A chicken focaccia sandwich is a warm, pressed sandwich on soft, olive-oil-rich focaccia bread, filled with herbed chicken, basil pesto, baby spinach, roasted red pepper, red onion and melted provolone. The outside is toasted on a griddle until lightly browned, and the cheese just begins to melt. Because it starts with ready-to-eat chicken, four sandwiches come together in about 15 minutes. It is a good lunch, a quick dinner and a favorite for picnics.
How to make a chicken focaccia sandwich: Cut a loaf of focaccia into four pieces and split each one. Brush the outsides with olive oil and spread the insides with pesto. Layer on spinach, roasted red pepper, cooked chicken strips, red onion and provolone. Close the sandwiches, press them together and grill on a medium griddle for about 4 minutes, turning once.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast. About 15 minutes for four sandwiches.
- No raw chicken. It starts with ready-to-eat chicken strips.
- Big flavor. Pesto, roasted peppers and provolone do the work.
- Crisp outside, melty inside. A few minutes on the griddle makes the difference.
- Packs well. With a little care, it travels to work or to a picnic.
Ingredient Notes
Ready-to-eat garlic and herb chicken breast strips. One package. These are fully cooked and sold in the refrigerated case. Leftover grilled chicken or sliced deli chicken also works.
Focaccia. One loaf, cut into four pieces, with each piece split horizontally.
Olive oil. Two tablespoons, brushed on the outside of the bread.
Basil pesto. Four tablespoons, prepared, spread on the inside.
Baby spinach. One cup, stems removed.
Roasted red pepper. Half a cup, thinly sliced. Pat the slices dry if they come from a jar.
Red onion. Half a medium onion, thinly sliced.
Provolone cheese. Four slices, cut to fit inside the bread.
Ingredients
- 1 package ready-to-eat garlic and herb chicken breast strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 loaf focaccia, cut into four pieces and split
- 4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
- 1 cup baby spinach, stems removed
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red pepper
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 slices provolone cheese
How to Make a Chicken Focaccia Sandwich
1. Prepare the griddle and bread. Preheat a griddle to medium. Cut the focaccia into four pieces and split each piece horizontally. Lightly brush the outsides with the olive oil and spread the insides with pesto.
2. Fill the sandwiches. Divide the spinach, roasted red pepper, ready-to-eat chicken, red onion and provolone evenly among the bottom pieces. Add the focaccia tops and press firmly together.
3. Grill. Grill on medium for about 4 minutes, turning so both sides are lightly browned and the cheese is starting to melt.
How Do You Pack a Chicken Focaccia Sandwich for Lunch or a Picnic?
Carefully, because of what is in it. Chicken and cheese are perishable, and a sandwich in a warm bag is in the same position as a plate of food left on the counter. Bread is not a refrigerator.
USDA FSIS gives clear limits for food like this.
| Situation | Rule | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| Packed lunch | Keep it at 40°F or below | Use an insulated bag with an ice pack, or a refrigerator at work |
| Picnic or road trip | Keep it at 40°F or below until you eat | Pack the sandwiches in a cooler with ice |
| Left out at room temperature | No more than 2 hours | After that, throw it away |
| Hot day, above 90°F | No more than 1 hour | Keep the cooler in the shade and closed |
For packing, let the grilled sandwich cool for a few minutes, then wrap it tightly in parchment paper and tuck it into a resealable bag. The paper holds the sandwich together and keeps the oil off everything else.
A packed sandwich will not be as crisp as one straight from the griddle. It will still taste very good cold.
Tips for Success
What do you put on a chicken focaccia sandwich?
Pesto, cheese and vegetables are the classic partners for chicken on focaccia. Here that means basil pesto, provolone, spinach, roasted red pepper and red onion.
How do I keep the bread from getting soggy?
Dry the wet ingredients. Pat roasted peppers with a paper towel, and put the spinach against the pesto so the leaves sit between the sauce and the juicier fillings.
How do I press the sandwich without a panini press?
Press down on it with a wide spatula as it cooks, or set a heavy skillet on top for a minute.
How hot should the griddle be?
Medium. Focaccia has oil in it and browns quickly. Too much heat scorches the outside before the cheese softens.
Can I use a skillet?
Yes. A large skillet over medium heat works the same way.
How Long Does It Take?
About 15 minutes for all four sandwiches, including slicing, assembling and grilling.
Variations
- Other chicken. Leftover grilled chicken or sliced deli chicken can replace the packaged strips.
- Tomato. Sliced tomato is a common addition. Pat the slices dry first.
Storage & Reheating
Wrap leftover sandwiches well and refrigerate them promptly. Eat them within 3 days. If you reheat one, warm it in a skillet or the oven until the chicken reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Chips, a pickle and a simple salad make it a full lunch. If you would like to cook the chicken yourself for the next batch, try 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken, slow cooker cream cheese chicken or 4-ingredient French onion chicken. For other easy chicken dinners, there are slow cooker cheddar baked chicken, the Ritz cracker chicken casserole and the chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to put on a chicken focaccia?
Basil pesto, baby spinach, roasted red pepper, red onion and provolone cheese.
How should a perishable chicken sandwich be kept cold for a packed lunch or picnic?
Keep it at 40°F or below with an ice pack or a cooler, and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Is the chicken cooked from raw?
No. The sandwich uses ready-to-eat chicken strips, so the griddle only toasts the bread and melts the cheese.
How many sandwiches does it make?
Four.
Final Notes
I build all four sandwiches on the cutting board before the griddle is hot, so they can go on together and come off together. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
Chicken Focaccia Sandwich
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 package ready-to-eat garlic and herb chicken breast strips fully cooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 loaf focaccia cut into four pieces, then split each piece horizontally
- 4 tablespoons basil pesto prepared
- 1 cup baby spinach stems removed
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 4 slices provolone cheese cut to fit inside the bread
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle to medium. Cut the focaccia into four pieces and split each piece horizontally. Lightly brush the outsides with the olive oil and spread the insides with pesto.
- Divide the spinach, roasted red pepper, ready-to-eat chicken, red onion and provolone evenly among the bottom pieces. Add the focaccia tops and press firmly together.
- Grill on medium for about 4 minutes, turning so both sides are lightly browned and the cheese is starting to melt.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Tap a star to rate it.
