Chicken "Pesto" Panini
Takes ten minutes to throw together with leftover grilled chicken. Easy enough for lunch but legit enough for dinner paired with a simple salad. And/or maybe a second panini. SO GOOD.
Servings: 1
Calories: 365kcal
Ingredients
- Crusty loaf of french bread sliced as thin as possible I like the double pack of fresh loaves from Costco
- 3.5 oz 100 g Leftover grilled chicken (Mine is marinated in a simple blend of garlic, cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and s/p but any chicken works)
- 1/4 cup low-fat mayo best foods has one with only 1 fat per serving- greek yogurt works too.
- 3 frozen basil cubes Dorot brand found at my basic grocers and Trader Joes- or sub 2-3 tbs fresh.
- 1 frozen garlic cube also Dorot
- 1.5 slices lite havarti cheese
- Sliced roma tomatoes
- handful of arugula
Instructions
For the Basil Garlic Mayo
- Let the basil and garlic sit in the mayo for a few minutes to soften while you prep other things, then stir together with a pinch of salt and pepper. (Or soften the cubes in the microwave for just 5-10 seconds.) Save your leftovers because you're gonna want this on everything.
For the Sandwich
- Take two slices of bread (mine came to 45 grams total which is only 20 carbs)
- Top the bottom slice with 1 tbs of basil garlic mayo and one slice of cheese
- Arrange chicken (I used 100 g (about 3.5 oz) leftover tenderloins butterflied at an angle to fit just right).
- Top with sliced tomato, arugula, and extra half slice of cheese, then second piece of bread.
- Spray the outside of the sandwich with cooking spray and cook over medium-hight heat until the cheese is melty and the bread is toasty.
Notes
*I know this isn't pesto-- but I keep trying to make a yummy macro-friendly pesto and it's hard! Pesto really wants to be swimming with olive oil and nuts. But with this guilt-free creamy base, you get all the flavor and keep your fats super low.
Nutrition
Serving: 1panini with 100 g chicken | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 9g