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Now that the temperatures are warm and we’re in the midst of outdoor grilling season, I thought that I would share a great (but simple) summer meal. With fresh basil, sliced mozzarella, and juicy ripe tomatoes, these Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect easy dinner in the warm weather months!
These sandwiches pack a lot of flavor with just a few ingredients. If you’re like me and your basil grows out of control in the hot months, this is a great way to use up some extra leaves.
Paired with bright red, juicy tomatoes, it might become one of your favorite summer meals as well!
I’ve taken the basic flavors from the classic Italian Caprese salad and turned them into a hearty entree with these easy grilled chicken sandwiches. Since the salad is normally made with sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, and seasoned with salt and olive oil, you’ll find all of those delicious components slapped on a bun!
It’s a combination that just goes beautifully together — especially when you add a simple 2-ingredient pesto mayonnaise as well!
The pesto mayonnaise takes the Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich to a whole new level in the flavor department! Add enough to have it oozing out of your bun, or just spread a thin layer on top — you can totally tailor these sandwiches to suit your tastebuds!
If you want to prep ahead and make your summer weeknights easier, try grilling the chicken in advance on the weekend. Then you just have to assemble these sandwiches just before serving and pop them under the broiler to melt the cheese.
YUM!!!
More easy grilled chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
- Tomato Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken
- Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Breast
- Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Grilled Chicken and Nectarine Salad
Chicken Caprese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or chicken cutlets (about 4 ounces each)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 4 sandwich rolls, ciabatta rolls, sliced sourdough bread, or focaccia bread, sliced in half horizontally
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 8 large basil leaves
- 2 plum tomatoes or roma tomatoes or 1 large tomato, sliced
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella (from an 8 ounce ball of mozzarella)
Instructions
Grill the Chicken
- Heat a nonstick pan, grill pan, or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Coat the grill grates or pan with about a teaspoon of oil so that the chicken doesn’t stick. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, rub with olive oil on all sides, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sear or grill the chicken on each side until golden, crispy, and cooked through (about 5 minutes per side for small, thin chicken breast halves, up to 10-12 minutes per side for larger, thick chicken breasts, or about 6-7 minutes for chicken thighs). The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Allow the meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and using in the sandwiches.
Prepare the Pesto Mayo
- In a small bowl, stir together pesto and mayonnaise.
Assemble the Sandwiches
- Toast the sandwich rolls. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto mayonnaise on the inside of the top and bottom of each roll. On the bottom half of the roll, place a layer of chicken and a slice of mozzarella. Place the bottom rolls with the chicken and cheese under the broiler for a few minutes, just until the cheese melts. Add a slice of tomato and a couple of basil leaves on top of the melted cheese. Top with the remaining half of the roll, pesto mayonnaise-side down.
Notes
- I've included directions for basic grilled chicken (to keep it quick and easy); however, you can use a simple grilled chicken marinade for even more flavor. Don't want to grill your meat? No problem! Use store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or try oven baked chicken breast or cast iron chicken breast instead. These grilled chicken thighs also work well!
- Pick a hearty, crusty bread or sandwich roll that can hold up to the sandwich fillings. Good options include crusty kaiser rolls, ciabatta rolls, sourdough bread, and focaccia bread.
- Instead of pesto mayo, drizzle the sandwiches with a balsamic glaze.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in June, 2013. The photos were updated in July, 2018.
That pesto Mayo I must try! I love this recipe. It looks so healthy but delicious at the same time.. and for me that’s sometimes hard to achieve. Awesome to find inspiring recipes like this
Totally! The pesto mayo MAKES the sandwich! 🙂 I hope that you get to try it soon!
We had these for lunch yesterday we had a crowd of hungry Marines here(our sons unit) on there way back to their duty station after a logistics trip. We grilled the chicken the day before and put everything together when they arrived, We wanted something that could be put together fast and be out of the ordinary Bologna and cheese if you know what I mean. They were a HUGE Hit most ate 2 and some even 4 of them and these were BIG Sandwiches!! Thank You for this great Sandwich We Used Mesquite Grilled Chicken and added some strips of Apple wood Bacon!
Yay!!! That’s huge praise, Sandra! Thank you SO much for letting me know. Glad that they are “Marine-approved!”
Would they make you fat.? I’m on a diet
I have no idea, Mary! 🙂 I don’t know what your diet is, but I think these sandwiches could certainly fit into any healthy meal plan. Just adjust your other meals that day to meet your individual dietary needs.