Pesto Chicken and Provolone Sandwiches
Simple creamy pesto tossed with cooked chicken and cashews is spread on thick sourdough and then toasted with provolone cheese and mushrooms for a crunchy, melty, warm, and delicious sandwich.
Sandwiches have become a serious staple around here.
Our house is packed chest-high with moving boxes right now and I have whittled my kitchen down to the very bare minimum.
That's not to say I don't have everything I need to make all kinds of complicated orders - I do.
I just don't feel like it.
I've made it a goal to fill up a box a day. I started in places that no one would ever know were cleaned out except me - like useless cabinet over the refrigerator. Does anyone know whyyyyyy there is a cabinet over any refrigerator ever? What a pointless waste of trapped-behind-my-pancake-griddle space.
Anyway, I have started enlisting my family in the box-filling.
Chad in particular is super-pro at having multiple stashes of totally useless stuff EVERYWHERE.
I tackled our closets last week and made the mistake of thinking that under our bed would be like a quick, no big deal kinda thing, only to find that under the bed is one of Chad's secret pack rat stashes. There are 564347687689754 discs in a box with only Chad-knows-what on them - music, movies, computer software, games, photo back ups - I mean there's really no telling. You would think they exist because there is something important on them, but they are either not labeled at all OR they say things like 'G atc34' in faded blue sharpie. If you can crack THAT code please email me. Seriously.
I also found a stash of catalogs for Volkswagen and Mustang parts which is fine - my handy other half has a couple of project cars that he works on in the summer - but these catalogs are from like 1993. And he won't let me throw them away.
So anyway, we have been eating a lot of sandwiches because I have been trying to negotiate with a borderline hoarder lately.
These Pesto Chicken and Provolone Sandwiches were among my favorites. Last year I made Kale Pesto that became one of my favorite staples to keep in the fridge. It's great on pizza, great on pasta, and really great on these sandwiches. Obviously traditional basil pesto would also be delicious, but this neverending winter is not really helping my herb garden along just yet so I opted for the kale.
For a great easy shortcut you can definitely use store-bought prepared Basil Pesto, and also some leftover chicken.
I added a little Greek yogurt to the pesto and chicken, giving it a thicker, more creamy texture that I love. And I added chopped cashews for crunch. Note: the cashews are awesome. Don't skip them. Melted provolone and sauteed mushrooms give a totally restaurant-quality taste to some really fast and simple sandwiches.
Which leaves more time for packing.
- 3 cups cooked chicken
- ¼ cup pesto (I used this easy recipe for Kale Pesto, but store-bought/prepared Basil Pesto is delicious, too!)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup cashews, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- salt to taste
- 1 sourdough loaf, cut into sandwich slices
- 8-12 slices provolone cheese
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set out a baking sheet - you can line with parchment if you'd like. Lay the bread slices across the baking sheet.
- In a large bowl stir together the chicken, pesto, Greek yogurt, and cashews until well combined.
- Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until they are golden, about 4 minutes.
- While the mushrooms cook, lay a slice of provolone on both halves of each sandwich. Spoon a heap of the pesto chicken on top of the cheese on the bottom half of each sandwich. When the mushrooms are done, spoon a few onto the top half of each sandwich.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven, leaving the sandwiches open-faced to melt the cheese and toast the bread on both sides. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the exposed edges of the bread are golden.
- Put the sandwich halves together and serve.
pretty quick and easy receipt.
I'm thinking about trying this tonight, because my mouth is watering at all of the ingredients! I am wheat free, though, so I'm wondering how this would go over brown rice? Or would it work in a Romaine or Kale wrap? Since I havent eaten it yet, I'm wondering if you have a suggestion? Thanks for posting this, it looks amazing!
Hi Erin! A GF wrap or lettuce or romaine would work great! The pesto I used is kale-based so it has lots of bite but use your favorite! And now... I am starving.
This looks deeeeelicious, Heather! I just want to take a big ole bite out of this sandwich!
Mmmmmmm. You make me very hungry!!!
That's the idea! 🙂
Love all the flavors in here, Heather! Can I come over for lunch? 🙂
I want this for lunch, drooling!
Thanks Beth!
These pictures are incredible Heather!! I have to have this sandwich! I love every single layer, I sort feel like it was made just for me. Oh the packing! You always think you stuff more into boxes than you actually can. I pretty much packed up our entire house by myself and I can say I never want to do that again. My other half is sort of a pack rat as well. Good luck!!!
Thank you! I will totally be packing everything up by myself, but only because if I don't we will never ever find anything ever again.
Good luck with the move to come 😀
Lovely looking sandwiches, perfect to keep your energy up!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru!!
Love every. single. thing. about this!!!
Thank you Marie!
SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE MOVING - SEND US YOUR NEW ADDRESS - LOOKING FORWARD TO JUNE AND SEEING YOU ALL LOVE AUNT DEBBIE
Just preparing -- I'll send you the address as soon as it's confirmed! Love you guys!
This is definitely up our alley...we make sandwiches all the time! I'd have to skip the mushrooms for a few family members but my youngest and I love them!
Thanks Michelle! I'm in the same boat - my kiddos won't touch the mushrooms with a ten foot pole.
Oh my goodness.. this looks so delicious.. Definitely my kind of sandwich!! When I looked at the gorgeous photos (which I hope to get that good someday!) I thought it was going to be pine nuts in the recipe, and was very surprised to read cashews! I love that! 🙂
I feel for you... the whole packing and unpacking thing is such a drag! I told my husband that if he ever wants to move again, it's not until we win the lottery, because I'm leaving everything in the old house, and starting fresh with the new house (including clothes!!). No more packing!!
And I totally agree about the cabinet over the fridge deal...Once in a while I'll take a look to see what I have stored in there, because I tend to forget!! It ends up as a disappointment, because it's never anything fun, or something that has gone missing. I actually just looked in there not too long ago, so I can tell you right now it's white porcelain cups (for when I have a million guests), and random surviving wine glasses that used to be a part of a collection , but the others have been long broken. Why I save them, I have no idea... 🙂
Thanks Prudy!! I actually rarely buy pine nuts because they are really expensive and I always have other things on hand. Almonds are usually my go-to for chicken salad-type recipes, but cashews here are really really good! I should consider leaving all the things here. Hmmm...