Add all the ingredients to make the mint pesto into a food processor or a blender. While the processor is running, add the olive oil to it.
Continue processing until the mixture is well combined.
To prepare the chicken
Add salt, pepper and red chili flakes to the cubed chicken and mix well. Add oil to a tawa on medium heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until golden brown.
Shred the chicken pieces. Add 4 tbsp pesto and mayonnaise(optional) to the shredded chicken and mix well.
Heat a tawa or a grill pan on medium heat. Apply some butter on one side of a bread slice and place it on the tawa.
Take spoonfuls of the shredded chicken and place it on the bread slice on the tawa.
Now, apply some butter on one side of the other bread slice and place it on top of the chicken mixture.
Flip the sandwich carefully to toast the other side of the bread on a low-medium flame. Press the sandwich with the help of a spatula. Take the sandwich off the heat once both the sides are evenly toasted.
To make the tomato cheese pesto sandwich
Heat a tawa or a grill pan on medium heat. Apply some butter on one side of a bread slice and place it on the tawa. You can also apply some mayonnaise on the other side of the bread.(optional)
Place a cheese slice and the sliced tomatoes on the bread slice.
Apply some pesto on another bread slice and place it on top of the tomato (pesto side down).
Apply some butter on the bread (side facing the top) .
Flip the sandwich carefully to toast the other side of the bread on a low-medium flame. Press the sandwich with the help of a spatula. Take the sandwich off the heat once both the sides are evenly toasted.
Serve both the sandwiches with some ketchup on the side.
Notes
Pesto sauce is always prepared to taste with the ingredients available at hand. You can modify the recipe by replacing or adjusting the quantity of the ingredients.
The nuts can also be toasted before preparing the pesto.
Adding mayonnaise to the sandwich is completely optional.
For the chicken pesto, you can also add boiled and shredded chicken instead of pan-fried and shredded chicken.
Instead of pan-frying the chicken, it can also be grilled using a grill pan or an oven.
The sandwiches can also be grilled in a grill pan or an oven instead of toasting in the tawa. In such cases, prepare the sandwich by stuffing it completely and then place it for grilling.
For the tomato cheese sandwich, you can also add roasted bell peppers if you want to. Add any vegetables of your choice.
For both the sandwiches, use pesto to taste.
Any bread of your choice can be used. I used wheat bread for the recipe.
Pesto can be refrigerated in an airtight container.