Chicken Pesto Panini (Printable Version)

Grilled chicken, basil pesto, and melted mozzarella pressed between warm ciabatta. An Italian favorite, ready in just 25 minutes.

# What You 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 handful fresh baby spinach or arugula
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. 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.
02 - Spread 1 tablespoon pesto on the cut side of each bottom ciabatta half.
03 - Layer sliced chicken, mozzarella, tomato, and spinach or arugula on top of the pesto. Cover with the top ciabatta halves.
04 - Lightly butter the outside of each sandwich.
05 - 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.
06 - Slice each panini in half and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pesto soaks into the warm ciabatta and creates this fragrant, herbaceous layer that makes every bite feel indulgent.
  • You can have everything prepped and pressed in under half an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or last minute guests.
  • The crispy, buttery crust against the gooey mozzarella gives you that satisfying crunch and melt in every mouthful.
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have on hand, and you can easily swap in rotisserie chicken when you're short on time.
02 -
  • Let the chicken rest after grilling or all the juices will run out when you slice it, leaving the meat dry and the cutting board messy.
  • Don't overfill the sandwiches or they'll be impossible to press evenly, and the ingredients will squish out the sides instead of melting together.
  • If you don't have a panini press, a cast iron skillet as a weight works perfectly, just press down firmly and flip carefully.
03 -
  • Press down firmly when grilling without a panini press to make sure the cheese melts all the way through and the bread gets evenly crispy.
  • Slice the chicken as thinly as possible so it layers neatly and every bite has a good balance of meat, cheese, and pesto.
  • Make sure your butter is softened before spreading it on the bread, or you'll tear the ciabatta trying to get it to stick.
Go Back