The Best Pesto Chicken Subs
Savor the flavor of our mouthwatering Pesto Chicken Subs, loaded with juicy, protein-rich chicken and vibrant basil pesto! These scrumptious sandwiches are not only a feast for your taste buds but also a fantastic meal prep option that keeps you fueled throughout the week. Grab some crusty bread, throw on fresh spinach, and get ready to enjoy a delightful bite that's both nutritious and satisfying!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 3 Cups Packed Basil (720 ml)
- Cooking Spray (I use avocado oil)optional
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Cup Packed Parsley (240 ml)
- 1 Tbsp Black Pepper (15 ml)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 2-4 Tbsp Water, depending on desired consistency (30-60 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5kg Trimmed Chicken Thighs (3.31 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 95g Parmesan Cheese (3.35 oz)
- 16 Slices Low ULTRA THIN Sliced Provolone or Swiss
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1/4 Cup Pine nuts or Walnuts (60 ml)
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Garlic Powder (45 ml)
- 2 Tbsp Paprika (30 ml)
- 1.5 Tbsp Kosher Salt (22.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Kosher Salt (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 4 Baguettes (Fully hollowed out interior, cut into 3 segments)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and season with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- 2
Cook the chicken thighs using cooking spray until fully cooked.
- 3
In a blender, combine parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and pine nuts or walnuts. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed for desired consistency.
- 4
Assemble the subs by placing the cooked chicken in the hollowed baguettes, adding pesto, and topping with provolone or swiss cheese.
- 5
Serve and enjoy your healthy meal prep!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer rather than relying on visual cues, since thigh meat's higher collagen content stays juicy even at this temp while breast meat would dry out.timing165°F
- ✓Toast pine nuts or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes before blending into pesto, as the Maillard reaction develops nutty, complex flavors that raw nuts lack.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Blend pesto in short 5-second pulses rather than continuous blending, because prolonged high-speed processing heats the basil through friction and oxidizes chlorophyll, turning your pesto from bright green to dull olive within minutes.technique5-second pulses
- ✓Use a 3:1:1 ratio of olive oil to parmesan to nuts by volume as your pesto base, then adjust with lemon juice and water since this ratio provides enough fat to properly emulsify while keeping the sauce spreadable rather than greasy.ingredient3:1:1 ratio
- ✓Hollow out baguettes and lightly toast them at 375°F for 4-5 minutes before assembling, as this creates a moisture barrier that prevents the bread from turning soggy from the pesto's oil content during meal prep storage.equipment375°F for 4-5 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
The Best Pesto Chicken Subs
Savor the flavor of our mouthwatering Pesto Chicken Subs, loaded with juicy, protein-rich chicken and vibrant basil pesto! These scrumptious sandwiches are not only a feast for your taste buds but also a fantastic meal prep option that keeps you fueled throughout the week. Grab some crusty bread, throw on fresh spinach, and get ready to enjoy a delightful bite that's both nutritious and satisfying!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 3 Cups Packed Basil (720 ml)
- Cooking Spray (I use avocado oil)optional
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Cup Packed Parsley (240 ml)
- 1 Tbsp Black Pepper (15 ml)
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (2.5 ml)
- 2-4 Tbsp Water, depending on desired consistency (30-60 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5kg Trimmed Chicken Thighs (3.31 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 95g Parmesan Cheese (3.35 oz)
- 16 Slices Low ULTRA THIN Sliced Provolone or Swiss
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1/4 Cup Pine nuts or Walnuts (60 ml)
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Garlic Powder (45 ml)
- 2 Tbsp Paprika (30 ml)
- 1.5 Tbsp Kosher Salt (22.5 ml)
- 1 Tsp Kosher Salt (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 4 Baguettes (Fully hollowed out interior, cut into 3 segments)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and season with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- 2
Cook the chicken thighs using cooking spray until fully cooked.
- 3
In a blender, combine parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and pine nuts or walnuts. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed for desired consistency.
- 4
Assemble the subs by placing the cooked chicken in the hollowed baguettes, adding pesto, and topping with provolone or swiss cheese.
- 5
Serve and enjoy your healthy meal prep!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 165°F using a meat thermometer rather than relying on visual cues, since thigh meat's higher collagen content stays juicy even at this temp while breast meat would dry out.timing165°F
- ✓Toast pine nuts or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes before blending into pesto, as the Maillard reaction develops nutty, complex flavors that raw nuts lack.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Blend pesto in short 5-second pulses rather than continuous blending, because prolonged high-speed processing heats the basil through friction and oxidizes chlorophyll, turning your pesto from bright green to dull olive within minutes.technique5-second pulses
- ✓Use a 3:1:1 ratio of olive oil to parmesan to nuts by volume as your pesto base, then adjust with lemon juice and water since this ratio provides enough fat to properly emulsify while keeping the sauce spreadable rather than greasy.ingredient3:1:1 ratio
- ✓Hollow out baguettes and lightly toast them at 375°F for 4-5 minutes before assembling, as this creates a moisture barrier that prevents the bread from turning soggy from the pesto's oil content during meal prep storage.equipment375°F for 4-5 minutes