Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise to create 4 thinner cutlets
Olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
4 ounces smoked mozzarella (or plain), thinly sliced or grated
Soft ciabatta loaf (14-16 ounce), cut into 4 equal pieces (can use focaccia, rustic rolls or sliced bread as well)
4 tablespoons (about ¼ cup) julienned sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, if possible)
1 cup micro arugula or regular arugula leaves
Pesto
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Marinate your chicken breasts by adding them to a large bowl, then drizzling over about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper, the Italian seasoning, lemon zest and juice, plus garlic, and toss to coat; marinate for 20 minutes, or even over night.
2. Next, prepare your arugula-basil pesto: if blanching your basil leaves to lock in the vibrant color, bring a small/medium size pot of water to the boil, then turn off the heat; add the basil leaves and blanch them for just 5-10 seconds; drain and add the leaves to ice water to shock them, then drain and gently pat dry on paper towel.
3. To the bowl of a food processor, add the pine nuts, grated parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, lemon zest and juice, the salt and pepper, plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and process for about 20 seconds until fairly smooth; add the basil leaves and the arugula, and continue to process, drizzling in the ½ cup of olive oil until smooth, about 30-45 seconds.
4. Spoon the pesto into a jar or small bowl, cover with plastic, and place into fridge to hold.
5. To grill the chicken, place your grill pan (you can also use an outdoor grill as well) over medium-high heat, and grill a couple of the chicken breast cutlets for about 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden (grilling time is shorter since these are thinner cutlets); allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Preheat your broiler, and line a small baking sheet with foil; place the grilled chicken breasts onto the baking sheet, top each with 1 ounce of the grated smoked (or plain) mozzarella cheese, then place under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.
7. To assemble the grilled chicken sandwiches, generously spread some of your pesto sauce onto both the bottom and top pieces of the bread, then place a cheesy grilled chicken breast onto the bottom piece of bread.
8. Top the chicken with about 1 tablespoon of the julienned sun-dried tomatoes and a sprinkle of micro arugula greens or regular arugula greens; then, cover with the top piece of pesto-slathered bread, and serve. |
This recipe for Chicken Pesto Panini is from