Pesto Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches with Tomato Dipping Sauce

Pesto Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches

with Tomato Dipping Sauce

45 MIN
4 Servings
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From the Test Kitchen

These satisfying sandwiches feature two kinds of melty cheese and chicken tossed in our verdant basil pesto layered onto golden focaccia bread—first toasted in the oven, then rubbed with a whole clove of garlic to add aromatic depth of flavor. For a complementary side, we’re serving roasted broccoli simply finished with bites of smoky-sweet roasted red peppers.

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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    850 Cals (est.)
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fresh
ingredients
Pesto Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches with Tomato Dipping Sauce
Title
  • 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1 Piece Focaccia Bread
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 2 Tbsps Ghee
  • 2 oz Fontina Cheese
  • ⅓ cup Basil Pesto
  • 2 oz Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
  • 1 lb Broccoli
  • 1 oz Sliced Roasted Red Peppers
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (Whole Dried Basil, Sage, Oregano, Savory, Rosemary, Thyme & Marjoram)
  • 1 15-Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
step-by-step
instructions
Cook Along Triangle Created with Sketch.
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Remove the ghee from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the broccoli; cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem, then cut the broccoli into small florets. Roughly chop the peppers. Halve the bread horizontally. Grate the fontina on the large side of a box grater. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; keeping 1 clove whole, roughly chop the remaining clove. 

Roast & finish the broccoli:
2 Roast & finish the broccoli:

Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the broccoli florets on the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 14 to 16 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Reserving the sheet pan, transfer to a bowl; stir in the chopped peppers. Cover to keep warm. 

Cook & slice the chicken:
3 Cook & slice the chicken:

While the broccoli roasts, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat the ghee on medium-high until melted. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice crosswise and transfer to a large bowl. 

Toast the bread:
4 Toast the bread:

Place the halved bread, cut side up, on the reserved sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the bottom half with the grated fontina and monterey jack. Bake 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 whole garlic clove; discard the clove. Transfer both halves to a cutting board. 

Make the sauce:
5 Make the sauce:

To the pan of reserved fond, add a drizzle of olive oil; heat on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. 

Finish & serve your dish:
6 Finish & serve your dish:

Add the pesto to the bowl of sliced chicken. Season with salt and pepper; stir to thoroughly coat. Assemble the sandwiches using the toasted bread and pesto chicken. Using a serrated knife, cut into 4 equal-sized portions. Serve the finished sandwiches with the finished broccoli and sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Pesto Chicken Focaccia Sandwiches

Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Remove the ghee from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the broccoli; cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem, then cut the broccoli into small florets. Roughly chop the peppers. Halve the bread horizontally. Grate the fontina on the large side of a box grater. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; keeping 1 clove whole, roughly chop the remaining clove. 

2 Roast & finish the broccoli:

Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the broccoli florets on the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 14 to 16 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Reserving the sheet pan, transfer to a bowl; stir in the chopped peppers. Cover to keep warm. 

Roast & finish the broccoli:
Cook & slice the chicken:
3 Cook & slice the chicken:

While the broccoli roasts, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat the ghee on medium-high until melted. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice crosswise and transfer to a large bowl. 

4 Toast the bread:

Place the halved bread, cut side up, on the reserved sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly top the bottom half with the grated fontina and monterey jack. Bake 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 whole garlic clove; discard the clove. Transfer both halves to a cutting board. 

Toast the bread:
Make the sauce:
5 Make the sauce:

To the pan of reserved fond, add a drizzle of olive oil; heat on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. 

6 Finish & serve your dish:

Add the pesto to the bowl of sliced chicken. Season with salt and pepper; stir to thoroughly coat. Assemble the sandwiches using the toasted bread and pesto chicken. Using a serrated knife, cut into 4 equal-sized portions. Serve the finished sandwiches with the finished broccoli and sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Finish & serve your dish:
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