Chicken Pesto Ciabatta Sandwich
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Boulder Creek Pizza Pub Inspired Chicken Pesto Sandwich

A delicious recreation of a pesto chicken sandwich from Boulder Creek, California, featuring ciabatta rolls and homemade pesto ranch.
30 minutes to prep. 20 minutes to cook. 50 minutes total.

Some equipment below links to Amazon and earns this site a commission at no cost to you. Nothing is here that we wouldn't use anyway — how that works.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 4 tablespoons pesto, divided
  • 4 ciabatta rolls
  • 8 slices provolone cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • Pesto ranch (see separate recipe)

Instructions

  1. Slice chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets.
  2. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons pesto and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Halve cherry tomatoes and cook in a small pan until slightly softened.
  4. Grill or pan-fry marinated chicken until cooked through.
  5. Split and lightly toast ciabatta rolls.
  6. Layer bottom of rolls with pesto ranch, provolone cheese, cooked chicken, tomatoes, and olives.
  7. Spread remaining pesto ranch on top half of rolls.
  8. Serve with potato chips.

One lunch stop in Boulder Creek, California introduced me to an amazing pesto chicken sandwich that I had to recreate at home. After some experimenting, I found that Costco ciabatta rolls give it that perfect crusty exterior while staying soft inside. The homemade pesto ranch really makes this sandwich special.

Equipment

What each of these actually changes about the result. Links go to Amazon and earn this site a commission at no cost to you — more on that here.

  • Cast iron skillet, 12 in$

    Holds enough heat that adding a cold steak barely drops the surface temperature, so you get a crust instead of grey steamed meat. This is the pan the reverse sear is built around.

  • Instant-read thermometer$$

    Dough temperature drives fermentation speed more than clock time does, and internal temperature is the only honest doneness test for meat and bread. Replaces guessing in about six different recipes on this site.

  • Serrated bread knife, 10 in$$

    A long serrated edge saws through a crisp crust without compressing the crumb underneath. A chef's knife crushes a fresh loaf and tears a ciabatta roll instead of slicing it.

Notes

  • Best served warm with extra pesto ranch on the side.
  • The chicken can be marinated overnight for better flavor.
  • Any leftover pesto ranch is great on salads.

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