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Cut Chicken Bacon Ranch Paninis on a Black Cutting Board

Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini

A sandwich lover's dream: tenderized chicken breast seared in a cast iron skillet, crispy bacon, ranch, Dijon and melted mozzarella or Havarti pressed between ciabatta buns until golden.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 paninis
Course: Lunch, Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts tenderized and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 strips bacon cooked, 2 per sandwich
  • 4 ciabatta buns or sourdough or Texas toast
  • ranch dressing or garlic ranch
  • Dijon mustard
  • 4 slices mozzarella or Havarti cheese
  • cooking spray

Method
 

  1. Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer to flatten them, then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet (preheat about 5 minutes). Cook the chicken 3-5 minutes per side, flipping when the edges brown, until it reaches 160°F (rising to 165°F as it rests). Remove and let rest.
  3. Cook the bacon while the chicken cooks (the oven method is a great time-saver).
  4. Spread ranch on one half of each bun and Dijon on the other. Layer 2 strips of bacon, the chicken slices and a slice of cheese.
  5. Spray both sides of each sandwich with cooking spray and press in a panini maker until the cheese melts and the bread is golden. No panini maker? Use a frying pan and press down with a second pan, flipping once one side browns.

Notes

Go easy on the dressing so the bread stays crisp. Serve with fries or a salad and a dipping sauce like garlic aioli or chipotle mayo. Reheats well in the oven.