Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini (Printable)

Juicy grilled chicken, vibrant basil pesto, and gooey mozzarella pressed between warm ciabatta for a satisfying Italian sandwich.

# 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 handful 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 to 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 to 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 comes together in under half an hour, which means you can have a restaurant-quality sandwich on the table faster than delivery.
  • The combination of warm, melty mozzarella and fragrant pesto makes every bite feel like a small celebration.
  • You can use up leftover chicken or even rotisserie chicken, so there's almost no prep work involved.
  • It's endlessly adaptable, swap the greens, change the cheese, add roasted peppers, and it still works every time.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step after grilling the chicken, if you slice it too early, all the juices run out and you end up with dry meat.
  • Butter the outside of the bread generously, not the inside, this is what creates that crispy, golden crust that makes a panini a panini.
  • Use medium heat, not high, or the bread will burn before the cheese has a chance to melt.
  • If you don't have a panini press, a heavy cast-iron skillet works perfectly to press the sandwich down while it grills.
03 -
  • If you're making multiple paninis, keep the finished ones warm in a low oven while you grill the rest so everyone eats at the same time.
  • Use fresh mozzarella, not the shredded kind, it melts into creamy pools instead of clumping up.
  • Press firmly but not too hard when grilling, you want the bread to crisp and the cheese to melt, but you don't want all the fillings to squish out the sides.
  • A little pesto on the top half of the bread, not just the bottom, ensures flavor in every bite.
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