Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini (Printable Version)

Italian-inspired panini with grilled chicken, basil pesto, and melted mozzarella on warm ciabatta bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (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
09 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach or arugula
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# How to Make It:

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 5-6 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 3-4 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted.
07 - Slice each panini in half and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you ordered it from a charming bistro, but you made it in your own pajamas.
  • The pesto soaks into the bread just enough to make every bite rich and herby without getting soggy.
  • You can prep the chicken ahead and assemble these in under five minutes when hunger strikes.
  • It uses simple ingredients you probably already have, or can grab on one quick store run.
02 -
  • If you press the sandwich before the pan is hot enough, the bread absorbs too much butter and turns greasy instead of crispy.
  • Slicing the chicken thinly is crucial, thick pieces don't warm through and make the sandwich hard to bite.
  • Fresh mozzarella has way more moisture than the low moisture kind, so if your panini seems wet, that's why, pat the cheese dry before adding it.
03 -
  • Weigh down your sandwiches with a cast iron skillet if you don't have a press, it mimics the pressure and gets the job done beautifully.
  • Let the chicken rest after grilling, cutting into it too soon releases all the juices onto your cutting board instead of into the sandwich.
  • Toast the ciabatta lightly before assembling if it's a day old, it refreshes the texture and prevents sogginess.
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