Gluten-Free Chicken Pesto Melts

Meaningful Eats

Gluten-Free Chicken Pesto Melts

4 sandwiches

Gluten-Free Chicken Pesto Melts! Delicious, easy sandwiches with chicken, pesto mayo, spinach, red onion and havarti cheese. All grilled to melty, toasted perfection!

Course sandwiches

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Marinading time 2

Total Time 25

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 chicken breasts sliced in half length-wise to make 4 thin chicken breasts
1/2 cup pesto storebought or homemade
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

For the Sandwiches:

8 slices Canyon Bakehouse Heritage-Style Whole Grain Bread
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup mayonnaise + more for spreading on the bread
4 slices havarti cheese
thinly sliced red onion
3-4 cups fresh spinach

Instructions

In a large plastic bag, combine all the ingredients for the chicken. Mix together thoroughly to coat the chicken, then squeeze any air out of the bag. Let marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Heat a grill pan or saute pan over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with olive oil. Grill the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes, until cooked through.
Meanwhile lightly spread one side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise. Mix together the 1/4 cup pesto and 1/4 cup mayonnaise to make pesto mayo.
On the other side of 4 pieces of the bread, spread a layer of the pesto mayo. Top with a handful of spinach followed by the chicken, a few slices of red onion and a slice of havarti cheese. Top with another slice of bread (mayo side up - it helps the bread brown while grilling).
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the sandwiches (you may have to work with just 2 at a time) and cook golden on the first side, pressing on the sandwiches lightly as they cook. Flip and cook on the other side like you would grilled cheese until everything is hot and golden.
Slice in half and enjoy!

Notes

You can also make these on a panini press. Add an extra slice of cheese if you like. Delicious!

My favorite pesto to use in this recipe is the kind from the refrigerated section of Costco. It's amazing. Trader Joe's also has a delicious one. Any pesto will do!

Nutrition