Chicken Pesto Paninis

H and I were looking for an easy and casual, but still tasty Friday night meal last week. I looked at the half loaf of Italian bread we had, and the abundance of ripe tomatoes, and immediately knew what I wanted to make.

Chicken Pesto Paninis

1 chicken breast, cut into strips
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 slices of Italian bread
4 Tbsp. of basil pesto
1 large, ripe tomato, sliced
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 Tbsp. of butter, at a spreadable consistency

Preheat panini press (or Foreman Grill) to medium. Heat olive oil and garlic in a saucepan, add chicken strips, and brown until cooked through.

Meanwhile, spread pesto on each slice of bread. Layer tomato slices, and mozzarella on top of two slices. When chicken is done, spread strips on the mozzarella and top with remaining 2 slices of bread. Butter the outsides of the sandwich on both sides and place on heated panini press (or weighted grill pan, or Foreman Grill). Cook about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cheese is melty.

Sorry for the terribly blurry picture, but OMG, these are heaven in your mouth! So tasty and filling, and absolutely delicious!