Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich

This is one of my go tos when I’m craving a sandwich. Packed with flavor and so easy to assemble, it makes for the perfect weeknight meal. This sandwich also travels very well and is great to impress friends at a backyard picnic.

Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish made up of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and fragrant basil. I love to add a drizzle of balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil to bring it all together. What’s better than this? This salad layered on a sandwich because who doesn’t love carbs.

The base of this sandwich is perfectly grilled chicken breast. I like to marinade the chicken in zesty Italian dressing then grill for maximum flavor.

The rest of the sandwich comes together in no time. Simply slice your tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and avocado.

Layer the grilled chicken on the sub bread first, then tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and finally avocado. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze. I like to use the knife I used to slice the bread to push in the layers in order to get the sandwich to close. Slice the sub in half and you are ready to enjoy!

What you need

Grilled chicken breast. I prefer to thin slice my chicken breast then use one or two pieces per sandwich depending on the size. I think it’s just easier to eat and make the layers this way. I like to marinade my chicken in this zesty Italian dressing.
Fresh tomatoes. I like to use tomatoes on the vine, but beefsteak will also work.
Mozzarella cheese. I think using fresh mozzarella makes a difference for this sandwich. You could use a block of mozzarella cheese, however, the taste will be different.
Basil. Fresh is best. If you don’t have basil, you could use spinach to get some green, but it will of course be a different flavor.
Avocado. I think the avocado adds a nice flavor and texture to the sandwich, however, if it’s not your thing, you can skip.
Balsamic glaze. I prefer this over balsamic vinegar (plus I feel like it’s less likely to make as much of a mess), but use what you’ve got!
Sub bread. I prefer 6inch subs for this sandwich. But you can make this with anything! Roll, whole wheat bread, ciabatta, the options are endless!

This sandwich is also really easy to pack on the go for a picnic or have the leftovers for lunch the next day. Simply wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper and secure with tape or even cling wrap and you are all set.

Nothing makes me happier than when I bring my leftovers for lunch the next day and coworkers ask me where I got my lunch from. No less than five people asked me what spot in town I had gotten this sandwich from when I brought it in for lunch. Be prepared to wow your friends with this recipe!

This sandwich is easy to make and packed with so much flavor. Juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fragrant basil, and ripe avocado layered over grilled chicken with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil come together to create a perfect combination for summer.

Grilled Chicken and Caprese Sandwich

Serves: 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5-2lb chicken breast, thin sliced
¾ cup Zesty Italian dressing
4 6 inch sub rolls
6 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
12 large leaves of basil, washed and dried
2 on the vine tomatoes, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Balsamic glaze, to drizzle
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Directions:

Marinade chicken in Italian dressing for 30 minutes, or overnight. Once marinated grill on medium heat for 6 minutes per side, until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
While chicken is marinating, you can prepare your vegetables, herbs, and mozzarella cheese. Slice your sub bread lengthwise.
Prepare your sandwich by layering a piece (or two depending on size) of chicken first on the bread. Then add three slices of tomato in one layer. Then three slices of mozzarella cheese in one layer. Then top with a layer of basil, followed by a layer of sliced avocado. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!