To me, the perfect sandwich is one that awakens all the senses at once: the crunch of the lettuce, the creaminess of the cheese, the zip of the spice, and the smokiness of the grill. This recipe fits that bill and has become our favorite summer ‘go-to’ sandwich. It’s a feast for the eyes and easy to prepare, packed with flavor. If you can’t get to Italy this summer, let Italy come to you!
This week, we have five young women working as sous-chefs in our kitchen to help us with a week-long retreat. They’ve had some great lessons as they’ve learned how to: pick the proper herbs, chiffonade basil, properly dice tomatoes (yes, it’s a technique!), grill chicken so it is moist and delicious, and many others. I expect them to return to their families with some great new recipes and skills at the end of this week. We hope you enjoy this sandwich for one of your functions this summer. It’s going to be a staple on our menu!
Tip: make a jar of the pesto sauce to have on hand in the freezer any time you need it!
SERVINGS4CHANGE SERVING SIZE |
COOK TIME10mins |
PREP TIME20mins |
READY IN30mins (or less) |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Pesto sauce
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled
- 2 large mozzarella balls sliced into 8 slices, 1/4" thick
- 4 lettuce leaves or 1 cup of arugula
- 3 Tbsp Balsamic reduction
- 4 Ciabatta Rolls toasted in oven
- Bruschetta Topping
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup red onions diced, 1/8 inch dice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups tomato(es) diced, 1/4 inch dice
- 1 tsp oregano minced
- 6 basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make bruschetta topping: in a medium sized bowl. Combine the red onions, garlic, tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, oregano, and basil. Set bruschetta to the side. Drain slightly before using.
- Grill your chicken: season with salt and pepper and rub with about 1 tsp. of olive oil and grill over low flame until 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Meat is ready to turn when it no longer sticks to the grill. Do not overcook
- Split your rolls in half then stack back together, lay on a sheet pan and toast for 5 min in a 350 degree oven.
- To assemble, spread pesto sauce on each half of the roll, then layer with lettuce or arugula, mozzarella, grilled chicken then drizzle with balsamic reduction and top with the bruschetta topping. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
