Pesto Chicken Melt Sandwich (Printable)

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

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.1 lbs)
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 and Cheese

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

→ Bread

08 - 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

→ Garnishes

09 - Fresh basil leaves
10 - Sliced tomatoes

# Directions:

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 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Place one slice of mozzarella cheese on each chicken cutlet during the final minute of grilling. Cover briefly to facilitate melting.
05 - While chicken grills, toast the ciabatta roll halves cut-side down on the grill until lightly golden.
06 - Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on the bottom half of each toasted ciabatta roll.
07 - Top each pesto-lined roll with a cheesy chicken cutlet. Add fresh basil leaves and sliced tomatoes if desired. Cover with the top roll half.
08 - Serve immediately while warm and melted.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in thirty minutes but tastes like you spent an hour fussing over it
  • Uses ingredients you can grab on a regular grocery run without hunting down anything fancy
  • The pesto does all the flavor work so you don't have to marinate or plan ahead
  • Melty cheese and crispy bread hit that perfect comfort food spot without feeling heavy
02 -
  • Slicing the chicken breasts horizontally is non-negotiable, thick cutlets will dry out before the cheese melts or stay raw in the middle
  • Toast the bread directly on the grill instead of in a toaster for that smoky flavor and better texture
  • Add the cheese at the very end of grilling or it will melt too fast and slide right off the chicken onto the grates
03 -
  • Pound the chicken cutlets lightly with a meat mallet if they're uneven so they cook at the same rate
  • Warm the pesto slightly before spreading, it soaks into the bread better and spreads more easily
  • Use tongs to flip the chicken instead of a fork to avoid piercing the meat and losing precious juices
  • If grilling outdoors, keep a spray bottle of water handy to tame any flare-ups from the olive oil
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