With tender chunks of chicken coated in creamy pesto and topped with fresh juicy tomatoes and rich mozzarella cheese, this Baked Caprese Sub recipe will soon be your go-to for a quick and easy dinner. You can prepare these subs in just minutes by using a rotisserie chicken you grab from the store, or you can use any shredded or chopped chicken that you have leftover from another meal.
As I am sitting here writing out this recipe for you guys, I am realizing that I have been on quite a pesto kick the past few weeks. I have been sharing a lot of meal ideas with pesto as the main ingredient, and these crazy delicious subs are no exception. They are loaded with the stuff (in the best way!) I think summer is just so perfect for pesto recipes since it is light but bold at the same time and packed with the fresh flavors we expect for summer.
Basil can definitely be plentiful in the summer so if you are even the slightest bit inclined to grow your own herbs grab some seeds or a starter plant and keep it on hand. If not though, don’t worry because pesto can be found super easily at most any supermarket big or small. I usually buy mine at Sam’s or Costco since you can use it in so many different things! (Check out my Pesto Caesar Salad or Italian Chicken Bake recipes here)
I think the real power of pesto for someone like me who loves flavor but is frequently short on time when it comes to preparing everyday meals, is that you can get so much flavor with little to no effort. It really allows you to make something that is going to wow your family and friends without having to spend hours to get the rich or bold flavor. Pretty much every one I know enjoys the flavor of pesto. Heck, even my little kids will eat it even though it is green!
So our formula here is QUICK + FLAVORFUL = WINNING RECIPE!
So these Baked Chicken Caprese Subs really meet all of those. The recipe only has a few ingredients, it is flavorful, can be prepared in minutes, and is full of delicious flavors textures that is sure to please your family or a crowd. I love to make this for a quick weeknight dinner, especially in the summer, but if you have company coming over you can make a few of these all on one big baking sheet and feed a crowd in just a few minutes. I have even made it for a girls night and instead of doing the recipe like sub sandwiches, I made it flat and served them open faced in smaller pieces so people could graze.
How ever you decide to prepare it and who ever you make it for, it is pretty sure that it will be well received and you will have a stress free meal out of the way.
Baked Chicken Caprese Sub Recipe
Below I will go over the recipe step by step to include all of my tips, tricks, and FAQ’s. If you just want a quick read, you can scroll to the bottom to grab the recipe card there.
Ingredients
- 1 18 in sub roll (or loaf of french bread)– I grabbed the french bread loaf pack at Sam’s for this. It comes with 5 loaves that aren’t too huge so it is perfect for making sandwiches. You can use them for a crowd all at once, or use them over a few days if it is just a small family. Since these are toasted, you can get away with the bread being a day or two old. Or you can use one or two and pop them in the freezer for up to two weeks and they will taste super fresh when you get them out! So many options… I bet you never thought so much about how to use up your bread!
- 2 cups chopped chicken breast– Again… a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s! I like theirs because they are always a good size and have enough meat to feed a good sized family. If you don’t want to use a rotisserie chicken you can use any chopped or shredded chicken here. Remember, the better, more tender and more flavorful your chicken is here, the better the whole dish will come out.
- 1/2 cup pesto, prepared– I grab this at either Sam’s or Costco usually but you can find a simple pesto recipe here if you want to make your own!
- 1-2 roma tomatoes– Go crazy and add more if you really like tomatoes, or if yours are small
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese– I used shredded mozzarella because I had it on hand, but you can also use slices of fresh mozzarella for it to be extra tasty.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Then mix the chicken and pesto together and set aside. The pesto and chicken measurements are approximate. If you want to load it up, add more, if you like just a hint of flavor, add less. Walk on the wild side here, and just go with what looks right, you don’t really need to measure.
- Wash and cut the roma tomato in 6 even slices.
- Cut the sub roll in half length-wise, then spoon the chicken on top. Place the tomatoes on the chicken and then top it all with the mozzarella cheese. Again, if you want it to have more chicken, more cheese or less cheese (WHO ARE YOU?!) then just do what seems right to you! There is no real right or wrong way to build this sandwich.
- Place in the oven for 6-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browning, and it is heated through. If the cheese melts but the cheese isn’t browned on top, you can turn the heat up to broil for just a minute or two and get it to the color you want. Make sure to watch it closely because it can go from underdone to overdone in seconds though.
- Cut the sandwich into thirds and serve hot. This is perfect to enjoy with a crisp side salad. Try a caesar or field greens with cranberries and walnuts. Or if you want to go super easy, just pair it with some chips or quickly cut up veggies and you have a full meal!
I hope you get a chance to make and enjoy this recipe! If you do, I would love to hear about it in the comments, or if you have Instagram, tag me in a pic of your creation @easyfamilyrecipes. Nothing makes my heart swell like hearing that others enjoyed my recipe as much as we did! Happy eating!
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Baked Chicken Caprese Subs
Ingredients
- 1 18 in sub roll or loaf of french bread
- 2 cups chopped chicken breast
- 1/2 cup pesto prepared
- 1 roma tomato
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Then mix the chicken and pesto together and set aside.
- Wash and cut the roma tomato in 6 even slices.
- Cut the sub roll in half length-wise, then spoon the chicken on top. Place the tomatoes on the chicken and then top it all with the mozzarella cheese.
- Place in the oven for 6-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browning, and it is heated through.
- Cut the sandwich into thirds and serve hot. Enjoy!
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
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