Chicken with Pepper Jack and Roasted Peppers Panini

I am a panini girl. It’s my lunch of choice these days. So I’m always trying to come up with new creations. This is one of my latest and it also happens to be my favorite right now.

I know. It’s not super simple. I get that. But if you have the time on a certain beautiful weekend afternoon. Make this for lunch for yourself or your family. If you like these ingredients I promise you won’t regret the time you spent on it.

I enjoyed this so much the first time I made it that I made it again the very next day. Well, there was a little cheating involved because the peppers were already done. But still, it’s that good to me.

I’ve always been a sandwich fan. And for quite a while now lunch has been my favorite meal. I think it’s because I love paninis so much.

My son can’t get enough of cheese. So he’ll be there in the kitchen begging me for cheese. This one in particular was really tempting because he also loves everything hot. So he could barely keep his fingers off my freshly sliced cheese.

Then I just have to swat him like a fly or give him the cheese. I guess just giving him some cheese would be easier. Well, that’s if he can just stop at one piece and not eat all my cheese. OK. OK. I take it back. I should just swat him. I’m such a nice mother.

Hope you can make this sandwich in peace and no one steals your ingredients.  🙂

Happy lovin’ eatin’!

Melanie

P.S. For a great tutorial on roasting red peppers check out a Spicy Perspective’s how-to.

Chicken with Pepper Jack and Roasted Peppers Panini

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• dash of garlic powder
• 2 whole red bell peppers roasted with olive oil
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4 whole slices pepper jack cheese
• several handfuls of baby spinach
• 8 slices crusty bread like Ciabatta
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

 

To roast peppers

• Preheat oven to 500.
• Cut peppers into halves or quarters. Take out stems and seeds. Roast in oven for about 15 minutes until charred. Cover tightly with foil. Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove skins. Check out this tutorial for additional tips.

For chicken

• Slightly flatten chicken with a mallet if needed.
• Place chicken on panini grill. Season with Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic powder. Grill until done. Can also be baked in oven. Slice chicken into strips.

For spread

• Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

To make panini

• To make the panini, spread mayonnaise/Dijon spread on one side of all the pieces of bread. On four of the pieces, arrange 1/4 of the chicken slices, 1/4 of the pepper slices, a slice of pepper jack cheese and a handful of spinach. Top with remaining bread slices, pesto side down.
• Brush the outer sides of each sandwich with olive oil.
• Heat panini griddle or skillet over medium. Grill sandwiches until browned on one side; turn and grill until brown on other side.