Jul 09 2026
RestaurantsThe Cellar Wine Bar & KitchenPesto Chicken Panini Recipe

Pesto Chicken Panini Recipe

Time35m
Serves2

Grilled chicken breast topped with house made pesto.

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Ingredients

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For the Pesto

Method

To Make the Pesto

  1. 1

    Prepare the Ingredients

    Gather all the ingredients for the pesto.

  2. 2

    Blend the Pesto

    In a food processor, combine the fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and grated Parmesan cheese. Pulse until finely chopped.

  3. 3

    Add Olive Oil

    With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is well combined and smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  4. 4

    Season the Pesto

    Add salt and black pepper to taste. Blend again to incorporate.

To Prepare the Chicken

  1. 5

    Season the Chicken

    Season the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.

  2. 6

    Grill the Chicken

    Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for about 6-7 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through and have nice grill marks.

  3. 7

    Add Pesto

    Once cooked, remove the chicken from the grill and spread a generous amount of the prepared pesto on each chicken breast.

To Assemble the Panini

  1. 8

    Prepare the Bread

    Drizzle olive oil on one side of each slice of ciabatta or Panini bread.

  2. 9

    Assemble the Panini

    On the non-oiled side of one slice, layer the pesto-topped chicken breast and top with mozzarella cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top, oiled side facing out.

  3. 10

    Grill the Panini

    Place the assembled Panini on the grill or in a Panini press. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

To Serve

  1. 11

    Slice and Serve

    Remove the Panini from the grill, slice in half, and serve warm with additional pesto if desired.

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