Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:

Aioli Base

• 1 cup avocado oil

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 egg yolk

• ½ tsp kosher salt

Pesto

• 2 cups basil, washed and dried

• ½ cup grated Parmesan

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup walnuts

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• Juice and zest of half a lemon

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Sandwich

• 2 chicken breasts, halved

• 4 Canyon Bakehouse Burger Buns

• 1 cup fresh arugula

Start by slicing the chicken breasts in half longways, and allowing them to come to room temperature. In a bowl, separate an egg, reserving the yolk. Whisk in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard; this will build the emulsification. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the avocado oil into the egg and mustard mixture until thickened and golden. This will take several minutes. It is recommended to wrap a dish towel around the bowl to stabilize it while whisking. Add the kosher salt, and chill in the fridge.

In a food processor, combine the basil, Parmesan, walnuts, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and blitz a few times. While pulsing, gradually pour in the olive oil until the pesto comes together. Check for seasonings.

Separate the pesto in half, incorporating half onto the chicken breasts to marinade and the other half to combine into the aioli. Allow the chicken to marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes. Taste the pesto aioli for seasonings, and reserve.

Heat a grill or grill pan. Grill the chicken for 3 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is at least 165F. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and assembling. While the grill is still hot, toast the Canyon Bakehouse Burger Buns. 

To assemble, slather the pesto aioli onto both top and bottom buns. Add a handful of arugula, a piece of the pesto grilled chicken, and finish with the top bun.