Pesto Chicken Paninis with Orange & Almond Salad
Customer Favorite

Pesto Chicken Paninis

with Orange & Almond Salad

35 MIN
4 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
Find recipes that suit your lifestyle with our new nutritionist-approved dietary tags.
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.
To view a recipe's full nutrition information, head to your Upcoming page at blueapron.com, click on a specific recipe, then head to the Nutrition tab and select 'View Full Nutrition.' Nutrition Facts Panels are available up to 1.5 weeks in advance

From the Test Kitchen

Hearty sandwich rolls are layered with herbaceous basil pesto, seared chicken, and creamy mozzarella cheese, then pressed until golden brown and crispy—a perfect pairing for a tangy tomato dipping sauce. A side salad of zesty orange and crunchy romaine lettuce adds fresh contrast to the loaded sandwiches.

Get Plans
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    800 Cals (est.)
View Full Nutrition
Nutrition Label
Download

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
Pesto Chicken Paninis with Orange & Almond Salad
Title
time-saving
tips & techniques
Romaine
Navel Orange
Pecorino Cheese
Crème Fraîche
Fresh Mozzarella
Almonds
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. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the rolls. Roughly chop the lettuce. Peel and medium dice the orange. Combine in a large bowl. 

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 the ghee on medium-high until melted. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat. 

Make the dipping sauce:
3 Make the dipping sauce:

While the chicken cooks, in a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the tomato sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Assemble & cook the paninis:
4 Assemble & cook the paninis:

Assemble the paninis using the halved rolls, pesto, cooked chicken, mozzarella (tearing into small pieces before adding), and half the pecorino; season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan used to cook the chicken. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the paninis. Place a heavy-bottomed pot (or pan) on top and press down. Cook, occasionally pressing down on the pot, 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is lightly browned (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil before flipping). Carefully transfer to a cutting board and halve on an angle. 

Make the salad & serve your dish:
5 Make the salad & serve your dish:

While the paninis cook, to make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing, almonds, and remaining pecorino to the bowl of prepared lettuce and orange; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve the cooked paninis with the salad and dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy! 

Tips from Home Chefs

Get Plans

Pesto Chicken Paninis

Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Remove the ghee from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the rolls. Roughly chop the lettuce. Peel and medium dice the orange. Combine in a large bowl. 

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 the ghee on medium-high until melted. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat. 

Cook the chicken:
Make the dipping sauce:
3 Make the dipping sauce:

While the chicken cooks, in a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the tomato sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

4 Assemble & cook the paninis:

Assemble the paninis using the halved rolls, pesto, cooked chicken, mozzarella (tearing into small pieces before adding), and half the pecorino; season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan used to cook the chicken. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the paninis. Place a heavy-bottomed pot (or pan) on top and press down. Cook, occasionally pressing down on the pot, 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is lightly browned (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil before flipping). Carefully transfer to a cutting board and halve on an angle. 

Assemble & cook the paninis:
Make the salad & serve your dish:
5 Make the salad & serve your dish:

While the paninis cook, to make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing, almonds, and remaining pecorino to the bowl of prepared lettuce and orange; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve the cooked paninis with the salad and dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy! 

Browse Steps
1 of 5