Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

You can cook the chicken ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Then, you can either assemble the sandwich with cold chicken, or re-heat the chicken first. To re-heat, I like to add a bit of oil to a skillet set on low heat, then add the chicken and cover it with a lid. The cover helps the chicken from drying out! Remove the chicken once it's hot, flipping once during the re-heating process (but don't cook too long or it may dry out).

Can I make more than one sandwich at a time?

Yes you can! You can use a larger pan and cook multiple pieces of chicken at once, or work in batches. If you want to toast the bread all at once, just brush a thin layer of oil on both sides of each piece, then toast in a toaster oven or broil each side until nicely browned.

What can I substitute for pesto?

If you don't like or don't have pesto, there are other options; try a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or even a layer of mayo (mayo and tomato are a classic pairing!).

Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Print Recipe

A simple, quick but flavorful sandwich with pan-seared seasoned chicken breast and fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato.

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 1 sandwich 1x
Category: main course, entree
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Italian inspired, American

Ingredients

Scale

1 - 2 pieces thin-cut chicken breasts (about 1/3 inch thick)
Italian seasoning, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more if needed
2 slices fresh mozzarella (about 2 ounces)
2 - 3 slices tomato
3 - 4 fresh basil leaves
2 slices hearty white bread
2 tablespoons pesto (store-bought or homemade)

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Instructions

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. While pan is heating up, generously sprinkle both sides of the thin-cut chicken breast(s) with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through (to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees).
While the chicken is cooking, slice the tomato, and the cheese and bread (if not already pre-sliced). Rinse the basil and remove the stems.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet onto a plate, but do not turn the burner off. If the skillet is dry, add a few more drops of oil. Add the bread and let cook over medium heat for 1 - 2 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown.
Assemble the sandwich: Spread half the pesto onto the bottom slice of bread. Then add the chicken on top, followed by the cheese, then tomato. Sprinkle the tomato with coarse salt and black pepper (optional but delicious!). Add the basil leaves, then top the sandwich with the second slice of bread that has been spread with the remaining pesto. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make this sandwich with either 1 or 2 pieces of thin-cut chicken breast, depending on the size of the pieces and what would fit best on the bread you have chosen (or how hungry you are!)

If you don't have thin-cut chicken breasts, cut a regular chicken breast horizontally into thin slices. Each piece should be around 1/3 of an inch thick. If you can't cut each piece thin enough, that's ok! If they are close, you can just cook the pieces for a little longer. Or, you can cover the pieces with plastic wrap and pound them thinner with a meat mallet or even a wine bottle or rolling pin.

The ingredient amounts for the sandwich are flexible and can be adjusted to suit your own tastes; feel free to add more or less tomato, cheese, pesto, etc.

The chicken breasts can be cooked ahead of time and kept in the fridge for 3 - 4 days in an airtight container. To reheat, heat a bit of oil in a skillet on low heat and add the chicken. Cover the pan to help keep the chicken from drying out and cook on low, flipping once, until heated through.

If you want to make more than one sandwich, use a larger skillet to cook multiple pieces of chicken at a time (or work in batches). To toast multiple pieces of bread at once, brush some olive oil on each side of the bread and toast in a toaster oven, or broil for a minute or two on each side until the bread is nicely browned.

Keywords: chicken sandwich, chicken breast sandwich, caprese, caprese sandwich

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/chicken-caprese-sandwich/