Feeding the kids: Grilled chicken pesto panini

In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly food appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose a delicious breakfast or dessert treat. I found the recipe in "Patio Pizzeria: Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads on the Grill," by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (Running Press; $20).

Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini with Avocado and Bacon
(Makes 6 panini)

Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
- 1 large, long loaf French or Italian bread
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup store-bought pesto
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 6 strips cooked bacon
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.
2. Lightly coat the chicken tenders with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken directly over the fire for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once. Set aside.
3. Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and lightly brush all sides with olive oil. Spread the pesto on one cut side and the mayonnaise on the other. Layer the grilled chicken tenders, slices of avocado, bacon and cheese evenly over all and place the bread lid on top.
4. Place the panini directly over the fire and set 2 or 3 foil-wrapped bricks on top of the bread to weigh it down. You may need to push the bricks to lightly smash the sandwich.
5. Grill for about 2 minutes, until it's toasty with good grill marks, then turn it over and grill for about the same amount of time.
6. Set the panini on a cutting board and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Then slice at a diagonal into 6 portions, using a sharp bread knife.

Reprinted with permission from "Patio Pizzeria" 2014 by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.