Hooray for Yummy Chicken Pesto Sandwiches! Hooray for the vibrant, herbaceous sauce topping the creamy, melty mozzarella and bright tomatoes! Hooray for the toasted bun and the savory, succulent chicken! And hooray, perhaps most of all, for timeliness; after all, making four sandwiches of this caliber in half an hour? That’s something special! Yummy Chicken Pesto Sandwiches are yummy… and who needs more than that?
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
For the sandwiches:
- 4 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half horizontally
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, optional
- 1/3 cup pesto, store-bought or homemade
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- Roma tomatoes, to taste, sliced
- avocado oil, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board.
Step 2 –With a sharp knife, slice the chicken breasts horizontally to create 4 evenly-sized chicken cutlets.
Step 3 –If needed, pound the thicker areas of the chicken cutlets with a tenderizer until they are of an even thickness.
Step 4 –Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, the salt, and the cracker pepper evenly on all sides of the chicken cutlets.
Step 5 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil, swirling the oil across the surface until it is hot and shimmery.
Step 6 –Add the chicken cutlets to the skillet and sear until golden-brown on the bottom, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 7 –Flip the cutlets and sear until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 8 –Transfer the chicken cutlets to a plate and cover them with foil to rest as they come up to 165 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –In the same skillet, place the ciabatta halves, cut-side down, and toast until the rolls are lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. You may need to work in batches.
Step 10 –Transfer the toasted rolls to a plate.
Step 11 –Keep the skillet warm over medium heat.
Step 12 –Place the ciabatta rolls, cut-side up, on a clean cutting board.
Step 13 –On half of the ciabatta rolls, spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise on each, making sure to cover the entire cut-surface of the roll.
Step 14 –Cover the remaining ciabatta halves with 1 1/4 tablespoons of the pesto each, spreading it out to cover the entire surface of the roll.
Step 15 –Place 1 chicken cutlet on top of each of the mayo-covered ciabatta rolls.
Step 16 –Place 1 1/2 ounces of the mozzarella on top of each of the chicken cutlets.
Step 17 –Place the tomato slices on top of each of the mozzarella layers.
Step 18 –Replace the pesto-covered ciabatta halves.
Step 19 –Lightly brush the remaining avocado oil on top of the sandwiches.
Step 20 –Add the sandwiches, oil-side down, to the hot skillet and cook until toasted, the sandwiches are warmed through, and the mozzarella is melted, about 2 minutes per side. You can also use a panini press for this step.
Step 21 –Serve the sandwiches immediately.
