Mmm….it’s Saturday again and we’re hungry. You know what that means…. Saturday afternoon lunch, ba-by! And on the board this time is a crispy, gooey, cordon bleu panini. Let’s do this.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini

Ingredients (per sandwich)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2  thin-cut chicken breast (at the deli, asked for a thin cut or find pre-packaged that is labeled thin cut)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 thick slices french bread per serving (from the bakery)
• Butter or yogurt butter spread
• 1 slice alpine lace swiss cheese (from the deli counter)
• 1 slice black forest ham (from the deli counter)
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 Tbsp Mayo (optional)

Prep

• Slice your thin cut chicken breast into strips and then cut in half. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small pan, heat your olive oil over a medium flame and toss the chicken strips in there. Stir a few times to get a little sear and then cover the pan with a lid. Heat through about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the flame and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
• Butter bread slices and place one slice in a pan or on a cast-iron griddle, buttered-side down. Layer with swiss cheese, then ham, then chicken. Top with bread slice.
• Heat the first side until you get nice grill marks, light brown or black, depending on how much crisp you want on your crust.
• Flip over and heat the second slice until grilled and cheese is starting to melt.
• Transfer to a plate or cutting board and remove the bread slice that doesn’t have cheese melted to it. Add either a tbsp of mayo, dijon mustard, or a tsp of each. Add back to your sandwich.

This is a dense and flavorful sandwich so you can just eat the hell out that on its own. Pair with pickles, salt and pepper dusted tomatoes, or even a little salad if eating a sandwich with no side freaks you out.

~Nom On