Grilled Pesto Chicken Melt (Printable)

Grilled chicken breast with basil pesto and melted mozzarella on toasted ciabatta. Italian-American comfort food, ready in 30 minutes.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
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)

→ Bread

08 - 4 ciabatta rolls, halved

→ Garnishes

09 - Fresh basil leaves
10 - Sliced tomatoes

# Preparation Steps:

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, with internal temperature reaching 165°F.
04 - Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on each chicken cutlet during the last minute of grilling. Cover briefly to facilitate melting.
05 - While the chicken is grilling, toast the ciabatta roll halves cut-side down on the grill until lightly golden.
06 - Spread 1 tablespoon of basil 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 melted.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
  • The pesto does all the flavor work, so you don't need a long marinade or complicated seasoning.
  • Melted mozzarella on warm chicken is pure comfort in every bite.
  • You can easily double the recipe for a crowd without any extra effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip slicing the chicken breasts thin, thick pieces take too long and can dry out before the cheese even melts.
  • Let the grill get fully hot before adding the chicken, or it will stick and tear when you try to flip it.
  • Use a good quality pesto because it's the star flavor here, a bland jar will make the whole sandwich fall flat.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts lightly if they're uneven in thickness, so everything cooks at the same rate.
  • Spread pesto on both halves of the bread for an extra burst of flavor in every bite.
  • If you don't have a grill, a hot cast iron skillet works just as well for getting that golden crust on the chicken.
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