Forget heading to Panera Bread or Tim Hortons for your panini fix — if you have a panini press, these satisfying sandwiches are a snap. If not, you can use a grill pan or grill and a heavy weight to press down the sandwiches as they cook.
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Serves 4
What you need
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 450 g/1 lb total)
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) reduced-fat pesto
- 4 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese, preferably smoked
- 1 jar (110 g/4 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
- 8 slices whole-grain or sourdough bread
It's simple to do
- Place a chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a flat meat mallet or heavy skillet to an even 0.5-centimetre (1/4-inch) thickness. Cut the pounded chicken in half. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
- Coat the chicken with cooking spray and cook on a panini press or grill pan, or grill over medium heat until nicely grill-marked and no longer pink in the centre, about three to five minutes per side, turning when the chicken becomes white around edges.
- Meanwhile, spread the pesto on one side of the bread slices. Place a slice of provolone over each piece of bread. Arrange the roasted peppers over the cheese. Place a piece of grilled chicken over the roasted peppers on each sandwich. Top with other slice of bread, press the sandwiches down gently and coat all over with cooking spray.
- Put the sandwiches on a panini press with the top down (or put a heavy weight such as a cast-iron pan or foil-wrapped brick over the sandwiches on a grill pan or grill) and grill them over medium heat. Cook until nicely grill-marked and the cheese melts, three to five minutes per side.
- Cut in half on the diagonal and serve.
Nutritional information per serving: 381 Calories, 11 g Fat (3 g Saturated Fat), 34 g Carbs, 36 g Protein, 11 g Fibre, 79 mg Chol, 721 mg Sodium, 430 mg Calcium
Enjoy your favourite panini in the comfort of your home. If you want company, treat your friends. You'll still save a few bucks doing this yourself as opposed to going out to pick up this meal.
