Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Mozzarella Recipe

The Perfect Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Mozzarella Recipe

Chicken pesto sandwiches combine Mediterranean flavors with hearty protein for a delightful midday meal.

This classic combination brings together soft, tangy ingredients that dance across your palate with remarkable harmony.

Creamy mozzarella melts perfectly against warm, seasoned chicken, creating a luxurious texture that elevates a simple sandwich.

Fresh herbs and rich pesto sauce infuse each bite with vibrant, aromatic notes that tantalize your taste buds.

Quality ingredients enhance an ordinary lunch into a gourmet experience that feels both comforting and sophisticated.

The delicate balance of ingredients offers a perfect blend of nutrition and indulgence for hungry individuals seeking something special.

Each carefully crafted layer promises a culinary journey that satisfies both hunger and imagination.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Gooey Mozzarella

  • Savor Gourmet Simplicity: This sandwich transforms ordinary chicken into a restaurant-quality meal with minimal cooking skills required, making gourmet flavors accessible to home chefs.
  • Elevate Texture Play: The crispy toasted ciabatta, tender chicken, melty mozzarella, and creamy pesto create a delightful symphony of textures that dance across your palate with every bite.
  • Quick Culinary Magic: From start to finish, this recipe takes less than 30 minutes, delivering a satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknight dinners or spontaneous lunch cravings without compromising on taste and quality.

What You Need for This Toasted Pesto Sandwich

Protein Main Ingredient:
  • Chicken Breasts: Lean protein that forms the core of the sandwich, look for fresh, high-quality cuts with minimal fat.
  • Mozzarella: Soft, mild cheese that melts beautifully, adds creamy texture and rich flavor to the sandwich.
Bread and Base:
  • Ciabatta Rolls: Sturdy Italian bread with a soft interior and crisp crust, perfect for holding sandwich ingredients.
Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:
  • Italian Seasoning, Salt, Black Pepper: Classic spice blend that adds depth and complexity to the chicken's flavor.
  • Pesto: Herbal sauce made with basil, creates a vibrant and aromatic base for the sandwich.
  • Mayonnaise: Optional creamy spread that adds richness and moisture to the sandwich.
Vegetable Accent:
  • Roma Tomatoes: Fresh, slightly sweet tomatoes that provide a juicy and bright element to the sandwich.
Cooking Oil:
  • Avocado Oil: High-heat cooking oil with a neutral flavor, ideal for searing chicken and toasting bread.

Directions for Assembling and Grilling the Sandwich

Step 1: Prep the Chicken

Select fresh chicken breasts

Place on a clean cutting board

Slice horizontally to create even cutlets

Gently pound thicker sections for uniform thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin

Step 2: Season the Chicken

Gather seasonings:
  • Italian seasoning
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle seasonings generously over all sides of chicken cutlets

Let chicken rest to absorb flavors

Step 3: Sear the Chicken

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat

Add avocado oil

Cook chicken cutlets 3-5 minutes per side

Ensure internal temperature reaches 160°F

Transfer cooked chicken to a plate

Step 4: Toast the Bread

Use same skillet

Place ciabatta rolls cut-side down

Toast until golden and crispy

Remove and set aside

Step 5: Build the Sandwich

Ingredients for layering:

Mayonnaise

Pesto

Cooked chicken cutlets

Sliced mozzarella

Roma tomato slices

Toasted ciabatta rolls

Spread mayonnaise on one roll half

Spread pesto on opposite half

Layer chicken

Add mozzarella

Top with tomato slices

Close sandwich

Step 6: Grill and Melt

Brush sandwich exterior with avocado oil

Place in skillet

Cook 2 minutes per side

Ensure cheese melts perfectly

Achieve golden-brown exterior

Step 7: Serve and Savor

Remove from skillet

Plate immediately

Enjoy while warm and gooey

Tips for Crispy Bread and Melty Cheese

  • Slice Smoothly: Use a sharp knife when cutting chicken horizontally to ensure clean, even cutlets without tearing the meat.
  • Tenderize Technique: Pound chicken between plastic wrap to create uniform thickness, guaranteeing consistent cooking and preventing dry edges.
  • Temperature Trick: Always use a meat thermometer to check chicken's internal temperature, ensuring it reaches 160°F for safe consumption without overcooking.
  • Cheese Melting Magic: Let mozzarella sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before adding to sandwich, helping it melt more evenly and smoothly.
  • Oil Brushing Brilliance: Apply a light layer of avocado oil on sandwich exteriors for a crispy, golden-brown finish that enhances overall texture and flavor.

Storing and Reheating Chicken Pesto Sandwich Leftovers

  • Refrigerate: Wrap individual sandwiches tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
  • Reheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap sandwich, place on baking sheet, and warm for 10-12 minutes until cheese melts and bread crisps.
  • Reheat Skillet: Warm sandwich in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, ensuring even heating and maintaining crispy bread texture.

