Mortadella, Pesto, and Chicken Cutlet Party Sandwich

Growing up, making chicken cutlets was about as routine as brushing my teeth. My mom whipped these up every day for my dad's lunch, and during Lent, she'd switch it up with crispy fried eggplant—a fun tradition among Catholic Italians. If you know, you know!

This sandwich isn't just food; it's a hit at any gathering, easily cut into big portions for sharing. The marinated cherry tomatoes bring a sweet kick that pairs perfectly with the savory golden-brown cutlets and the rich mortadella. And let's not overlook the creamy burrata—who could resist?

Your local Italian deli might have some good stuff, but nothing beats a Katie Stilo sandwich.

For the Sandwich:

1 loaf Ciabatta bread

1 batch pistachio pesto (recipe below)

3 chicken cutlets (see link to recipe here, or use store bought)

1/4 pound thinly sliced mortadella with pistachios

2 containers buratta

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes (recipe below)

Balsamic glaze for drizzling

Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Marinated Cherry Tomatoes:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup basil, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pesto: (makes 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, peeled

¼ cup shelled roasted, salted pistachios

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

¾ cup freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Zest ½ a lemon

3 cups basil leaves, tightly packed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pistachio Pesto Sandwich with Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

1. Start by preparing the pesto. Use a mini chopper to mince the garlic.

2. Next, add the pistachios, pine nuts, Parmigiano, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest to the chopper. Pulse until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pesto for the sandwich and store the remaining pesto for future use (it freezes well!).

3. Incorporate the basil into the mixture and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. For the marinated cherry tomatoes, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Allow them to marinate for at least 30 minutes to enhance the flavors.

5. To assemble the sandwich, spread 1/2 cup of the prepared pistachio pesto on the bottom half of the bread.

6. Layer 3 chicken cutlets, slightly overlapping, across the pesto. It’s perfectly fine for them to overlap! Then, lay the mortadella over the cutlets.

7. Add 2 balls of burrata, cutting them open to allow the creamy filling to spill slightly onto the sandwich.

8. Spoon the marinated cherry tomatoes over the burrata. Drizzle some of the marinade juices from the bowl onto the top half of the bread.

9. Finish by drizzling balsamic glaze over the cherry tomatoes, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Place the top half of the bread on the sandwich and cut it to your desired size for serving.