Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and pounded thin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers (bottled or canned)
• 4 slices provolone cheese (sliced thick)
• 1/2-3/4 cup pesto sauce (bottled or homemade)
• 8 slices Italian bread (sliced 1/2-inch thick, can use about 4 x 4-inch ciabatta rolls in place of the Italian bread)
• olive oil, for brushing on bread

Directions

1. 1

   Pound the chicken fillets until thin between two pieces of waxed paper, then marinate in oil, garlic, pepper and Italian seasoning for about 1-1/2 hours.

2. 2

   Heat a grill pan or sauté pan (the breasts can also be grilled on the BBQ).

3. 3

   Season the breasts with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Cook the chicken on medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.

5. 5

   Remove from pan and place on a plate or board.

6. 6

   Top each fillet with some of the roasted peppers and a slice of cheese.

7. 7

   Spread BOTH sides of the bread with pesto sauce.

8. 8

   Place chicken inside the bread and form to a sandwich.

9. 9

   Brush both sides of the outside of bread with olive oil.

10. 10

    Heat a grill pan or a 10-inch skillet on medium high heat. Place the panini in the pan (only 2 at a time).

11. 11

    Weigh the panini down with another heavy skillet and then top with a heavy can (a very large can of tomato juice works great for this!) cook for about 3 minutes, or until bread is toasted.

12. 12

    Turn the panini, and weigh it down again with a heavy skillet and a can on top, and toast for another 3 minutes.

13. 13

    Remove from pan and cut in half.