Grilled Chicken Panini Recipe
marinated chicken breast, fresh mozzarella, tomato, sauteed spinach, pesto aioli
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Ingredients
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For the marinated chicken
For the pesto aioli
For the spinach filling
For assembling the panini
Method
For the marinated chicken
Marinate
Flatten chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2 inch) by pounding between plastic wrap. Whisk together 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a shallow dish. Add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 hours.
Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess. Cook chicken 4–6 minutes per side (internal temp 165°F / 74°C) until cooked through and nicely browned. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly for sandwiches.
For the pesto aioli
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbs prepared basil pesto, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until assembly.
For the spinach filling
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tsp minced garlic and sauté 15–30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add 3 cups baby spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and squeeze out any excess moisture. Keep warm.
For assembling and grilling the panini
Preheat a panini press or grill pan to medium-high. Split the ciabatta horizontally. Spread about 2 tbs pesto aioli on the cut side of both top and bottom bread halves.
On the bottom half, layer half of the sliced chicken in an even layer, then half of the sautéed spinach, then tomato slices (arranged to cover), and finally half of the fresh mozzarella slices. Repeat for the second sandwich if using both breasts, or stack the remaining ingredients to build one large sandwich.
Place sandwich in the panini press and grill for 3–5 minutes until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted. If using a grill pan, press with a heavy skillet or foil-wrapped brick and cook 3–4 minutes per side, checking to ensure cheese melts but bread does not burn.
Remove from heat and let rest 1–2 minutes. Cut sandwich in half and serve immediately with any remaining pesto aioli on the side.