Italian Chicken Pesto Panini
Creamy fontina cheese and sweet caramelized onions are paired with sliced chicken and a basil aioli in this chicken pesto panini.
Servings 4 paninis
Ingredients
Balsamic Caramelized Onions
- 2 medium white onions
- 2 tbsp olive oil, or a mix of olive oil and butter
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 pinch granulated sugar
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Basil Aioli
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus more if needed
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup mixed vegetable oil and olive oil
- 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Chicken Panini
- 8 slices sourdough bread, or ciabatta buns
- 1 1/2 lbs sliced cooked chicken breast
- 4 oz sliced fontina cheese
- lettuce
- sliced tomatoes
Instructions
Balsamic Caramelized Onions
- Halve the onions and slice them into 1/8 inch slices. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt, and sugar. Cook the onions until they are soft and deep brown, stirring occasionally. This will take about 40-45 minutes.
- Have a cup of water nearby as you caramelize. If the onions are getting too brown before they are fully soft, splash a little water in and continue cooking. Once the onions are done, add the balsamic vinegar and take the onions off the heat.
Basil Aioli
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, salt, lemon juice, and mustard. The yolk will get light colored and then darken a bit. Now is the time to start adding the oil. Whisking the egg mixture constantly, begin adding the oil in a slow, steady stream until all the oil is used and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the basil and parmesan. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
Chicken Panini
- Heat up a panini pan on medium until hot.
- Brush a little oil onto the bread on the outside of the slices (the side which will be on the outside of your sandwich). Spread each slice of bread with some of the basil aioli. Then layer in the chicken, cheese, and caramelized onion.
- Cook each panini until they are well browned on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side. Pry open the panini and add the lettuce and tomato.
Notes
- Any mildly spiced leftover chicken will work in this recipe.
- If you want to cook the chicken for the panini, I would suggest brining the chicken in a brine of 2 cups water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar for 30 minutes. Then you can grill the chicken covered on high, 2 minutes per side; followed by low until cooked through. Or use the pan method in my Broccoli and Chicken Salad.
- I have a Calphalon Panini Pan.