Description
A delicious and easy Panera-inspired Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt featuring shredded rotisserie chicken, creamy avocado, chipotle mayo, and melted gouda on garlic herb focaccia bread. Perfect for a quick and flavorful main course sandwich.
Ingredients
Sandwich
- 2 flat loaves of focaccia bread (garlic herb recommended)
- 6 oz shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 4 oz sliced gouda cheese
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup Peppadew peppers, chopped (or sweet & hot cherry peppers)
Chipotle Mayo
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
Cooking
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make chipotle mayo: In a small bowl, combine the chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with mayonnaise. Stir well to combine and set aside.
- Prepare bread: Slice each flat loaf of focaccia into 4 square pieces, yielding 8 pieces total.
- Assemble sandwiches: Spread the chipotle mayo evenly onto each slice of bread. On half of the slices, add slices of gouda cheese, avocado, shredded chicken, chopped cilantro, and chopped Peppadew peppers.
- Top sandwiches: Place the remaining bread slices on top to form sandwiches.
- Cook sandwiches: Heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the sandwiches into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden.
- Flip sandwiches: Using a spatula, carefully flip the sandwiches and cook for another 2 minutes to crisp the other side.
- Steam sandwiches: Tilt the pan to one side and pour in 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the skillet immediately to trap steam and cook for 1 minute until the water has evaporated. This melts the cheese thoroughly.
- Serve: Remove the cover and the sandwiches from the pan. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Use garlic herb focaccia for an authentic flavor similar to Panera’s version.
- You can substitute Peppadew peppers with sweet and hot cherry peppers or any other mildly spicy pepper.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce the amount of chipotle peppers in the mayo.
- Covering the sandwiches during steaming helps melt the cheese perfectly without burning the bread.
- Leftover sandwiches can be reheated in a skillet or oven to retain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
