Ingredients
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4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and pounded thin
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
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salt and pepper
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4 slices provolone cheese (sliced thick)
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1/2-3/4 cup pesto sauce (bottled or homemade)
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8 slices Italian bread (sliced 1/2-inch thick, can use about 4 x 4-inch ciabatta rolls in place of the Italian bread)
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olive oil, for brushing on bread
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1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
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1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers (bottled or canned)
Instructions
- 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.
- Heat a grill pan or sauté pan (the breasts can also be grilled on the BBQ).
- Season the breasts with salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken on medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
- Remove from pan and place on a plate or board.
- Top each fillet with some of the roasted peppers and a slice of cheese.
- Spread BOTH sides of the bread with pesto sauce.
- Place chicken inside the bread and form to a sandwich.
- Brush both sides of the outside of bread with olive oil.
- Heat a grill pan or a 10-inch skillet on medium high heat. Place the panini in the pan (only 2 at a time).
- 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.
- Turn the panini, and weigh it down again with a heavy skillet and a can on top, and toast for another 3 minutes.
- Remove from pan and cut in half.