Pesto Chicken Melt Sandwich (Printable)

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

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs total)
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 & Cheese

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

→ Bread

08 - 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

→ Garnishes

09 - Fresh basil leaves
10 - Sliced tomatoes

# How To Make:

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 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on each chicken cutlet during the last minute of grilling and cover briefly to help melt the cheese.
05 - While the chicken is grilling, toast the ciabatta rolls 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-spread roll with a cheesy chicken cutlet. Add fresh basil leaves and sliced tomatoes if desired. Cover with the top half of the roll.
08 - Serve immediately while warm and melty.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can have a restaurant-style sandwich on a Tuesday without the takeout guilt.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, which means fewer ingredients and zero complicated sauces.
  • Leftovers actually reheat beautifully in a hot skillet, making next-day lunch something to look forward to.
02 -
  • Don't skip slicing the chicken breasts horizontally, thick cutlets take forever to cook and tend to dry out before the cheese even thinks about melting.
  • Toast the ciabatta cut-side down directly on the grill, not in a toaster, because the slight char and grill flavor make the sandwich taste intentional instead of assembled.
  • Let the chicken rest for a minute after grilling before you build the sandwiches, it keeps the juices from running out and making everything soggy.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness instead of guessing, overcooked chicken ruins an otherwise perfect sandwich.
  • If you don't have a grill, a heavy skillet over medium-high heat works just as well, press the chicken down gently with a spatula for even contact.
  • Make your own pesto if you have the time, fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan, and pine nuts blended with good olive oil will always taste better than anything from a jar.
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