recipes: Grilled Chicken and Pesto Sandwich

I was looking for an easy summer recipe that didn't heat up the kitchen, and I found it!  Uz loved this sandwich, so I'm sure we'll have it again once or twice before the summer is over.  It's best with homegrown tomatoes (obvs!) and fresh pesto.  I used some Greek bread from the local farmer's market...  It had a distinctive Greek flavor, lots of olive oil and flecked with kalamata olives.  I also picked up some pink tomatoes from the farmer's market, as my big tomatoes aren't quite ripe yet...  Soon enough!

Easy Grilled Chicken and Pesto Sandwich

Serves: 4

Thin sliced bread
24 oz chicken breast, divided into 4 pieces
4 TBS pesto (1 TBS per sandwich)
1 large tomato
mozzarella ball, sliced thick

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and throw on the grill.

When the chicken is done, quickly grill the bread to toast, and then assemble the sandwich.  That's it!

For the pesto:

2 cups basil leaves
1 cup baby spinach (if you don't have spinach, substitute with 1 cup of arugula, more basil, parsley, etc.)
salt
minced garlic (or garlic clove, crushed into a paste)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.)
1/4 cup shaved parmesan

If not using minced garlic:  on a cutting board, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over garlic and roughly chop. Using a flat side of the knife blade, crush mixture into a thick paste.

Add garlic to a food processor with nuts, basil, spinach, and 1 tablespoon oil.

Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. With machine running, add remaining oil in a slow, steady stream.

Add Parmesan and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper.