Chicken and Gruyère Panini
A panini press will help you create sandwiches that are perfectly crisp on the outside and melty on the inside. Pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking them will ensure they cook through quickly and evenly.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 red onion, halved and cut into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb. (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each pounded to 1/2-inch (12-mm) thickness
- 8 slices country-style bread, each about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick
- 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups (2 oz./60 g) baby spinach leaves
- 6 oz. (180 g) Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In the same pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest while you assemble the sandwiches.
Preheat a panini press according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Brush both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice until combined. Spread 1 Tbs. of the mayonnaise on each slice of bread. To assemble the sandwiches, divide the spinach evenly among 4 slices of the bread. Thinly slice the chicken and divide the pieces evenly among the 4 bread slices, arranging them on top of the spinach. Arrange the onions on top of the chicken, then top with the Gruyère, dividing them both evenly. Cover each sandwich with one of the remaining bread slices.
Place 2 of the sandwiches on the panini press, close the lid and cook until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board. Repeat to cook the remaining sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen