🥪 Creamy Chicken & Bacon Panini
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad:
2 cups Cooked chicken breast (shredded or finely chopped)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Celery (finely diced for crunch)
1 tbsp Fresh chives or green onions (sliced thin)
Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Sandwich Build:
4 slices Sourdough or Ciabatta bread
4-6 strips Crispy cooked bacon
1 Large tomato (sliced)
1 cup Shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
2 tbsp Butter (softened, for the bread)
Instructions
Mix the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, mayonnaise, mustard, celery, and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the chicken is well-coated and creamy.
Prep the Bread: Lightly butter the outside of each slice of bread. This ensures a golden, crispy crust.
Layer the Flavors: * Place two slices of bread butter-side down.
Add a layer of crispy bacon.
Top with a generous scoop of the chicken salad mixture.
Add tomato slices and shredded lettuce.
Close the sandwich with the remaining bread (butter-side up).
The Toasting: Heat a panini press or a heavy skillet over medium heat.
If using a press: Grill for 3–5 minutes until the bread is golden brown with clear grill marks.
If using a skillet: Place the sandwich in the pan and weight it down with a second heavy pan. Flip after 3 minutes and repeat on the other side.
Serve: Slice diagonally and enjoy while the bread is still warm and crunchy.
Pro-Tip: If you want a little extra zing, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a dash of hot sauce to the chicken mixture before assembling!