This roasted capsicum and pesto chicken sandwich is what happens when you take simple, quality ingredients and let them actually shine. Tender, seasoned chicken gets layered with sweet roasted capsicum, creamy burrata, peppery rocket, and vibrant homemade pesto – all piled onto crusty bread. It’s fresh, it’s got that perfect balance of creamy and bright, and honestly, it feels like the kind of sandwich you’d pay way too much for at a nice deli. Except you made it at home, so it’s better!

Understanding Your Components

1. Breaded Chicken: I used chicken breast for this recipe but feel free (and i highly encourage) to use chicken thighs! Thighs will give you a juicier result as there is higher fat content when compared to chicken breasts – but make sure to flatten your chicken out evenly so it cooks well and you can do this either with your knife or a meat tenderiser.
2. Breading station: set up your breading station by having 3 plates ready – 1 with plain flour, 1 with beaten eggs and 1 with breadcrumbs. When you drench and bread your chicken fillets, it can get super messy. A tip is to keep 1 hand dry and 1 hand for the wet. Dust your chicken in flour first then drench in the beaten eggs – the flour helps the eggs to cling onto your chicken. And lastly, coat your chicken into the breadcrumbs. Make sure it’s coated well so we get a nice breaded crust when we fry.
3. Roasted Capsicum: Roasting capsicum (bell peppers) until the skin blisters and blackens transforms them completely – they go from crisp and slightly bitter to sweet, smoky, and almost jammy. Letting them steam under plastic wrap or in a covered bowl after roasting makes the skins slip off effortlessly. This step takes a bit of time but the concentrated sweetness is completely worth it and adds a depth that raw capsicum just can’t match.
4. Burrata: This is where the sandwich gets its luxurious, creamy element. Unlike regular mozzarella, burrata has that soft outer shell with an oozy, cream-filled center that spills out beautifully when you break into it. It melts into the warm chicken and pesto, tying all the other components together with its rich, milky flavor.
5. Pesto and Rocket: Fresh basil pesto brings that vibrant, herby, garlicky punch that acts as the flavor backbone of the whole sandwich – it gets spread generously on the bread so every bite has that bright, herbaceous element. Rocket (arugula) adds a peppery, slightly bitter freshness and crunch that cuts through the richness of the burrata and chicken, keeping the sandwich from feeling too heavy.
6. Bread: i used a mini sourdough loaf but feel free to use any crusty loaf you have on hand! I think any Italian or white crusty loaf would be amazing for this.
7. Deep-fry/Airfry: Use a neutral oil to fry your chicken fillets (i.e. vegetable or canola oil would be good options). Make sure your oil is at a good frying temperature – i.e. 180C/350F to get a nice golden colour and the coating is crispy not soggy. If the oil is not hot enough, the breading will be soggy. If it’s too hot, the breading will burn and the chicken will not be cooked. If you like a healthier alternative, you could also airfry your chicken fillets! Just make sure to spray the outside evenly with some oil and air-fry at 180C/350F until golden brown.

Tips!

Char the Capsicum Properly: Don’t pull the peppers from the oven or grill until the skins are properly blackened and blistered all over. This is what makes the skins peel away easily and gives you that deep, smoky sweetness.

Steam Before Peeling: After roasting, cover the capsicum with plastic wrap or place in a covered bowl for at least 10-15 minutes. This traps steam and loosens the skin, making peeling so much easier.

Spread Pesto Generously: Don’t skimp on the pesto – spread it thickly on both sides of the bread so its flavor comes through in every bite, not just an occasional hint.

Break the Burrata, Don’t Slice: Tear or break the burrata open by hand rather than slicing it neatly. This lets the creamy center spread naturally over the other ingredients instead of staying contained.

Add Rocket Last: Layer the rocket in right before closing the sandwich so it stays crisp and fresh rather than wilting from the warmth of the chicken or capsicum.

Toast Your Bread: A quick toast adds structure and a slight crunch, helping the bread hold up against the juicy capsicum and creamy burrata without getting soggy.

Storage and Reheating Guide

• Cooked Chicken Storage: Store cooked, sliced chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
• Roasted Capsicum Storage: Store peeled, roasted capsicum in an airtight container (with a little olive oil) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
• Pesto Storage: Refrigerate with a thin layer of olive oil on top for up to 1 week, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months
• Assembled Sandwiches: Best eaten immediately, but can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving
• Reheating Chicken: Warm gently in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes or in a pan over low heat – avoid microwaving as it can dry out the chicken

Make ahead tips:

• Roast Capsicum Ahead: Roast and peel capsicum up to 5 days ahead and store refrigerated – this is one of the best make-ahead components
• Cook Chicken Ahead: Grill or pan-sear chicken up to 3 days in advance and store refrigerated. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before assembling.
• Pesto Prep: Make a batch of pesto up to 1 week ahead – it’s great to have on hand for this sandwich and countless other meals
• Prep Station: Have chicken sliced, capsicum ready, burrata at room temperature, and rocket washed so assembly takes just minutes
• Batch Roasting: Roast a big batch of capsicum whenever you have the oven on for something else – it keeps well and makes future sandwiches even quicker to throw together

Ingredients

(makes 2 sandwiches)

2 bread loaves of choice (i used small pane di casa)
2 red bell peppers/capsicums, halved and remove seeds
2 burrata cheese
Arugula/Rocket

Breaded Chicken:
1 chicken breast, halved length-wise and flattened
1/2 cup plain flour
1-2 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp parsley, minced
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
Vegetable oil for frying

Walnut Pesto:
1 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Method – How to make Roasted Bell Pepper & Pesto Chicken Sandwich

1. Roasted Peppers: Place the capsicum/bell pepper halves onto a baking tray and broil until charred and darkened (around 10-20 minutes). Place the charred bell peppers into and bowl and cover with plastic wrap to sweat for 15 minute and then remove the blackened skin.
2. Walnut Pesto: In a food processor, combine basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese. Pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Breaded chicken: Slice your chicken breast into 2 pieces length-wise. While working with 1 piece at a time, cover the chicken with a piece of plastic wrap and using a meat tenderiser, flatten out the chicken into a thin even piece. Repeat with the other piece. Season the chicken with salt and pepp.
4. Add your breadcrumbs onto a plate and mix in the parsley, onion powder and garlic powder. Prepare your breading station. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, place the chicken into your flour and cover it well. Transfer the chicken to your beaten eggs and cover it well. Transfer the chicken to your seasoned breadcrumbs and press it in well. Repeat with the 2nd piece.
5. Bring a pot of oil to frying temperature (180C/ 350F). Carefully drop in 1 piece of breaded chicken at a time and fry for 4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken and flipping halfway, or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to drain.
6. Assemble: On 1 piece of toasted bread, spread on a layer of the homemade Romesco sauce, then top with a piece of chicken. Break a burrata on top of the chicken and top with rocket with a drizzle of olive oil. Close the sandwich. Enjoy!