Frontega Chicken Panini
PANERA USES A PANINI PRESS TO MAKE THESE GRILLED CHICKEN AND CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE SANDWICHES. ACHIEVE SIMILAR RESULTS ON YOUR GRILL BY PRESSING THE ASSEMBLED SANDWICH DOWN UNTIL MARKS FROM THE HOT GRILL CHAR THEIR WAY INTO THE FOCACCIA.
Chipotle Mayonnaise
1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or reduced calorie
2 chipotle peppers, mashed
1 tablespoon adobo sauce, from canned chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-inch) round focaccia
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 slices mozzarella cheese, regular or part skim
1. Do ahead: Make the Chipotle Mayonnaise a day ahead of time, so the flavors have time to combine. In a food processor, mix the mayonnaise, chipotles, and adobo sauce. Pulse until the mixture is completely blended and smooth. Add the dried herbs and pulse until blended. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to use.
2. Light a charcoal barbecue or heat a gas grill to medium. Clean the grate and coat it with vegetable oil.
3. Season the chicken breast with the salt and pepper and grill 6 to 7 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes, then cut it into thin slices.
4. Cut the focaccia in half, so that there is a top and bottom for the sandwich. Spread the bottom half liberally with the Chipotle Mayonnaise and layer it with the sliced chicken. Arrange the sliced onions on top of the chicken, then shingle the slices of mozzarella over the onions. Finish the sandwich by spreading the top half of the focaccia with the Chipotle Mayonnaise and laying it on top.
5. Carefully move the assembled sandwich to the grill and grill the bottom side. Press down evenly with your hands or with the bottom of a clean frying pan. When the bottom is toasted, carefully turn the sandwich over and repeat the process.
6. Move the grilled sandwich to a clean surface and cut into quarters. Serve warm.
Serves 4
A crisp salad is all that’s needed to make this the perfect lunch. Focaccia are available at bakeries and larger markets. They usually come seasoned and often have tomatoes or olives baked in.