Yardbird Panini Recipe

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, minced garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust heat or sweetness by adding more chipotle or honey as desired. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the sandwich to let flavors meld (at least 10 minutes).

Prepare and season chicken

Pound the chicken breast to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch (if the breast is large, you can butterfly it or cut into two thin cutlets). Pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.

Cook bacon

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon slices until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and drain. Reserve 1/2 tsp of bacon fat in the skillet for the chicken if desired, otherwise wipe skillet clean and heat a little oil for the chicken.

Cook chicken

Heat the same skillet over medium-high (add up to 1 tsp olive oil if skillet is dry). Cook the seasoned chicken cutlet 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes, then slice thinly to fit the baguette.

Prepare bread and tomato

Slice the asiago baguette horizontally to make a top and bottom. If very large, cut to sandwich-size. Spread about half of the chipotle aioli across the inside of each cut side (reserve a little for serving if desired). Slice the tomato into 1/4-inch rounds and lightly season with a pinch of salt.

Assemble sandwich

On the bottom half of the baguette, layer sliced chicken evenly, then tomato rounds, then cooked bacon, and finally the sliced cheddar cheese. Place the top half of the baguette over the stack.

Butter exterior and press

Lightly brush the outside top and bottom of the baguette with the unsalted butter (about 1/2 tbsp each side). Heat a panini press or a heavy skillet (with another heavy pan to press) over medium heat. Place the sandwich in the press or skillet, apply even weight/close the press, and cook until bread is golden and crisp and cheese is melted, about 3–5 minutes in a panini press or 4–6 minutes per side in a skillet (rotate once) — watch to avoid burning.

Rest and slice

Remove the sandwich from the heat and let rest 1–2 minutes so juices settle. Slice the sandwich into 2 portions (or more, depending on baguette size) with a serrated knife. Serve immediately with extra chipotle aioli on the side if desired.