Chipotle Chicken Panini

This Chipotle Chicken Panini sandwich is great for lunch! It's made with roasted chicken, cheese, arugula, and zesty chipotle mayo sauce.

It's hard to beat a panini sandwich with its combination of toasted bread, roasted meat, melted cheese, fresh veggies, and tangy sauce. This Chicken Chipotle Panini is perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Sandwiches are delicious in every form and the panini is no exception. A panini is a sandwich that's usually made with Italian bread that's toasted and served warm. Cooking the panini inside the panini maker "presses" the sandwich, which helps to cook all of the filling evenly and gives it that quintessential toasted look.

Placing a sandwich into a panini maker does something magical to it. The bread becomes crusty and the cheese melts nicely. That bread sort of creates a fortress for all the gooey ingredients inside the sandwich. And let's be honest. It's all about the gooey ingredients. 

You can stuff nearly anything into a panini. It's usually made with some combination of meat, vegetables, cheese, and a sauce. This version has a Southwestern flair and is prepared with roasted chicken, sliced cheese, avocado, greens, and a zesty chipotle mayo.

It's smoky, tangy, a little spicy, and completely irresistible. This sandwich is perfect paired with some crunchy chips, fresh veggies, a salad, or your favorite side dish.

Jump to:

• Which Bread Is Best For A Panini?
• Ingredients For Chipotle Chicken Panini
• Which Chicken Is Best For Sandwiches?
• What Are Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce?
• How To Make Chipotle Mayo
• How To Make A Chipotle Chicken Panini
• How Long Does A Panini Take To Cook?
• Can This Sandwich Be Made Without A Panini Press?
• What To Serve With Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
• Chipotle Chicken Panini

Which Bread Is Best For A Panini?

When it comes to bread, it's best to choose a variety that's dense, sturdy, and not too soft so that it hold up to the cooking process and does not become soggy from the addition of wet ingredients.

It's recommended to use a bread that's hearty and can hold all of the filling without crumbling during the cooking process. Here are some great bread choices when making a panini:

• Sourdough
• Multigrain
• Italian Sandwich Bread
• Ciabatta Rolls or Panini Rolls
• Baguette

This recipe is gluten free and calls for a hearty variety of gluten free bread. Gluten free bread can be tricky to work with, so it's important to choose a quality brand that you enjoy and holds up to the cooking process for optimal taste and texture.

I recommend a gluten free sourdough or heritage style bread when making a panini, as the slices are large enough to accommodate the filling and sturdy enough to hold together.

Here are some of my favorite gluten free sandwich breads:

• BFree Homestyle Sandwich Sourdough Loaf
• Canyon Bakehouse Heritage Style Whole Grain Bread
• Schar Deli Style Sourdough Bread
• Schar Ciabatta Rolls

You can find gluten free bread in the bakery or freezer section of your local grocery store or online.

Ingredients For Chipotle Chicken Panini

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 2 lbs. Split Chicken Breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• ⅓ cup Mayo
• 2 Tbsp. Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
• 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
• ¼ tsp. Sugar
• ¼ tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 loaf Gluten Free Sandwich Bread (or regular bread if not gluten free)
• 5-6 slices Colby Jack Cheese (or cheese of choice)
• 1-2 Avocadoes (ripe)
• 2 cups Arugula or Spinach (or hearty greens of choice)
• 2 Tbsp. Butter

Which Chicken Is Best For Sandwiches?

The nice thing about this panini sandwich is that you can choose any kind of chicken you like. Roasted chicken (boneless or bone-in), leftover roasted or grilled chicken, deli chicken, or rotisserie chicken are all great options.

You can also use roasted or leftover turkey if that's what you have on hand.

I love to use roasted split chicken breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts) because they're flavorful, inexpensive, and easy to whip up.

All that's needed is to toss the split chicken breasts in olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and roast in the oven until finished. Split chicken breasts are great because they are roasted with the bone and the skin, which keeps the meat moist and flavorful.

Once the roasted chicken has cooled, it's sliced or shredded and makes for a tasty addition to this Chipotle Chicken Panini.

You can also make this chicken ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed, which helps to speed up the process.

1. To roast the chicken, start by heating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place 2 split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts (equals 2 lbs. of chicken breasts) onto a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over the chicken breasts, making sure that both the top and bottom are evenly coated in the oil.
4. Sprinkle ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over the top of the chicken breasts.
5. Flip the chicken breasts over and sprinkle another ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over the second side.
6. Place the chicken breasts skin-side up on the baking sheet.
7. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast the chicken for 40 minutes or so, or until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside, allowing the chicken to cool.
9. Place the cooked and cooled chicken breasts (or a rotisserie chicken if using) onto a cutting board and slice or shred the chicken, depending on your preference.
10. Make sure to remove and discard any bones before adding to the sandwich. Feel free to include the skin if you like. If not, simply discard the skin.

The best way to tell if chicken is fully cooked is to insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Are Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce?

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked and dried jalapeno peppers that are rehydrated and canned in a puree made with tomato sauce, vinegar, and spices.

They are smoky, spicy, and tangy and add great flavor to just about anything. I love to add chipotle peppers in adobo to sauces, tacos, chili, soups, and salads.

This recipe uses both the chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce to make the chipotle mayo. It's one of those simple ingredients that packs a lot of punch.

You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Mexican aisle of your local grocery store. Make sure that the brand used is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.

Love chipotle flavor? Check out these recipes!

• Chipotle Slaw
• Barbacoa Tacos
• Southwest Potato Salad
• Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• Baked Rice Balls with Chipotle Sour Cream

How To Make Chipotle Mayo

The chipotle mayo is definitely the star of this panini sandwich. It's smoky, tangy, a little spicy and gives the whole thing great flavor and a bit of decadence.

This sauce packs a lot of flavor considering it only contains a few ingredients and it's super easy to prepare.

1. To make the chipotle mayo, start by mincing 1-2 of the adobo peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you prefer your sauce).
2. Add a heaping ⅓ cup mayo, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. chipotles in adobo sauce, ¼ tsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt to a small bowl.
3. Stir the sauce until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
4. Adjust the sauce to taste. If it's too spicy, add a little bit of sugar. Add more adobo sauce if you prefer it even spicier.

How To Make A Chipotle Chicken Panini

Once the chicken and chipotle mayo are ready, it's time to make the panini. A panini sandwich is easy to prepare and cooks quickly using a panini press.

All that's needed to make it is to assemble the sandwich by slathering some of the chipotle mayo onto a slice of bread, topping it with the sliced, roasted chicken, adding a slice of cheese, and buttering the outside of the bread with softened butter so that the panini does not stick to the surface while cooking.

1. Start by spreading a generous amount of softened butter onto two slices of hearty sandwich bread.
2. Flip the bread over and slather desired amount of the chipotle mayo onto one (or both) sides of the bread.
3. Arrange a layer of sliced chicken (can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken) on top of the chipotle mayo.
4. Add a slice of Colby Jack (or cheese of choice) to the other piece of bread.
5. Place the two slices of bread together to form a sandwich.

When it comes to cheese, you can choose any variety you like that melts nicely. Here are some great choices for sandwiches and paninis:

• Colby Jack
• Monterrey Jack
• Mozzarella
• Provolone
• Havarti
• Pepper Jack
• Fontina
• Cheddar

How Long Does A Panini Take To Cook?

Cooking times may vary depending on the type of panini press used. In general, it takes 3-5 minutes to cook a panini using a panini press. If your panini press has a temperature control, I recommend setting it to medium heat.

You want the temperature hot enough to melt the cheese but not hot enough to burn the bread.

For the best results, I recommend toasting the panini without the vegetables. Once the sandwich is finished toasting, open it and add some sliced avocadoes and fresh arugula or spinach (or hearty greens of choice).

As for the vegetables, you can customize them to your liking. I love to use avocado and arugula, but spinach or any heart greens will work here. You can also use sliced tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, onions, or bell peppers.

If I had one word of advice when it comes to a panini, it would be this - don't over stuff them! Keep it simple. Use a few ingredients that you enjoy and the sandwich will hold together nicely. An overstuffed panini sandwich will fall apart and become soggy.

1. Turn on the panini press (use medium heat if the panini press has a temperature control.
2. Place the buttered panini into the machine and lower the lid onto the top of the sandwich (don't press down too hard).
3. Cook the panini for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted.
4. Remove the panini from the machine and allow to cool slightly. Remove the top slice of bread and add some sliced avocado, greens, or vegetables of choice.
5. Return the bread to the sandwich and slice the panini before serving.
6. Repeat with the remainder of the panini sandwiches.

Can This Sandwich Be Made Without A Panini Press?

Yes, this sandwich can be made using a griddle or skillet on the stove top just as you would a grilled cheese.

1. To make the sandwiches, place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-low. Make sure the skillet is thoroughly heated before adding the sandwiches.
2. Only add as many sandwiches as fit comfortably in the skillet. Overcrowding the pan makes it difficult to flip the sandwiches.
3. Cook the sandwiches on one side for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has started to melt and the bread is golden brown.
4. Flip and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
5. Repeat with the remainder of the sandwiches.
6. Add the vegetables after cooking, just as you would with a panini.

What To Serve With Chipotle Chicken Sandwich

This Chipotle Chicken Panini is perfect for lunch or a light dinner served with a side dish like a salad, a bowl of soup, some roasted vegetables, or simply with some chips or crunchy veggies.

Toasted sandwiches are great with a bright and tangy side salad like a green salad or this fresh pea mint salad. It's also tasty paired with a crunchy coleslaw or kohlrabi slaw.

Vegetable dishes like this Parmesan roasted cauliflower, garlic roasted green beans, or black bean corn salad are great options.

Soup and sandwiches are the perfect pairing. Dip this panini into a bowl of this sweet corn cauliflower soup, potato cauliflower leek soup, or sweet potato kale soup.

Love sandwiches? Be sure to check out these recipes!

• Southwest Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Italian Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
• Rachel Sandwich
• Gouda Chicken Grilled Cheese
• BLT with Lemon Basil Mayo

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