Friday, April 29, 2016

Southwestern Chicken Panini with Cilantro Pesto

  • Ingredients:
  • 8 oz. rotisserie or grilled chicken breast torn in large pieces
  • 2 cups cilantro leaves and stems packed
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • juice of half a lime
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp. good quality olive oil
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp. canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • sourdough bread
  • softened butter
  • slices of Pepper Jack cheese
Directions:
In food processor – pulse cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt until minced.  Scrape down sides of bowl – then – with machine running – drizzle in olive oil slowly until paste forms for pesto.  Combine mayonnaise, chipotle and sugar in a small bowl.  Take two of the bread slices – spread butter on one side of each bread slice, the mayonnaise mixture on the other.  For the other two bread slices – spread butter on one side, the cilantro pesto on the other.  Top the pesto side with cheese, then chicken, place the other two slices of bread on top – buttered side up.  On stovetop griddle or grill – toast sandwiches using a heavy skillet or bacon press on top to weight the sandwich over medium heat.  Flip when golden brown and repeat on other side.

* I will also add avocado to the cilantro pesto, it makes it extra creamy and delicious. Add as much as you like, avocado makes everything taste better!!

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