Chicken & Pesto Grilled Cheese
Cook Notes
BBQ Used: Kamado Joe Classic II
Cooking Method: Direct & Indirect
Fuel used: Lumpwood Charcoal
Cooking Temperature: Medium - High Heat
Special Equipment: Kamado Joe Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle
Ingredients
1 Large bunch of Fresh Basil
1 clove Garlic
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Pinch of Sea Salt
Olive Oil
1 large Chicken breast, Boneless
1tbsp Jalapeno & Lime Rub
Cheese - Approx 1/2 Cup of each
Cheddar Cheese
Manchego Cheese
Mozzarella
2 Slices Farmhouse Loaf
Mayo
Method
Setup your BBQ for 2 zone cooking with the coals banked to one side. For my Kamado Joe, I placed the regular cooking grate over the coals and my Half Moon Cast Iron Griddle on the opposite side to stop it getting to hot.
Place the chicken breast in a ziplock bag and lay it on a solid chopping board. Use a mallet or cast iron skillet to pound out the chicken fillet until it is an even thickness all over.
Add a drizzle of oil to the chicken fillet then season it with your BBQ rub of choice. For this sandwich I used the Jalapeno and Lime Spice Rub from The Smoky Carter which worked perfectly. Leave the fillet to the side for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the pesto.
In a large pestle and mortar, pound up your basil leaves before adding one garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Next add the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Grind everything together then slowly add some olive oil and mix to achieve your desired consistency.
Place your seasoned chicken breast onto the BBQ, directly over the coals and grill it until it reaches and internal temperature of 74C. Remove the chicken breast and rest it while you prepare the rest of the sandwich.
Mix a pinch of Parmesan cheese with about 2 tablespoons of mayo. Use this mixture to butter two slices of farmhouse loaf. Place the bread, buttered side down, onto the griddle.
When the bread is golden brown on the bottom, butter the opposite side with the mayo mixture. Flip one piece over then we can start to build our sandwich.
Start with half of the cheese, then a few spoonfuls of the pesto. Slice up the chicken breast into thin slices and place it on top. Add the rest of the cheese on top of the chicken and finally a couple more spoonfuls of pesto.
Place the second slice on top of the sandwich, toasted side down and leave to grill for a few minutes. When the bottom is golden brown, flip the sandwich over to toast the other side. One tip is to use a grill press or cast iron skillet to press the sandwich onto the griddle. This gives you maximum contact with the cast iron and ensures a great crust!
Remove the Sandwich from the griddle, slice and serve.