What Goes Well with Chicken Pesto Sandwiches

  • Pair with Crisp White Wine: Enjoy a chilled sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio that cuts through the rich pesto and creamy mozzarella, complementing the herb and chicken flavors perfectly.
  • Fresh Side Salad Companion: Create a light arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to balance the sandwich's richness, adding bright, zesty notes that cleanse the palate between bites.
  • Citrus-Infused Sparkling Water: Serve with a refreshing lemon or lime sparkling water to enhance the sandwich's herbal pesto notes and provide a clean, palate-refreshing drink that doesn't overpower the meal's delicate flavors.
  • Crunchy Pickle Garnish: Add tangy dill pickles on the side to introduce a crisp, acidic element that cuts through the sandwich's creaminess and provides a satisfying textural contrast.

Extra Add-Ins for Your Next Chicken Pesto Sandwich

  • Mediterranean Marvel: Swap mozzarella for crumbled feta cheese, add sliced kalamata olives, and spread tzatziki sauce instead of pesto for a Greek-inspired sandwich.
  • Spicy Southwest Sensation: Replace pesto with chipotle mayo, top chicken with pepper jack cheese, add roasted green chiles, and include fresh cilantro for a zesty kick.
  • Mediterranean Veggie Remix: Substitute chicken with grilled portobello mushrooms, keep mozzarella, add roasted red peppers, and use sundried tomato pesto for an earthy vegetarian version.
  • California Fresh Take: Layer the sandwich with avocado slices, use a lighter basil-spinach pesto, add crispy bacon bits, and include butter lettuce for extra crunch and freshness.
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Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Mozzarella Recipe

Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Mozzarella Recipe


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4.9 from 35 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Description

Tuscan-inspired chicken pesto sandwich delivers Mediterranean flavors on crusty artisan bread. Melted mozzarella and herbal pesto create a luxurious lunch experience you’ll crave again and again.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Protein:

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound / 453 grams)

Seasoning and Oil:

  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • Additional avocado oil, for brushing

Sandwich Components:

  • 4 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half horizontally
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ⅓ cup pesto
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) fresh mozzarella, sliced
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Instructions

  1. Transform chicken breasts into uniform cutlets by slicing horizontally and gently flattening any uneven sections with a meat mallet, ensuring consistent thickness for balanced cooking.
  2. Infuse chicken cutlets with robust Italian seasoning, sea salt, and cracked black pepper, allowing the spices to permeate the meat for enhanced flavor profile.
  3. Ignite a skillet over medium-high temperature, introducing avocado oil to create a sizzling cooking surface. Carefully position seasoned chicken cutlets and sear until golden brown and fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 160°F.
  4. Utilize the same skillet to transform ciabatta rolls, toasting cut-sides until they develop a delicate golden crispness that provides textural contrast.
  5. Craft flavor layers by optionally spreading creamy mayonnaise on one roll half, complemented by a generous pesto coating on the opposing surface.
  6. Layer each sandwich meticulously: position seared chicken cutlet, crown with silky mozzarella slices, and adorn with vibrant Roma tomato medallions.
  7. Lightly brush sandwich exteriors with avocado oil, then strategically grill in the skillet, rotating once to achieve a perfectly melted cheese interior and crisp exterior.
  8. Serve sandwiches immediately, capturing the moment when molten mozzarella meets herb-infused pesto and succulent chicken, creating a harmonious culinary experience.

Notes

  • Slice chicken breasts horizontally for even, tender cutlets that cook quickly and uniformly.
  • Generously season chicken with Italian herbs and spices to enhance natural flavors and create a delicious base for the sandwich.
  • Sear chicken in hot skillet with avocado oil to create a golden-brown exterior while maintaining juicy, perfectly cooked meat.
  • Toast ciabatta rolls in the same skillet to absorb leftover chicken flavors and create a crispy, crunchy texture.
  • Layer ingredients strategically: mayonnaise for creaminess, pesto for herbaceous punch, mozzarella for melty richness, and tomatoes for fresh brightness.
  • Grill sandwiches briefly to melt cheese, marry flavors, and achieve a crispy exterior that elevates the entire dish.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Lunch, Snacks
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Calories: 590
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 800mg
  • Fat: 30g
  • Saturated Fat: 7g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 20g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 46g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 34g
  • Cholesterol: 90mg
David Bennett

David Bennett

Founder & Head Recipe Developer

Expertise

Culinary Nutrition​, Recipe Development​, Nutritional Counseling​, Food Science​

Education

Johnson & Wales University

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Nutrition
  • Focus: Blending culinary arts with nutritional science to create health-focused cuisine.

Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®)

  • Credential: Advanced certification in personalized nutrition therapy. ​

David Bennett is the lead recipe creator and nutrition expert at HealthyChoices.org, your friendly space for tasty meals that nourish body and mind. 

With a Culinary Nutrition degree from Johnson & Wales University and a Certified Nutrition Specialist® credential, David pairs practical nutrition with delicious cooking, creating recipes you’ll crave daily. 

At Healthy Choices, David shares easy, nutritious dishes and smart cooking tips to make healthy eating something everyone can enjoy, with no complicated diets needed.

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