Get ready to experience a mouthwatering sandwich perfect for any time of year – the chicken caprese panini. Perfectly toasted bread on the outside, tender grilled chicken, juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil all in your mouth at the same time. Sounds good, right?
A while back, I received a sandwich press as a Christmas gift. We had so much fun experimenting with different types of sandwiches. Why does everything taste better when it’s toasted? If you don’t have a press, though, don’t worry. You can still make a mean caprese chicken sandwich.
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Favorite Sandwich of the Summer
A panini is a year round sandwich to be enjoyed, but I particularly love Grilled Chicken Caprese Paninis in the summer. I think it’s because it is so fresh and fragrant and many of the ingredients come straight from my own sunny garden. Add in a little grilled chicken and it’s just summer in my mouth, capturing sunny days, family gatherings, and simple pleasures.
Tip: If you are eating low carb, turn this into a caprese salad by just eliminating the bread from the recipe and serving the chicken and other ingredients over a bed of salad greens instead.
Gather Your Ingredients
This is one of my favorite sandwich recipes because the ingredients are simple, fresh, and don’t require any processed lunch meat. To make the most vibrant chicken caprese sandwich you’ll need:
- Sliced, cooked chicken breasts
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh basil leaves or basil pesto
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Tomato slices
- Spinach or lettuce leaves
- Italian seasoning (optional)
Note: I have an easy method for grilling chicken which is perfect for this sandwich recipe. While you’re grilling, give these other recipes a try,too:
- Grilled Chicken Enchilada Campfire Nachos
- The Easiest Grilled Baked Potatoes
- Greek Inspired – Grilled Ground Beef and Cauliflower Foil Packets
- Blackened Grilled Catfish Recipe
Slicing the Chicken Breasts
Allow the grilled chicken breast to rest for a few minutes, so the juices settle in and retain moisture. Then, using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breast against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers, resulting in tender slices. Aim for even thickness when slicing so your sandwich has a consistent texture.
Pesto
You can use store bought pesto or make your own. Pesto is easy to make at home with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. To maximize freshness from my garden, I also make a carrot top pesto that can be used in this recipe. Just use the tops of your garden fresh carrots instead of basil or swap it out for half of what the recipe calls for. It’s a great way to extend the vegetables we grow in the garden and use something that is typically discarded.
Keep fresh pesto in the fridge for a few weeks or freeze it in small ice cube trays. Just put the pesto in the tray and top it with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw out individual portions whenever you need them.
Grill the Ultimate Crispy and Melty Panini
I love my panini press because it can be used for a variety of other things as well. If you don’t have a press, though, here’s a tip for making do. Grill your sandwich in a clean, preheated grill pan. Use a heat-safe plate that fits inside the pan (or at least covers your sandwich). Press down using a heavy object like a large can or a clean brick. Place the can right on top of the plate and press gently, giving even pressure to the entirety of the sandwich.
Grilled Chicken Caprese Panini
Ingredients
- Grilled Chicken Caprese Panini
- 2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 Tablespoon coconut or olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried savory
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 cup pesto (We used Carrot Top Pesto)
- 8 rustic or artisan bread, we used an Italian Country bread
- 16 slices of Mozzarella cheese
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
- Add coconut or olive oil to a large skillet. Preheat skillet over medium heat.
- Combine salt, pepper, basil, savory, and garlic powder together. Season chicken with seasoning on both sides.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook until browned on both sides and cooked thru, about 10-12 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking, spread pesto onto the inside of both the bottom and top bread slices. To the bottom slice of bread, add the mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, and spinach.
- When chicken is done, add it to the sandwich on top of the spinach. Complete the sandwich with the top slice of bread.
- Flip the sandwich onto your panini grill so that the cheese is on top. Press down and cook until cheese is melted and bread is toasted, about 3-4 minutes.
- Carefully remove from panini press and slice each sandwich in half. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 2074Total Fat: 162gSaturated Fat: 61gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 5192mgCarbohydrates: 39gSugar: 7gProtein: 107g
What Goes With Chicken Caprese Sandwiches?
In winter months, serve these sandwiches with a hot bowl of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe. For the warmer days of summer, I like to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables as side dishes. Creamy Summer Fruit Salad or Mom’s Potato Salad Recipe are a couple of our family’s favorites. Of course, a basic green salad with balsamic vinegar dressing will also hit the spot.
From grilling the chicken to melting the cheese, your tummy will be growling. A chicken caprese panini with juicy tomatoes, grilled chicken, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil makes the perfect quick lunch. They won’t disappoint!
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Sounds like a great sandwich and one that is not horribly bad for you. 😉
I would LOVE a panini press. I’ll have to hint around for this. Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Dawn. My last griddle went a sad death and I was looking for a new one when I saw the 4 in 1 that I bought. I always made due with the plate and can method. But I LOVE this thing. It’s awesome. If you get one, happy pressing. 🙂
Hmmmm yes! This looks very good! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much!
What a delicious and easy recipe! I’m sure my family will love it! And, thank you for stopping by Shine a Spotlight Saturday and sharing! See you next Saturday! —Deb at DialMforMoms.com
You’re welcome Deb. It’s always great to stop by with something tasty from the kitchen. I hope you’re family enjoys them.
It tastes as good as it looks. Thanks for stopping in.
I was doing something similar with a plate and a large can of tomatoes. My electric griddle died before Christmas and I received this as an early Christmas gift. I LOVE it and use it several times a week.
What’s up, just wanted to tell you, I liked this article.
It was helpful. Keep on posting!