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No need for Starbucks when you can make a Caprese Grilled Chicken Sandwich at home! Loaded with pesto, creamy mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and grilled chicken, this easy healthy sandwich recipe is perfect for lunch or dinner!
I love Caprese salads 😍 Pesto is one of my favorite flavors, and when it’s accompanied by creamy mozzarella and sweet, tangy tomatoes, it is heaven!
This Copycat Starbucks Chicken Caprese Sandwich takes the salad to a whole new level. With added chicken for protein and everything placed between sliced focaccia, it’s filling and perfect for lunch or dinner. This sandwich bursts with flavor in every single bite. You’ll be making it again and again because it is so simple to throw together, and the entire family will love it.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy: This Grilled Chicken Sandwich takes just minutes to throw together and there aren’t many steps. The hardest part is grilling the chicken, but it’s really easy!
- Healthy: With a great source of protein, carbs, vegetables, healthy fats, and dairy, this is a well-rounded recipe, and great to fit into a healthy diet.
- Tastes amazing: Herby pesto, fresh tomatoes, grilled chicken, creamy cheese, and focaccia bread are simple ingredients, but together they are so powerful! This is one of my favorite sandwich recipes.
- Kid-friendly: My kids love this sandwich almost as much as I do. It’s a great way to make sure they’re getting enough filling protein for muscles and calcium for strong bones. Add a side of Baked Zucchini Fries to make this a healthy family meal!
Ingredients you need
- Chicken breasts: I cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that they would cook quicker and more evenly. You could also pound the chicken until it’s thin. Turkey breast is a great alternative to chicken.
- Seasoning: I seasoned the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, to make it taste its best. If you like a little spice, sprinkle some chili pepper flakes in there too!
- Olive oil: Olive oil keeps the chicken from sticking. You can use any healthy oil you have on hand.
- Cheese: Mozzarella melts perfectly over the chicken and is a key ingredient in this Grilled Chicken Caprese sandwich. I used mozzarella slices, however, sliced buffalo mozzarella would taste delicious too. You could substitute provolone or gruyere in a pinch.
- Pesto sauce: I always make my own Homemade Pesto to add to sandwiches, roasted vegetables, or meats. It is delicious!
- Bread: Soft focaccia loaf halved lengthwise
- Tomatoes: Beef tomatoes are sliced and added to this sandwich. They are perfect for sandwiches or burgers because they stay on the bread easily, however, any variety of tomatoes will be great in this grilled chicken sandwich.
How to make grilled chicken pesto sandwich
1. Prep the chicken: Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and oil.
2. Heat the grill or pan: Preheat an outdoor grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
3. Grill the chicken: Grill the chicken cutlets for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely charred and no longer pink on the inside. To check if they’re cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer and make sure it reaches 165°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, slice the chicken at the thickest part. If it’s pink and the juices aren’t running clear, cook it for a little longer. The meat will be white when it’s ready.
4. Top with cheese: Remove the chicken from the heat and immediately top with mozzarella.
5. Prepare the sandwich: Spread your pesto sauce over the bottom focaccia slice, top with grilled chicken, and tomato slices, and finish off with the top focaccia slice. Check my list below for Grilled Chicken Sandwich side dishes!
Tips For Success
- Switch up the meat: Grilled turkey breast also tastes wonderful in this Caprese sandwich recipe.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat and turn this into a vegetarian grilled cheese! Place a slice of focaccia bread on the grill with a slice of cheese on top until it melts and then add the tomatoes and pesto on top before serving.
- Use different tomatoes: Beef tomatoes, salad tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes are delicious in a grilled chicken sandwich! Cherry tomatoes are my favorite for flavor, however, they tend to fall out easier than larger tomatoes.
- Opt for gluten-free bread to easily turn this into a gluten-free chicken sandwich.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Made with grilled chicken breast, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and pesto sauce, the grilled chicken sandwich is a well-rounded healthy meal option, great for lunch or dinner!
Here are a few of my favorites: homemade Pesto, homemade Ranch, Mayonnaise, Chipotle Mayo, BBQ Sauce, Honey Mustard, Guacamole or, smashed avocado, and Sweet Chili Sauce.
I like to stick to cheeses that melt easily over the chicken either on the grill or when it’s straight off the grill, for example: Mozzarella, Cheddar, Provolone, Swiss, Pepper Jack, Gruyere, Fontina, Raclette, Taleggio, and American.
What can I serve with a chicken Caprese sandwich?
- Baked Zucchini Chips
- Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
- Baked Avocado Fries
- Air Fryer Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Healthy Sweet Potato Fries
- Fruit Salad
- Cucumber Avocado Feta Salad
- Spinach Apple Pecan Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
More delicious sandwiches to try
- Grilled Chicken Gyro Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwich
- Keto Chicken Fajita Wraps
- Chicken Caesar Wrap
- Sweet Potato Cheeseburger Sliders
- Stovetop Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
Also, if you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below. Don’t forget to rate the recipe, too! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
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Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices mozzarella
- 1/2 cup pesto sauce, store bought or homemade
- Soft focaccia loaf halved lengthwise
- 2 beef tomatoes, sliced
Instructions
- Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and oil.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken cutlets for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely charred and no longer pink on the inside.
- Remove from the heat and immediately top with mozzarella.
- Spread your pesto sauce over the bottom focaccia slice, top with grilled chicken, and tomato slices, and finish off with the top focaccia slice.
Notes
- Switch up the meat: Grilled turkey breast also tastes wonderful in this Caprese sandwich recipe.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat and turn it into a vegetarian grilled cheese! Place a slice of focaccia bread on the grill with a slice of cheese on top until it melts and then add the tomatoes and pesto on top before serving.
- Use different tomatoes: Beef tomatoes, salad tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes are delicious in a grilled chicken sandwich! Cherry tomatoes are my favorite for flavor, however, they tend to fall out easier than larger tomatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks amazing. Question the nutritional info is for a single serving?
Yes for a single portion. The online calculator tabulates it considering all the ingredients used