Grilled Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Any pesto will do but picking up a pre-made one makes dinner so much quicker and easier. I like the one from Classico because it has Romano cheese which adds a lot of flavor. It comes in a small jar which is near the spaghetti sauces in your grocery.  A small jar is enough for about 6 individual chicken breasts.

Meat

Chicken breasts - pounded to an even thickness

Ingredients for Marinade

Pesto - homemade or premade - I use Classico Basil Pesto

Additional Items/Garnishes

Bulkie Rolls (aka Kaiser Rolls - more about that distinction later...)

Romaine or Boston Bibb Lettuce leaves - washed & dried

Sliced Tomato

Sliced Onion (I prefer red)

Mayonnaise or Dijon (if you prefer - I prefer Mayo - and always Hellman's)

Cheese could be added although I would use a mild one like Provolone - I don't add cheese

Directions

Place chicken pounded chicken breasts together with the Pesto for at least an hour. 

Prepare rolls by spreading the cut side of each with a thin coat of butter. Place them butter side (cut side) down on a flat top grill or in a skillet & leave until toasty brown and a little crisp. This helps to hold the ingredients without the bread getting soggy or weak & adds a lot of flavor.

Grill chicken breasts.

Assemble sandwiches with toppings of your choice & enjoy! 


Oh and about those Bulkie Rolls. It was quite a transition moving from the Midwest to New England. I had to learn new names for certain items and this is one of them.  

According to online sources, a Bulkie Roll or Bulkie is a New England regional variety of sandwich roll. Sandwiches made with bulkie Rolls are very common in area delicatessens, restaurants, and institutional food services. Bulkie Rolls are larger and firmer than hamburger buns. The crust is usually slightly crisp or crunchy, but Bulkies are not hard rolls. The bread within the roll is similar to ordinary white bread; with a texture that is neither very chewy nor very fluffy; without any yellow color or egg taste; and not noticeably sweet. 

As I mentioned in the recipe, most other parts of the country refer to these as Kaiser Rolls although I think Bulkies are a little softer than Kaiser Rolls...