This mouthwatering Chicken Caprese Sandwich is stacked with chicken breasts, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and arugula on ciabatta bread.
This quick and easy Italian-inspired sandwich is perfect for a picnic, lunch on the go, or a simple dinner.
If you can't get enough of that Caprese flavor then try my recipe for Caprese Grilled Chicken with Herb Roasted Potatoes or this Bruschetta with Mozzarella next!
This Chicken Caprese Sandwich recipe is inspired by the Italian classic Caprese salad. It combines the healthiness of a salad with the heartiness of a sandwich.
With our upcoming trip to Italy in the Fall, I've been researching where to stay, what to do, and most importantly - where to eat! I can't wait to eat a traditional Caprese salad in Italy for the first time.
Anyway, in my research, I was inspired to make this sandwich!
The fresh flavors of the basil and tomatoes really go so well together. My favorite salad is a caprese recipe with a simple balsamic dressing, so why not the ultimate salad into a sandwich? Make it even better with a tasty yet simple pesto spread and a balsamic glaze that is out of this world!
What is Caprese?
Caprese is a popular Italian dish is made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and sometimes arugula.
The salad is named after the island of Capri and is a beautiful main dish, healthy salad, or side dish.
Ingredients for the Caprese Salad Sandwich
- Ciabatta bread: Use a hearty bread that will be able to hold all of your ingredients. If you prefer focaccia bread or a baguette, use that instead.
- Tomatoes: Make sure the tomatoes are ripe and juicy.
- Chicken breasts: The standard Caprese sandwich is vegetarian but I decided to add some protein.
- Seasonings: Don't forget to season to taste. I used Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pesto + Mayo: This spread adds richness to the sandwich flavor.
- Fresh mozzarella: If you order a Caprese Salad Sandwich in Italy, it will probably be served with buffalo mozzarella. It's tangy, creamy and so soft. You can use regular mozzarella but make sure it is high quality.
- Basil: Break up these fragrant leaves if they are too big.
- Arugula: Adds a fresh, peppery taste.
Optional Balsamic Glaze
Who knew it was so easy to whip up your own balsamic glaze? Skip the storebought because all you need is:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Brown sugar
This sweetened balsamic reduction is optional but takes the Caprese Salad Sandwich to a whole new level! For added flavor, drizzle this over the chicken. See the recipe card for more!
How to Make Chicken Caprese Sandwich
Start by seasoning chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Then drizzle olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts thoroughly, about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
In a small bowl, combine pesto and mayo and mix together.
After that, cut a loaf of ciabatta bread in half, lengthwise, and spread pesto mayo on the bread. Then add chicken breasts, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and arugula to the bottom piece of bread. Place the second piece of bread on top.
Turn it into a chicken caprese salad!
Make this sandwich into a caprese chicken salad! Simply omit the bread and use arugula and any salad greens you like and top with juicy chicken breast, sliced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Or, omit the chicken and make a traditional caprese salad.
You can also add pasta for a caprese pasta salad. Make your favorite homemade balsamic dressing and use fresh mozzarella balls. This is one of those easy recipes that you can make however you want and it always has so much flavor!
Tips
- The best time to make this sandwich is in the summer when tomatoes and basil are in season. Fresh ingredients that are in season are key! However, you can make this year round!
- This sandwich is perfect for a prepacked meal. If you make it ahead of time, make sure it's not more than a few hours before. Otherwise, you'll have a soggy sandwich because of the tomatoes.
- To further prevent a soggy sandwich, toast your bread and use a dry ingredient like basil leaves as the layer closest to the bread.
- Want to make a vegan Caprese Salad Sandwich? For this variation, skip the chicken and replace the cheese with sliced avocado. Use a vegan mayo for the pesto spread. You can also use a creamy avocado spread.
Substitutions
- If you don't have arugula, you can use romaine lettuce.
- Spice up this healthy meal and add a little grilled flavor by using a grill pan or grilling the chicken.
- Take it a step further and marinate the chicken in balsamic vinegar to make balsamic chicken for this sandwich!
- Make this sandwich into a cheesy panini! Use a panini press and enjoy!
More Sandwich Recipes
- Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Club Sandwich
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap
- Cajun Steak Sandwich with Peppers and Onions
- Apple Bacon and Cheddar Grilled Cheese
- Crispy Shrimp Po'Boy
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter, where you'll hear about new recipes FIRST and get tantalizing and exclusive perks!
Let's stay connected on social media and continue to cook together! Also, if you decide to make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and leave a comment below! Tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can see your creations! I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do!
Caprese Salad Sandwich
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Ciabatta bread
- 2-3 Tomatoes sliced
- 3 Chicken breasts
- 1½ tbsps Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup Pesto
- 3 tbsps Mayo
- 8 oz Fresh mozzarella sliced
- 8-10 Basil leaves
- 2 cups Arugula
Optional Balsamic Glaze
- ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsps Brown sugar
Directions
- Season chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil in a pan and cook chicken breasts thoroughly.
- In a small bowl, combine pesto and mayo and mix together.
- Cut a loaf of ciabatta bread in half, lengthwise, and spread pesto mayo on the bread. Add chicken breasts, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and arugula to the bottom piece of bread. Place the second piece of bread on top.
- To make the balsamic glaze, simply combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes and then allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until it has thickened. Allow it to cool completely and then drizzle on top of the chicken on the sandwich.
Notes
Tips
- The best time to make this sandwich is in the summer when tomatoes and basil are in season. Fresh ingredients that are in season are key! However, you can make this year round!
- This sandwich is perfect for a prepacked meal. If you make it ahead of time, make sure it's not more than a few hours before. Otherwise, you'll have a soggy sandwich because of the tomatoes.
- To further prevent a soggy sandwich, toast your bread and use a dry ingredient like basil leaves as the layer closest to the bread.
- Want to make a vegan Caprese Salad Sandwich? For this variation, skip the chicken and replace the cheese with sliced avocado. Use a vegan mayo for the pesto spread. You can also use a creamy avocado spread.
Substitutions
- If you don't have arugula, you can use romaine lettuce.
- Spice up this healthy meal and add a little grilled flavor by using a grill pan or grilling the chicken.
- Take it a step further and marinate the chicken in balsamic vinegar to make balsamic chicken for this sandwich!
- Make this sandwich into a cheesy panini! Use a panini press and enjoy!
I made this for lunch yesterday with some leftover rotisserie chicken that I had. It was really good, I also used whole wheat bread. Next time I will use ciabatta as recommended because it was a really good and easy lunch that I made in between meetings.
So glad you enjoyed it!