Grilled Chicken Paniniwith Basil Pesto

Prepare the marinade

1. 1

   whisk together 0.75 cup olive oil, 0.25 cup water, 0.25 cup white wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp Montreal chicken seasoning.

2. 2

   Place the chicken breast pieces in a zip‑lock bag, pour the marinade over them, seal, and refrigerate for 1–1.5 hours.

Make the pesto

3. 3

   in a blender combine 2 cups packed basil leaves, 0.75 cup fresh parsley, 3 peeled garlic cloves, and 0.25 cup pine nuts; pulse until coarsely chopped.

4. 4

   With the blender on low, slowly drizzle in 0.67 cup extra‑virgin olive oil until the mixture becomes smooth.

5. 5

   Add 0.67 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste; blend briefly to combine.

6. 6

   Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium‑high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard excess liquid, and grill until cooked through, about 5–6 minutes per side.

7. 7

   Slice the cooked chicken into bite‑size pieces.

8. 8

   Butter the outer sides of each Telera roll with softened butter.

Assemble each sandwich

9. 9

   spread a layer of fresh spinach on the bottom roll, add grilled chicken pieces, top with roasted red bell peppers, two slices of provolone cheese, and a generous spoonful of basil pesto.

10. 10

    Close the sandwich, place it in a panini press (or a heavy skillet topped with another skillet) and press until the bread is golden and the cheese melts, about 3–4 minutes.

11. 11

    Remove from the press, slice in half if desired, and serve hot.