough to use up leftover chicken or swap in whatever cheese you have on hand.
  • The crispy, buttery exterior against the gooey inside is the kind of texture contrast that makes you close your eyes when you chew.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step after grilling the chicken, or all the juice will leak out and make your sandwich soggy.
  • Butter the bread right before grilling, not ahead of time, so it doesn't soak in and disappear.
  • If your panini press isn't hot enough, the bread will steam instead of crisp, so give it a few extra minutes to preheat.
03 -
  • Press down firmly when grilling so the cheese melts all the way through and the bread gets those beautiful grill marks.
  • If you don't have a panini press, wrap a brick in foil and use it as a weight in your skillet for even pressure.
  • Make extra chicken at the start of the week and keep it in the fridge so you can throw these together in minutes.
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