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This sandwich satisfies all your cravings - juicy marinated chicken, salty, crispy bacon, tangy tomatoes, and crisp lettuce. But the star of this sandwich is definitely the mouthwatering pesto cream cheese spread!
I came up with this recipe years ago for a field trip lunch, based on what we had in the fridge. I was tired of peanut butter or tuna sandwiches and wanted something new.
It’s fun as an easy dinner for the entire family, fresh off the grill. And the leftover ingredients are perfect for packing a sandwich for lunch the next day. It has really become a family favorite over the years, and was even featured in this cookbook!
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Everything You Need to Make these Tasty Sandwiches
To make yourself one of these creamy pesto chicken sandwiches, you will only need a few simple ingredients:
- Chicken pieces. I prefer boneless skinless chicken breast for a picture perfect sandwich, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. I have a chicken marinade right here that’s so easy! If you need grilled chicken breast for any recipe, this marinade is my top choice.
- Crispy cooked bacon - pre-cooked bacon, turkey bacon, any type you like is great.
- Tomato slices - if you know me, you already know what I’m going to say about tomatoes: Get heirloom tomatoes from the garden if at all possible! But at least get the ripest tomatoes you can find in the grocery store.
- Lettuce leaves - any kind of lettuce you like will work in this sandwich
- Bun - I’ll tell you about my top choices for gluten free buns below
- And last but not least, you will need a generous schmear of creamy pesto sauce
Ingredients for the Cheesy Pesto Sauce
- Cream cheese - let this sit out at room temperature to soften
- Parmesan cheese - for this recipe use the grated kind from a bottle
- Fresh Spinach
- Fresh basil leaves
- Garlic powder - fresh garlic is too overpowering! Garlic powder is the way to go here.
- Balsamic vinegar - the tang you get from this simple ingredient really pulls all the flavors together!
Best Gluten Free Bread for a Chicken Pesto Sandwich
The bread I used for the pictures in this post are Trader Joe's gluten free buns. They are my first choice for store bought gluten free buns because they’re soft and have a smooth texture. The bun holds up and doesn’t crumble in a burger or sandwich.
I also really like Udi’s hamburger buns. They have a nice, neutral flavor and hold up pretty well for burgers and chicken sandwiches. And they seem to be easier to find in stores.
Shaar makes some good ciabatta rolls that are gluten free, if you want to stay with an Italian flavor combo. The flavor is good, as long as you heat the bread first.
You just can’t beat fresh homemade bread for a sandwich though. And the good news is, you can make your own fresh bread! I’ve got a gluten free bread workshop over on Teachable where I can show you how.
Make Perfect Grilled Chicken Indoors
I love my Lodge cast iron griddle! It’s super convenient - you just lay it over 2 burners on your stove top, and it’s flat, so you can store on a shelf or cupboard. It has 2 sides - the smooth side is what I use for pancakes. And the opposite side is perfect for grilling chicken when it’s too cold to heat up the outdoor grill. You can find it for under $50. Check it out!
Here's What I Use
Buy Now → How to Make the Homemade Pesto Cream Cheese
Step 1. Combine cream cheese, basil leaves, spinach, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar in a food processor or an immersion blender. Blend until smooth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to Put Together This Delicious Sandwich
Step 1. Prep and grill the chicken over medium-high heat, and warm the buns. See my grilled chicken sandwich post for details.
Step 2. Spread the cream cheese mixture on half of the bread. Layer thin slices of tomato, lettuce, chicken pieces, and bacon.
Enjoy the amazing flavor of these juicy, creamy, salty sandwiches warm or cold.
Easy Chicken BLT with Pesto Cream Cheese Spread
This sandwich satisfies all your cravings - juicy marinated chicken, salty, crispy bacon, tangy tomatoes, and crisp lettuce. But the star of this sandwich is definitely the mouthwatering pesto cream cheese spread!
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches
- Category: dinner
- Method: grill
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
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4 ounces cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup or 4 large, fresh basil leaves
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¼ cup spinach leaves
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½ teaspoon garlic powder
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⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
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¼ to ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or to taste)
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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced to make 4 pieces
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4 buns
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Tomato slices
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Lettuce leaves
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4 slices cooked bacon strips
Instructions
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Grill chicken breast as desired. See my Grilled chicken Sandwich recipe for exactly how to do that.
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Warm or toast the buns, especially if these will be gluten free. Gluten free bread is best in sandwiches if the bread is softened first by heating.
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Combine the cream cheese, basil, spinach, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar in a food processor or an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Add more balsamic vinegar if desired.
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Spread the pesto cream cheese on the buns. Add the grilled chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce as desired. Serve warm or cold.
For best results, I like to pack the bread and pesto cream cheese separately from the rest of the ingredients and put together the sandwich right before eating it. But I’ve had really good luck with just wrapping up the sandwich with plastic wrap or foil and eating it at lunch time. I would not refrigerate this sandwich if it’s on gluten free bread, but you can tuck an ice pack in the lunch box for safety if you want
I don’t pound my chicken with a mallet like many other recipes recommend. For sandwiches I prefer to slice the chicken breast horizontally with a very sharp knife before putting it in the marinade. You can see how I do that in the grilled chicken sandwich post I mentioned earlier.
Chicken breast will stay moist and juicy as it cooks if you first marinate it in a solution that contains salt. And as it cooks, check it with a thermometer until it has an internal temperature of 165℉.
One way to tell if chicken breast is done is by cutting into it. If the meat is white (not pink), and the juices run clear, then the chicken is ready. But the best way is to insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat and seeing a temperature of at least 165℉.
Kick it Up a Notch
Feeling a little extra? Here’s some ideas for adding even more flavor to this (already perfect) sandwich:
- Add a slice of cheese, like fresh mozzarella cheese
- Ad a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some extra heat
- Replace the tomato slices with some sun dried tomatoes
Channing says
that pesto cream cheese!!! i wil definitely be making that for myself.