Food Network Scholar: Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Television Feasts

I am a home cook who backyard gardens and has a serious closet addiction to the Food Network. I envision visiting the world in my own kitchen.

From Julia to Giada, I am a bi-product of the quirky world of anything food television. At age 10 I wanted to lunch with Julia; at 12 I thought sitting at Graham Kerr's table would be bliss; in college I was a diligent voyeur student of Jeff Smith's; and as a newlywed I envisioned myself being Martha. Then the sky opened up and violin music played in the background when I discovered an entire family of food shows on the blossoming food network. Twenty years later I am still a home chef with a backyard garden, yet in my head I am a trained chef who has eaten her way around the world, tasted all things exotic, competed in many challenges, judged the best of the best, and have a circle of friends which includes Emeril, Bobby, Rachael and more. I like to learn and challenge myself simply for the pleasure of all things food. I am a student of the University of Food Network and my textbooks, exams and extra-curricular activities all stem from channel 39.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

I had some homemade pesto left from the stromboli I made over the weekend. I used it up in this good chicken salad combination. The dressing is made with Greek yogurt and pesto. So yummy and a much healthier choice than a mayonnaise based dressing. The combination of the pesto, tomato and mozzarella is a classic combination. This is great for leftover chicken; or in a pinch, grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. This is one of the sandwich recipes that every ingredient fits-the chicken is soft, the pesto is creamy, the yogurt has some tang, the tomatoes offer the cool and the arugula gives it a kick. Those combined with a fresh crusty baguette-sandwich bliss!

Chicken Pesto Sandwich
printable recipe

2-3 c. chopped cooked chicken
1/2 c. prepared pesto
1/4 c. Greek yogurt
kosher salt and pepper
1 baguette, cut into 4 serving size pieces, split for sandwich filling
2 c. arugula
2 tomatoes, sliced
8 oz. mozzarella, sliced