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Create a delicious Chicken Caprese Sandwich with grilled chicken, fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese topped with a pesto mayo and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
If you love a good caprese salad you are going to love this recipe for Chicken Caprese Sandwich. It has all the same delicious flavor and ingredients as the salad along with some tender, juicy chicken on a delicious ciabatta roll.
It’s the perfect summer time meal when you have fresh tomatoes in the garden, basil to make pesto and it’s perfect grilling weather.
Ingredients Needed
- Grilled chicken breasts. Use my favorite marinade on the chicken.
- Tomato. If you have fresh heirloom tomatoes those would be delicious.
- Basil Pesto. Store bought or make your own with fresh basil leaves with this recipe.
- Ciabatta Rolls
- Mozzarella Cheese or Colby Jack Cheese
- Balsamic Glaze
- Mayonnaise, optional (see tips below)
How to Make a Chicken Caprese Sandwich
- Butter your ciabatta roll or brush with olive oil and toast on the grill or on a cast iron pan on the stovetop.
- Top the roll with pesto or pesto mayo (see recipe below)
- Add grilled chicken breast.
- Add fresh tomato slices, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Tips from leigh Anne
- If you prefer a grilled caprese chicken sandwich or panini, you can easily make this into a hot sandwich by grilling it in pan on the stove or using a panini press.
- This sandwich is delicious and holds up well in a lunch bag. Just be sure to add in an ice pack or refrigerate the sandwich until lunch time to keep the cheese and chicken cold and the mayo chilled.
- Ciabatta bread is perfect for this sandwiches because it holds up really well under the weight of the chicken breast. You could also use a sliced crusty French bread or a loaf sourdough bread. You can even use regular sandwich bread.
- Pesto Mayo: I often will mix the pesto with some mayonnaise for a creamier spread on the sandwich. Add 1/4 cup of mayo to 3 Tbsp of pesto.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use something other than grilled chicken in my sandwich?
If you prefer, you can use any kind of chicken, chicken baked in the oven or on the stovetop, even shredded chicken be used. This is a perfect sandwich to make with leftover chicken.
Is balsamic vinegar the same thing as balsamic glaze?
No, balsamic glaze is made from balsamic vinegar which is cooked down until it thickens and becomes more of a syrup. If you can’t find balsamic glaze you can make your own by putting 1 cup of balsamic vinegar in a pot on the stove top and bring it to a boil. Simmer until it is reduced down to 1/4 cup. Keep the glaze stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What marinade should I use for the chicken?
I love the use my favorite chicken marinade which you can find here.
Check out more of my delicious sandwich recipes:
Chicken Caprese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless marinated and grilled
- 1 tomato sliced
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 4 slices Mozzarella cheese
- balsamic glaze to drizzle
Pesto Mayo
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness for faster cooking time.
- Marinade chicken with favorite marinade (at least 2 hours) or season with seasoning salt.
- Brush rolls with butter or olive oil and toast on the grill.
- Grill chicken.
- Add a layer of pesto to one side of each roll. (If using pesto mayo, combine mayo and pesto and then spread on roll.
- Add grilled chicken, tomato, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze
Tips & Notes:
- If you prefer a grilled caprese panini, you can easily make this into a hot sandwich by grilling it in pan on the stove or using a panini press.
- This sandwich is delicious and holds up well in a lunch bag. Just be sure to add in an ice pack or refrigerate the sandwich until lunch time to keep the cheese and chicken cold and the mayo chilled.
- Ciabatta bread is perfect for this sandwiches because it holds up really well under the weight of the chicken breast. You could also use a sliced crusty French or sour dough bread.
- Pesto Mayo: I often will mix the pesto with some mayonnaise for a creamier spread on the sandwich. Add 1/4 cup of mayo to 3 Tbsp of pesto.
Kat says
What is your favorite way to marinate the chicken for this?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Here is a link to one of my favorites:https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/favorite-chicken-marinade/
Lisa@ Cooking with Curls says
Now that is a lunch worth eating! I can’t believe what they get away with serving in schools, and they call it healthy 🙁 This is a much better option.
Val H. says
I would love this sandwich! 🙂