Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

If you are bored with the typical grilled chicken sandwich that is deemed "healthy", you have to give this pesto recipe a try. The pesto makes the sandwich! I'll explain this in two parts - the pesto first:

Just 4 ingredients! (plus salt & pepper) Here is what you need:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, undrained
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor (or blender), process the first 5 ingredients until smooth. Stir in cheese and process again until smooth (or the consistency that you prefer). If it's a little too thick, you can add some extra-virgin olive oil. This is how mine looked:

Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Perfect on sandwiches or as an appetizer with crostini or vegetables. Makes about 1-1/4 cups. (Recipe adapted from 400 Best Sandwich Recipes Cookbook, by Alison Lewis)

For the sandwich:

• 4 boneless chicken cutlets (chicken breast halves pounded to about 1/2" thick)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 4 slices Provolone cheese
• 4 Kaiser or hearty hamburger rolls, toasted
• 1 batch of sun-dried tomato pesto

Pre-heat your grill to medium. Drizzle the breast halves with olive oil, and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. I cook my chicken on an indoor George Foreman grill at 375 degrees for 9 minutes. But if you are using an outdoor grill, grill your chicken 5 to 6 minutes each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the inside is no longer pink. (Keep an eye on it, as it's VERY easy to overcook boneless chicken on an outdoor grill.)

Toast your rolls so they are warm when the chicken is done. Place a grilled chicken cutlet on each of the 4 bottom halves. Top the chicken with 2 Tbsps. of pesto. Top the pesto with a slice of Provolone cheese and the top half of the buns. Makes 4 sandwiches.

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