Chicken Panini with Pesto and Peppers

By minicoopercraig

Paninis began their American invasion in the late '90s, taking over menus in big city Italian restaurants and corner cafes alike. Now they've spread nationwide, popping up on menus at places like Panera, Cosi, Au Bon Pain, and even Dunkin' Donuts. Problem is, these sandwiches usually suffer from cheese and condiment overdose, racking up caloric totals akin to a half-pound hamburger. Keep it simple: A light, healthy spread like pesto, a low-calorie cheese like fresh mozz, and a layer of lean white meat chicken all the flavor for a fraction of the calories.

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole-grain sourdough bread
• 4 Tbsp homemade(search recipes) or prepared pesto
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (using fresh over not is not only tastier and lower in calories, but it's also more expensive. Any shredded part-skim mozzarella will work as a solid substitution)
• 3/4 lb cook chicken
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• Olive oil

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or stovetop grill pan over medium heat. Spread 4 pieces of the bread with 1 tablespoon of the pesto each. Layer each piece with equal amounts of the mozzarella slices, chicken and red peppers. Add a light film of olive oil to the pan; when hot, cook the sandwiches (2 at a time, if necessary) until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes each side. (For best results, use a heavy pan to weigh down the sandwiches while they're cooking.)