~ Roasted-Chicken Caesar-Salad Focaccia-Panini ~

Those of you who know me know that I consider a high-quality, well-constructed sandwich to be the perfect, well-balanced, portion-controlled meal.  For me, a sandwich is much more than just putting a few ingredients between two slices of bread to stave off a hunger attack.  Like meal making, sandwich making requires thought, and, I consider myself to be a very thoughtful sandwich crafter.  I have eaten enough good and bad sandwiches in my lifetime to qualify as a sandwich snob.  Sandwich ingredients can be cheap or expensive, simple or exotic, but, right down to the choice of bread and condiment, the ingredients must play together like a symphony. If one component is not in concert with the others, that is not a perfect sandwich performance.  

A perfect sandwich should be a party in your mouth!

"A restaurant is only as good as its Caesar salad and a Caesar salad is only as good as its Caesar dressing."  As a lover of Caesar salad, especially chicken Caesar salad, I can attest to that.  I want the romaine crisp, the Parmesan freshly grated, the dressing garlic-y, and, I like mine with a few shaved onions and tomato wedges in it as well (hard-cooked eggs or avocado are good too).  The chicken, of course, must be freshly roasted or grilled.

Good croutons play a significant role in a Caesar salad.  Up until a few years ago, the French baguette was my #1 choice.  Then, one day, while looking at one of ~ My Rosemary & Cracked Black Pepper Focaccia ~, it occurred to me to make croutons for a chicken Ceasar salad with a bit of it.  It didn't take long for my sandwich-loving brain to combine the chicken Caesar salad with sliced focaccia to come up with one of my favorite "salad sandwich" combinations! 

(Note:  You can find my recipes for ~ "Hail Caesar", Roasted Chicken Salad a la Mel ~, and, ~ How to: Make Croutons (& Toasts) ~ in Category 2.  Just click on the Related Article link below to go directly to ~ My Rosemary & Cracked Black Pepper Focaccia ~ recipe.)

Ever Wonder What it feels like to be a Panino?

"Panino" is singular for "panini".  One panino, two panini!

A panini press is basically a double-sided appliance that cooks both sides of a sandwich at once. Much like a grill pan, the grids of a panini press give these sandwiches their signature grill marks.  There are several good brands, in all price ranges, on the market.  My Cuisinart Griddler is about 5 years old.  It doesn't take up too much space, controls heat perfectly, and, I love it. This gadget has earned its rightful place on my kitchen counter!

2  3" x 3"-squares of 1"-1 1/2"-thick focaccia, preferably rosemary focaccia, cut in half lengthwise to form 4 total bread slices

1/2  cup Caesar dressing, preferably homemade

3/4  cup grated Asiago cheese

1  6-ounce roasted chicken breast, at room temperature, cut into very thin slices

2-3  slices crisply-fried bacon, well-drained and at room temperature, sliced into 1/2" strips

1/4  cup  shaved (very-thinly sliced) yellow or sweet onion, red onion may be substituted

2  small Campari tomatoes, each cut into 4, 1/4"-thick slices

1/2  cup shredded romaine lettuce

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing grids on panini press

~ Step 1. Grate the Asiago cheese and place 3/4 cup of it in a In a 1-cup food storage container.  I use a mini-food processor to grate the cheese.  Prepare the Caesar salad dressing and add 1/2 cup of it to the grated cheese.  Stir to combine and set aside while prepping the other ingredients.

Note:  This is more dressing than you need, but you'll enjoy having extra, for dipping, at tableside.

~ Steps 2 & 3. I roast a chicken weekly. Why?  I like having it for salads & sandwiches. Slice chicken as directed.  Fry and prep bacon as directed.

~ Steps 4, 5 & 6.  Slice the onion as directed, followed by the tomatoes and romaine lettuce.  I like to place the tomato slices on a paper-towel lined plate for a moment or two -- this removes the excess moisture from them.

It's time to assemble & grill the panini.  If you don't have a panini press, these are delicious as is, so, don't let it stop you from enjoying them!  

~ Step 7.  Slice each square of foccacia as directed, open each one up, like you would a book and spread a generous tablespoon of Caesar dressing over the top of the insides of both.  In the following order, layer the ingredients on the bottom half of each:

1/2 of the sliced chicken

1/2 of the sliced onion

1/2 of the romaine chiffonade

4  slices of tomato

1/2 of the bacon

top of the sandwich

Preheat the press to medium-high and when the light goes on, spray the grids, top and bottom with no-stick spray.

~ Step 8.  Place the assembled sandwiches on the hot grill grids.

Note:  On my Cuisinart griddler, two of these will fit, side by side, nicely.

Place the top of the press on the sandwiches. Firmly, but gently, using the press's handle, press down on the sandwiches for 30-45 seconds.  You are NOT trying to squish the sandwiches, but, you are trying to put just enough pressure on them to steam and crisp the bread a bit.  Let go.

Continue to cook panini until bubbly and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Using a spatula remove sandwiches from panini press and allow to rest 1-2 minutes before eating: 

It's 'wichcraft!!!

Roasted-Chicken Caesar-Salad Focaccia-Panini:  Recipe yields 2 hearty panini sandwiches.

Special Equipment List: mini-food processor or cheese grater; 1-cup food storage container w/lid; cutting board; chef's knife; paper towels; serrated bread knife; panini press; large spatula

Cook's Note: For two more of my favorite "salad sandwiches", click into Categories 2, 14, 20 or 26 to get my recipes for ~ Simplicity:  Creamy, Crunchy, "Classic" Egg Salad ~, and, ~ Creamy, Chunky & Crunchy "Classic Tuna Salad ~!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2014) 

Related articles

~ Here Comes the Bride: A Cooking Class Memory ~

~ My Rosemary & Cracked Black Pepper Focaccia ~

~ Peppered Ham & Eggs on Roasted Red Pepper & Foccacia Toasts w/a Tangy Asiago Cheese Sauce ~

~ Waldorf Chicken Salad on Cinnamon-Raisin Toast~

~ Roast-Chicken Caprese-Panzanella Pasta-Salad ~