Italian Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches with Pesto & Tomato Sauce
Fast & Easy

Italian Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches

with Pesto & Tomato Sauce

45 MIN
4 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
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Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.
Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
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Available Options

  • with Chicken Breast Strips
    includes 22 oz No Added Hormones, Antibiotic-Free Chicken Breast Strips
  • with Hot Italian Pork Sausage
    includes 20 oz No Added Hormones, Antibiotic-Free Hot Italian Pork Sausage View recipe
    • with Chicken Breast Strips

    From the Test Kitchen

    Chefs! We’re bringing you a series of recipes designed with ease of cooking and cleanup in mind, but without sacrificing the incredible flavors you’ve come to expect from a classic Blue Apron meal. These satisfying sandwiches feature golden focaccia bread—first toasted in the oven, then rubbed with a whole clove of garlic to add aromatic depth of flavor––then layered with melty cheese, tomato-dressed chicken, and verdant pesto. For a complementary side, we’re serving a ranch-dressed salad filled with crunchy cucumbers, peppery arugula, and more––plus a savory sprinkle of parmesan.
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    • Nutrition
      PER SERVING
    • Calories
      890 Cals (est.)
    View Full Nutrition
    Nutrition Label
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    Please note nutritional information, including ingredients and allergens, may differ from above based on your location. Location-specific nutritional information is available for viewing upon subscribing, or by logging in if you are already a subscriber.

    fresh
    ingredients
    Italian Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches with Pesto & Tomato Sauce
    Title
    • 22 oz Chicken Breast Strips
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 14.5-Oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
    • 1 Piece Focaccia Bread
    • 4 oz Arugula
    • 2 Persian Cucumbers
    • ⅓ cup Basil Pesto
    • 1 oz Sliced Roasted Red Peppers
    • 4 oz Shredded Fontina Cheese
    • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 2 oz Balsamic-Marinated Cipolline Onions
    • ¼ cup Ranch Dressing
    • 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (Whole Dried Basil, Sage, Oregano, Savory, Rosemary, Thyme & Marjoram)
    time-saving
    tips & techniques
    How To: Hold a Chef's Knife
    How To: Dress a Salad
    step-by-step
    instructions
    Cook Along Triangle Created with Sketch.
    Prepare the ingredients
    1 Prepare the ingredients

    Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Halve the bread horizontally. Peel 2 cloves of garlic. Keeping 1 clove whole, roughly chop the remaining clove.

    Cook the chicken
    2 Cook the chicken

    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Add the tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), Italian seasoning, and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat.

    Toast the bread
    3 Toast the bread

    Place the halved bread, cut side up, on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the bottom half with the fontina. Toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully rub the top half with the peeled garlic clove; discard the clove.

    Start the salad
    4 Start the salad

    Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the onions. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, sliced cucumbers, roasted peppers, and chopped onions.

    Finish & serve your dish
    5 Finish & serve your dish

    Just before serving, add the ranch dressing and half the parmesan to the bowl of salad; toss to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Assemble the sandwiches using the toasted bread, pesto, and cooked chicken (including any sauce from the pan). Using a serrated knife, cut the sandwiches into 4 equal-sized portions. Serve the finished sandwiches with the salad on the side. Garnish the salad with the remaining parmesan. Enjoy!

    Tips from Home Chefs

    Get Plans

    Italian Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches

    Prepare the ingredients
    1 Prepare the ingredients

    Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Halve the bread horizontally. Peel 2 cloves of garlic. Keeping 1 clove whole, roughly chop the remaining clove.

    2 Cook the chicken

    Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Add the tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), Italian seasoning, and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat.

    Cook the chicken
    Toast the bread
    3 Toast the bread

    Place the halved bread, cut side up, on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the bottom half with the fontina. Toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully rub the top half with the peeled garlic clove; discard the clove.

    4 Start the salad

    Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the onions. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, sliced cucumbers, roasted peppers, and chopped onions.

    Start the salad
    Finish & serve your dish
    5 Finish & serve your dish

    Just before serving, add the ranch dressing and half the parmesan to the bowl of salad; toss to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Assemble the sandwiches using the toasted bread, pesto, and cooked chicken (including any sauce from the pan). Using a serrated knife, cut the sandwiches into 4 equal-sized portions. Serve the finished sandwiches with the salad on the side. Garnish the salad with the remaining parmesan. Enjoy!

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