Pesto Chicken Melt Sandwich (Print version)

Grilled chicken breast layered with basil pesto and melted mozzarella on toasted ciabatta rolls. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What you’ll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs total)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Pesto & Cheese

06 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto
07 - 4 slices mozzarella cheese (about 3.5 oz total)

→ Bread

08 - 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

→ Garnishes

09 - Fresh basil leaves
10 - Sliced tomatoes

# Steps:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
02 - Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs.
03 - Grill chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on each chicken cutlet during the last minute of grilling. Cover briefly to help melt the cheese.
05 - While the chicken is grilling, toast the ciabatta rolls cut-side down on the grill until lightly golden.
06 - Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on the bottom half of each toasted ciabatta roll. Top each with a cheesy chicken cutlet.
07 - Add fresh basil leaves and sliced tomatoes if desired. Cover with the top half of the roll.
08 - Serve immediately while warm and melty.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses only a handful of ingredients you probably already have.
  • The crunch of toasted ciabatta against melted mozzarella is impossibly satisfying.
  • You can have dinner ready in half an hour, even on your most chaotic weeknight.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a hot skillet, so nothing goes to waste.
02 -
  • If you skip slicing the chicken breasts in half, they will take forever to cook through and dry out before the inside is done.
  • Toasting the ciabatta cut side down on the grill is essential, otherwise the pesto will soak through and make everything soggy.
  • Do not add the mozzarella too early or it will slide right off the chicken, wait until the last minute and cover to melt it in place.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken cutlets gently with a meat mallet before grilling if they are uneven, it helps them cook at the same rate.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness instead of cutting into the chicken and losing all those juices.
  • If you are using homemade pesto, make extra and freeze it in ice cube trays so you always have some ready for quick dinners like this.
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