Double Pesto Chicken Melt on Sourdough

Grilled chicken thighs with red and green pesto, melted mozzarella, and sourdough grilled in chicken juices. Homemade and heavy.

Serves: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

I’ve made a lot of sandwiches that rely on one strong sauce, but sometimes pairing two sauces—if they’re balanced—can push everything up a notch. That’s what happened with this one.

This sandwich is all about bold contrasts that somehow sit together comfortably. You’ve got grilled chicken thighs seared with rosemary and lemon, throwing out deep herb and citrus notes. You’ve got sourdough bread that soaks up all those pan juices, giving you a toasted crust that’s basically seasoned with the chicken. Then there’s the real highlight—not one, but two pestos.

One is green: fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan, crushed in a pestle and mortar the way it should be. Slightly chunky, totally fragrant, and a reminder that sometimes the most obvious version of something is still the best.
The other is red: roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes, blended with basil, garlic, and Parmesan, giving a thicker, richer paste that brings sweetness and umami. You don’t need to pick a side—layer both and let them fight it out.

This one is messy in the best way. Melted mozzarella gets grilled till bubbly and molten, sitting on top of the grilled chicken and wedged between the sourdough slices. It’s weighty, sauce-heavy, herby, cheesy, and absolutely worth making everything from scratch. And it’s not a sandwich you want to rush—give it time to build those layers properly and make sure the bread hits the pan after the chicken’s cooked so it catches all that leftover flavour.

You’ll probably have leftover pesto, and that’s no bad thing. You can use it later in pasta, as a dip, or spread on toast with eggs. But if you do want to halve the quantities, you can—but I usually go all in and make the full batch.

It’s not a show-off sandwich, but it tastes like one. It’s confident. Messy. Juicy. The sort of thing you hand to someone and they know they’re in for something serious.

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Why you’ll love this sandwich

1. Two homemade pestos bring layers of flavour
Green pesto gives you that raw, fresh hit of basil and pine nuts. Red pesto delivers roasted sweetness and depth. Together they stop the sandwich from being one-note. You’re not just tasting herbs or tomato—you’re getting both, side by side, and it keeps things exciting right to the last bite.

2. Chicken thighs cooked with rosemary and lemon add real character
Rather than plain grilled chicken, this version is seared in oil, lemon juice, and whole rosemary sprigs. That adds depth and fragrance and makes the meat more interesting than your average filler. It’s got savoury power and a citrus lift without needing any extra seasoning on the bread.

3. Grilled sourdough soaked in chicken juices makes every bite count
No butter needed. Just throw your sourdough into the same pan you cooked the chicken in and let the bread do the rest. It comes out with a crisp base, a soft middle, and all the leftover oil, lemon, and rosemary from the pan soaked in. It’s next-level toasting without adding extra steps.