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Hi dear, I’m here to jazz up lunch time. Put away your PB&J, and reach for a hot and crispy Chicken Caesar Pesto Panini instead!
I’m not being dramatic when I say this flavor-packed sandwich blows every grilled cheese I’ve ever had out of the water. Fresh pesto is slathered onto thick slices of focaccia that’s stuffed with deli chicken and gooey mozzarella cheese then grilled in a panini press until sizzling. A fresh Cesar Salad is stuffed inside before devouring.
Hot, cold, crispy, cheesy – this sandwich checks all the boxes. Bonus points for it being make-ahead and a cinch to assemble, too!
Panini vs Grilled Cheese
First of all, what IS a panini? A panini is essentially a grilled cheese sandwich made with sliced Italian bread like ciabatta or focaccia. It’s stuffed with meat, cheese, and sometimes vegetables (Kraft singles, eat your heart out!) then heated in a panini press.
The base of our Chicken Caesar Pesto Panini is a loaf of my Gluten Free Focaccia which is sliced in half widthwise to create two thick slices of bread for the sandwich.
No time nor desire to bake a loaf of bread? Totally get it – just use your favorite sliced bread instead.
Ingredients Needed
- Focaccia: My Gluten Free Focaccia can be made several days ahead of time, and makes enough for 2-4 sandwiches. Feel free to slice up your favorite store-bought bread, or use store-bought sliced bread instead.
- Pesto: I’m a homemade pesto stan, but if you want to go the store-bought route, I’m sharing my favorite brand below.
- Sliced mozzarella cheese: can be found with all the other sliced cheeses at the grocery store these days.
- Deli chicken: I like Di Lusso brand, which I get at the deli meat counter, and is gluten free.
- Romaine lettuce: is the base of the Caesar salad that’s stuffed inside the hot panini.
- Prepared Caesar dressing: I love Ken’s Creamy Caesar salad dressing. It’s truly the best bottled Caesar around.
- Red onion: optional, but I like the color, crunch, and zip it brings to the panini.
Gather your ingredients then get ready to dive into this mouthwatering meal!
How to Make Homemade Focaccia
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Make homemade focaccia.
Follow my recipe for homemade Gluten Free Focaccia a day or two ahead of when you want to make the panini. All you need are a handful of everyday ingredients.
Again, if you’d rather use sliced bread to make these panini, that’s totally fine.
Step 2: Build the panini.
Slice the cooled focaccia in half horizontally to create two large “slices” of bread – this will make enough for 2-4 sandwiches, FYI. If you’re using sliced bread, lay 2 slices per sandwich out on a cutting board.
Recipe Tip
If using sliced bread, butter the outsides of the bread so they crisp in the panini maker/skillet, then place butter-side-down on the cutting board.
Next layer on 1-2 thin slices of mozzarella cheese, followed by thinly sliced deli chicken. Top with another 1-2 slices of mozzarella cheese, then add the top half of the bread, pesto-side-down.
I LOVE my homemade vegan pesto recipe but if you need to go store-bought, I highly recommend Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto, which is what I based my recipe on. I actually prefer the flavor of their vegan pesto compared to their regular one!
If using focaccia bread, slice the loaf into 2-4 sandwiches. Since focaccia is very rich on account of it being made with extra virgin olive oil, I really think a 1/3 or 1/4 loaf sandwich really satisfies!
Step 3: Grill the panini.
Place the panini in an electric panini press preheated on medium-high heat, or into a large skillet preheated over medium heat.
Press until the cheese has melted and the top and bottom of the bread is crispy. If using a skillet, flip the sandwich once the bottom piece of bread is crispy.
Step 4: Add the caesar salad.
Place the panini onto plates then add chopped romaine lettuce into a bowl, add your desired amount of prepared Caesar dressing, then toss with tongs to combine.
Open up the panini then add the dressed Caesar salad plus sliced red onion for color and crunch. Place the top back on then chow down!
Make Ahead to Grill Fresh Later
What I love about making these Chicken Caesar Pesto Panini is that, since a whole loaf of focaccia makes 2-4 sandwiches, I can wrap up the extra ones to press in the panini maker, or toast in a skillet later in the week.
Recipe Tip
If making the panini in a skillet after they’ve been wrapped and refrigerated, place a lid on top of the skillet while they’re cooking, which will ensure the cheese and chicken melts and heats in time with the bread crisping up.
Being gluten free, it’s always a treat to enjoy something that’s typically served jam-packed with gluten – at restaurants, anyway – made safe and delicious at home. It’s a huge part of why these taste so special and decadent to me. I hope you get a chance to try the chicken pesto panini very soon – enjoy every last drop!
More Tasty Lunch Ideas
- Crispy Cheesy Tuna Melt Sandwich
- Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
- BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
- Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Apple Orchard Panini
Chicken Caesar Pesto Panini
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Gluten Free Focaccia see notes
- 1 batch Pesto see notes
- 4-8 thin slices mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 lb thinly-sliced deli chicken
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- prepared Caesar Salad Dressing Ken’s Creamy Caesar recommended
- 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
-
Preheat an electric panini press on medium-high heat, or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
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Slice the Gluten Free Focaccia in half widthwise to create a top and bottom then place cut side up on a cutting board. If using sliced bread, lay 2 bread slices per sandwich out on a cutting board.
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Spread pesto on all the pieces of focaccia/bread then place 1-2 slices of mozzarella cheese on the bottom of each sandwich (may only need 1 slice depending on how large the bread slice is if using sliced bread). Layer on your desired amount of deli chicken then place 1-2 more slices of mozzarella cheese on top.
-
Place the top of the focaccia/bread pesto-side down on top of the sandwich. If using focaccia bread, slice into 2 – 4 thick sandwiches. Place the sandwiches inside the pre-heated panini press or into the bottom of the skillet, if using.
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Grill until the panini is golden brown and the cheese has melted (if using a skillet, flip the sandwich when the bottom side is golden brown), then transfer to plates.
-
To a medium-size mixing bowl, add the romaine lettuce and your desired amount of Caesar dressing then toss with tongs to coat. Remove the top slice of focaccia/bread from the paninis then top with the dressed Caesar salad. Add red onion slices if desired then replace the bread on top and serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute your favorite store-bought bread for the homemade focaccia bread. If using store-bought bread, spread softened butter on the outsides of the bread to ensure they crisp and brown in the panini maker or pan.
- Substitute your favorite store-bought pesto for the homemade pesto. I highly recommend Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto (I prefer the flavor of their vegan pesto over their regular pesto).
- This is really a “no recipe” type of recipe – that said, use as much chicken, cheese, salad, etc. as you personally prefer!
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin