Easy Chicken Pomodoro Sandwich

Do you ever find yourself craving a sandwich that’s served or sold at a restaurant near you? If so, have you ever wished you could make it at home on your own so you could avoid waiting to be served at a table or waiting in a long drive-thru line?

I know I have and the sandwich that I find myself craving from time to time is a chicken pomodoro sandwich that’s served at a popular casual dining chain here in the Chicagoland area. I first ordered it a few years ago and have been hooked on it ever since! From the moment that I took the first bite of the sandwich–which I think is so delicious because of the fresh arugula and balsamic glaze–I knew I’d discovered something special.

However, I recently decided that I no longer wanted to have to pay the restaurant to make this sandwich for me every time I crave it. And, since the staff at one location where I order the sandwich has accidentally left off a key ingredient, like the mozzarella, when making it in the past, I won’t have to wonder if that will happen again if I choose to make it myself.

So, I went shopping for ingredients that I thought would enable me to recreate the flavors found in one of my favorite restaurant sandwiches and now I know how to make it at home! Keep reading to see what I used to make my chicken pomodoro sandwich in case you’d like to make it, too. Remember: If you use any of my links to purchase the groceries I used, I will earn a small commission from qualifying purchases that will help me to continue to share easy recipes like this on my blog.

What You’ll Need To Make My Easy Chicken Pomodoro Sandwich (Six servings)

*6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided

*6 Filleted Chicken Breasts

*6 Pre-sliced Multigrain Sandwich Buns

*1 Package of Baby Arugula

*1 Container of Grape Tomatoes

*1 Container of Fresh Mozzarella Medallions

*1 Bottle of Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

*Salt and Pepper to taste

How to Make My Easy Chicken Pomodoro Sandwich

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook three of the chicken breasts for approximately 10 minutes on one side and then flip them over, cover your pan, and allow the chicken to cook for about 10 more minutes on the other side. You’ll know the breasts are ready when their juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink. If they don’t appear to be cooked through, cover them again and add a few more minutes of cooking time. Repeat this process with the remaining three chicken breasts.

2. While the chicken is cooking, turn your broiler on the normal setting. Open your buns, place them cut side up on a cookie sheet or large piece of aluminum foil and broil them until they are very lightly toasted. Since the buns are thin, check them after two minutes to see if they’re ready. If not, add an additional minute of broiling time, but stay nearby so you can immediately take them out as soon as they’re ready. (They could burn if you broil them too long.) Once the buns are ready, remove them and transfer them to a large plate or serving platter.

3. When all of the chicken breasts are finished cooking and the buns are also ready, you–or a loved one–can assemble the sandwiches! Start by placing a bit of arugula on the bottom half of each bun. Then, top the arugula with the following ingredients: several pieces of tomato, a chicken breast, and two or three slices of fresh mozzarella. Drizzle one or two tablespoons of the vinaigrette on top of the mozzarella and then cover the dressing-covered mozzarella with the top of the bun and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

1. You could serve these sandwiches for lunch or dinner alongside a chilled pasta salad made with rotini pasta, sliced black olives, baby corn, shredded parmesan cheese, Italian dressing, as well as a dash of salt and pepper. And, if you happen to have a bell pepper (of any color) on hand, you could also dice it up and add it to the salad.

2. If you’d rather have a hot side dish, consider pairing each sandwich with a bowl of soup (e.g., minestrone, Italian vegetable, etc.). Another hot side dish option is a serving of these Mediterranean vegetables (one of my favorite side dishes!) sauteed in a couple of tablespoons of butter or olive oil and then sprinkled with a bit of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Possible Substitutions and Notes:

1. A multigrain roll or ciabatta bun could be used to make this sandwich if you can’t find the multigrain buns that I bought.

2. If you would rather have larger slices of tomato on your sandwich, feel free to use vine-ripened tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes.

3. An 8-ounce-sized ball of fresh mozzarella that you slice into six slices (one for each sandwich) could also be used if you can’t find the medallions that I used for my sandwiches.