A delicious grilled chicken sandwich topped with melted mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato, basil pesto, and fresh arugula all on a toasted ciabatta roll. This pesto chicken sandwich is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes!
Chicken sandwich with pesto
Talk about flavor! This chicken sandwich has it all! The basil pesto adds a punch of flavor, and it pairs perfectly with the fresh tomato and arugula.
A good chicken sandwich can be hard to recreate at home, but this one absolutely works. I've created a totally delicious sandwich that everyone in my family loves!
This sandwich is filling enough to serve for dinner, but it doesn't weigh you down. And since it can be ready in less than 30 minutes, it makes a delicious weeknight meal.
Cook on your outdoor grill or pan-fry the chicken on your kitchen stove. I have detailed steps for you to follow below. You pick the method that works best for you and get delicious results!
If you love adding pesto to everything, you'll want to check out my pesto grilled cheese sandwich, pesto garlic bread, tortellini salad, and pesto swirl bread.
Ingredients for pesto chicken sandwich
- Chicken breast - boneless skinless breasts. I take full-sized pieces and slice them in half for a thinner piece of chicken that cooks quicker and is the perfect size for a sandwich.
- Ciabatta rolls - These are a sturdy, flat roll that toasts up nice and crisp adding a perfect texture. Ciabatta rolls hold up well and don't become soggy.
- Pesto - Make homemade pesto or buy it at the store.
- Mozzarella cheese - Fresh mozzarella slices melt easily and add a creamy texture.
- Tomato - Find vine-ripened tomatoes, if they are available. The tomato adds a lot of flavor, so you want a nice ripe one.
- Arugula - Adds just the right amount of pepperiness and flavor. Romaine, iceberg lettuce, or baby spinach may also be used.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme.
Making the chicken sandwich on the grill
To make these chicken sandwiches on the grill, follow these steps:
- Brush olive oil on the inside of the buns.
- Place buns on the grill and toast just until golden. This will take 2-3 minutes. Flip and warm the outside of the bun for 1-2 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.
- Slice the chicken breast in half to create two thin fillets.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Drizzle olive oil and rub over both sides of the chicken.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides of the chicken breast.
- Cook over a hot barbecue grill for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Add cheese and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Apply a generous amount of pesto (about 2 tablespoons) on the inside of the top roll.
- Add a chicken breast and tomatoes to the bottom roll.
- Add a handful of arugula and place the top bun on top of the sandwich.
Making the chicken sandwich on the stovetop
If you are making it on the stovetop, follow these steps:
- Toast the inside of the buns in a skillet over medium heat. Once golden, flip and warm the outside of the buns.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- Wipe out pan to remove any breadcrumbs and return to medium-high heat.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and add chicken to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add cheese to the chicken and place a lid on the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the cheese softens and begins to melt.
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Assemble the sandwich by spreading pesto over the top bun. Place chicken on the bottom bun, topped with tomatoes and arugula.
Recipe tips
- Slice your chicken breasts so they are evenly sized. This helps create consistent cooking times for each breast.
- Use an instant-read thermometer and cook the chicken to 165°F for juicy, perfectly cooked chicken every time.
- Let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before assembling the sandwiches. This helps keep the juices in the meat instead of soaking into the bun.
- Don't skip toasting your bun. The toasting creates flavor and texture, and helps keep your bun from becoming soggy when adding all the sandwich ingredients.
Variations
- Ciabatta rolls not available? Use a Kaiser roll or a sourdough roll. Just make certain to toast to help avoid sogginess.
- Use Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Replace arugula with baby spinach or crunchy romaine lettuce.
- Add crispy slices of bacon.
- Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes before adding to the sandwich.
Frequently asked questions
This sandwich is best assembled just before serving. However, parts of this recipe can be prepared ahead of time.
Cook your chicken breast ahead of time. Reheat under the broiler for 1-2 minutes and then add the cheese.
Have everything ready to assemble, but don't put the sandwich together until you are ready to serve.
Serving suggestions
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be sure to check out all my main dish recipes!
Pesto Chicken Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
- Chef Knife
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts (Cut in half to make 4 thin fillets)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
Sandwich
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella
- ½ cup pesto
- 1 tomato (sliced)
- 2 cups arugula
Instructions
Chicken
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil and spread over chicken.2 chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme.¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
- Cook over a preheated grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Add the mozzarella and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through (165°F) and the cheese is slightly melted. Remove from grill and set aside.4 slices fresh mozzarella
Sandwich
- Drizzle the inside of the ciabatta rolls with olive oil. Place rolls with the oil side down on a hot grill and cook just until toasted. Flip and warm the other side of the roll.4 ciabatta rolls, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Spread a generous amount of pesto on the top half of the bun.½ cup pesto
- Assemble the sandwich by placing the chicken breast on the bottom bun, then the tomatoes, and topping with the arugula.1 tomato, 2 cups arugula
- Serve right away.
Notes
- Slice your chicken breasts so they are an even thickness. This helps create consistent cooking times for each breast.
- Cook the chicken to 165°F.
- Adjust this recipe to the number of people you are serving
- Don't skip toasting your bun. The toasting creates flavor, texture, and helps keep your bun from becoming soggy when adding all the sandwich ingredients.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Diane Vondornburg says
One of the best sandwiches we've ever had. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs in lieu of chicken breasts, pounding the thighs to a similar thickness. I sautéed the thighs and the chocolate along with the remainder of the recipe ingredients created a truly scrumptious dinner sandwich or for any other time of the day.
Kathy says
Hi Diane,
I'm certainly glad you loved this sandwich. Chicken thighs certainly work, but I'm not certain about the rest of the changes you made. Chocolate? Maybe it was ciabatta and it autocorrected to chocolate... 🙂
Sarah says
Excellent recipe that everyone in the family loved! Thanks for sharing, it's a keeper for me.
Kathy says
Yay! Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
Oh this sounds fantastic, Kathy! I love chicken + pesto - it's such a good combination of flavors. And you know how I feel about grilling season! This post just made me so excited to finally fire up the grill again...it's been a long, cold winter but I see signs that the snow might be going away. Putting this one on the list for sure!!
Kathy says
Thanks! This is perfect for warmer weather grilling!
Enjoy!