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–+ servings

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Make the ultimate pesto chicken sandwich with grilled chicken, fresh basil pesto, mozzarella, and ciabatta bread. This easy chicken pesto recipe is a quick Italian sandwich perfect for lunch or dinner.
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Fresh Italian sandwich with pesto, tomatoes, and basil on crusty bread. Perfect for Italian cooking ideas and recipes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Lunch

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Sandwich:

  • 2 ciabatta rolls or 1 small baguette
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 slices fresh mozzarella
  • ½ cup fresh basil pesto homemade or high-quality store-bought
  • 1 ripe tomato thinly sliced
  • 2 cups arugula

Essential Equipment

  • Cutting Board
  • Chef’s knife for slicing chicken and tomato
  • Serrated knife for ciabatta rolls
  • Meat mallet to pound chicken evenly
  • Grill pan or sauté pan to cook chicken and toast bread
  • Tongs for flipping chicken
  • Meat thermometer to check doneness
  • Pastry Brush to brush olive oil on bread
  • Small bowl for pesto serving
  • Spatula for pressing/assembling sandwiches

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

  • Place chicken breasts on a cutting board.
  • Slice each breast horizontally with a chef’s knife to create thin cutlets.
  • Use a meat mallet to pound lightly, ensuring even thickness.
  • Season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Cook the Chicken

  • Heat a grill pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add olive oil, using a pastry brush to coat the pan.
  • Cook chicken cutlets 3–4 minutes per side with tongs until golden brown and cooked through (165°F checked with a meat thermometer).
  • Transfer to a plate, top with mozzarella slices, and cover loosely with foil so cheese melts gently.

Toast the Bread

  • Slice ciabatta rolls open with a serrated knife.
  • Brush cut sides with olive oil using a pastry brush.
  • Toast face-down in the same grill pan until golden and crisp.

Assemble the Sandwich

  • Spread pesto from a small bowl onto the top half of each roll.
  • Layer with cheesy chicken, sliced tomato (cut with a chef’s knife), and arugula.
  • Close gently and press lightly with a spatula. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 2gCalories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 38gFat: 26gSodium: 720mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g