Chicken Pesto Panini Recipe

A chicken pesto panini cut in half and served on a white plate.

5 from 6 votes

Chicken Pesto Panini Recipe

This Chicken Pesto Panini is quick, easy, and full of flavor with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and a creamy pesto spread.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Main Course, sandwich

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Equipment

Panini Press or indoor griddle

Ingredients

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4½ teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1½ tablespoons pesto
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
dash black pepper
4 slices sourdough bread
¼ pound sliced rotisserie chicken
6 slices ready to serve fully cooked bacon
4 slices smoked part-skim mozzarella cheese
6 slices tomato
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Combine mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pesto, lemon zest, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix and spread over 2 bread slices.
Layer with chicken, bacon, mozzarella cheese, and tomato.
Add the remaining mayo mixture to the other 2 pieces of bread and place on top of each sandwich.
Brush melted butter onto the outsides of each sandwich and cook on a panini maker or indoor griddle for about 3-4 minutes (or until sandwiches are browned and cheese is melted).
Serve warm.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Press Evenly: Apply gentle pressure so the sandwich cooks evenly and gets crispy. If you don't have a panini maker, use a George Foreman grill or press on a cast iron skillet.

Use Fresh Bread: Sourdough works best for texture and flavor. Sturdy artisan bread slices are essential for this sandwich. Regular sandwich bread lacks the strength to support all the delicious fillings.

Don’t Overfill: Keeps everything from sliding out while cooking.

Cook Until Golden: Wait for that crispy outside and fully melted cheese.

Make ahead of time. The sauce and other ingredients can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored in separate containers in the fridge before assembling and pressing the sandwiches.

Store. Wrap each leftover panini with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days, or (remove the tomatoes) freeze for 2-3 months. Reheat using a panini press, a skillet on the stove, or in the microwave.

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