Thursday, August 26, 2010

Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini



Say THAT 3 times. What a tongue twister.

I made some of my Basil Pesto a couple of days ago and had some more leftover. I wanted to find creative ways to use it up other than just tossing it in some pasta. And then I remembered that I had mentioned that pesto would go perfect in a sandwich. So I decided to be innovative and created one.

Its really delicious, flavorful, and more than anything, really easy to make. Perfect for an evening like tonight, where I don't really want to have too many steps to make dinner. Hubby likes this one.

2 boneless, skinless chicken
salt and pepper to taste
sliced cheese (such as provolone, mozzarella, swiss or any other gooey kind of cheese)
sliced wheat bread (or any kind of bread you like)
2 Tbsp. prepared pesto
lettuce leaves
tomato slices

1) Heat grill to medium heat. Season chicken with a good amount of salt and pepper. Cook chicken until done, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Cut into slices.

2) To assemble the sandwiches, place a slice of bread down. Top with cheese, tomato, and sliced chicken. Top with a 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of pesto, and place lettuce leaves on top. Place another slice of bread on top and put the sandwich on a sandwich press. If you don't have a sandwich press, like me, put it on the grill. Place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich and hold it down with a heavy can. Grill on both sides until heated through.

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