Description
Delicious chicken pesto panini made with fresh ingredients, perfect for a quick meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz Ciabatta bread (focaccia or sour dough)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided, plus extra if needed)
- 6 ounces Fontina cheese (shredded or sliced, about 2 cups, or white cheddar, mozzarella)
- 1/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (4 tablespoons or 56g)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (or arugula)
- 8 oz cooked chicken breast (grilled, air-fried or rotisserie, about 2 chicken breasts, sliced thin)
Instructions
- Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Drizzle or brush the cut sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread mayonnaise on one side and the pesto sauce on the other. Top one side with the fresh spinach and half the grated cheese. On the other side, spread the remaining shredded cheese and top with the thin sliced chicken. Sandwich both sides together and cut the loaf into 4 equal pieces.
- Preheat a panini press, panini grill pan or a large skillet over medium heat. Pour the remaining olive oil in the skillet. Place two of the prepared sandwiches in the skillet. If not using a panini press, place a heavy, smaller skillet (like cast iron) on top of the sandwiches to ‘press’ them while cooking. Slow cook over moderate heat until golden brown. Turn the sandwiches over and continue pressing and cooking until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
- Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, adding more olive oil to the skillet if needed. Serve with chips and a pickle if desired.
Notes
- This panini can be customized with other vegetables or cheeses as desired.
- Leftover chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken works well for this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 80mg