Chicken Pesto Panini Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Chicken Pesto Panini Recipe

This crispy chicken pesto panini is an Italian-flavored sandwich filled with bacon, tomato, and gooey mozzarella. It is grilled to perfection!

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.

If you don't have a panini maker use a George Foreman grill or press on a cast iron skillet.
Large slices of artisan bread are needed to hold up, regular sandwich bread isn't sturdy enough.
You can prep the ingredients ahead of time, but for best results serve freshly pressed sandwiches.

Prep ahead. 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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