Busy people, rejoice! I've got a killer Panera copycat recipe that'll jazz up your mornings, afternoons, or nights with comforting and tasty vibes!
This homemade version of the incredible Panera Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt recipe is a pick-me-up you've been craving. It's melty, spicy, and oh-so-satisfying!
Panera originally sold this delicious sandwich as a pressed panini, but now they melt the cheese for a gooey indulgence that's hard to beat.
Pair it with my Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad or your favorite soup for a full-blown meal. I love mine with crunchy chips and Panera Green Tea! Mmm, so good!
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Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
Easy on the pocket, brilliant on the taste buds! A Panera-level sandwich in the comfort of your own home! I mean, what more could you possibly ask for? It's DELICIOUS!
It's a quick fix! This Panera bread chipotle chicken avocado melt is a classic mix, spread, heat, and munch recipe! Ready in just 15-18 minutes!
The recipe uses simple ingredients (well, mostly)! There's nothing crazy unique here! If not in your pantry, you'll easily find the ingredients in all nearby grocery stores.
Ingredients for Copycat Panera Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt
Foccacia Bread: If you want to keep it close to the original, stick to black pepper focaccia bread! Your next best options are sourdough bread and ciabatta bread.
Shredded Rotisserie Chicken: I love how leftover shredded chicken can make my life simple! Just shred and spread! If you prefer deli meat, go for it! Smoked chicken breast works great, too.
Avocado Slices: I love the buttery and creamy vibe of this ingredient. But if you're not a fan, feel free to leave it out (please don't!) and try tomato slices instead.
Mayonnaise: We'll make chipotle mayo to use as the base of our delish sandwiches.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Meet the MVP of the recipe! It's tangy, smoky, spicy - everything good you want in your sandwich!
Peppadew Peppers: That's a brand name for sweet and spicy peppers native to South Africa. If you can't find them in your trusted save-my-recipe grocery store, grab some sweet and hot cherry peppers.
Gouda Cheese: Why Gouda? Because it melts like a dream! Plus, the nutty and smoky flavor pairs well with other ingredients. The bold flavor of cheddar will fit in beautifully, too!
Look at the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more details.
How To Make It
Step 1: Combine the chipotle peppers and mayo.
Step 2: Spread the mayo on the focaccia and layer the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium high heat and, one sandwich at a time, pan sear the sandwiches on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip the sandwich and add a ½ tablespoon of water and cover the pan to allow it to steam the sandwich for 2 minutes. Repeat for all sandwiches.
Tips and Tricks
- Are you making a grab-and-go sandwich for lunch? Brush the avocado slices with lemon juice so they don't brown by lunchtime!
- Adjust the salt and seasoning in the chipotle sauce. I sometimes add a bit of salt and minced garlic for a pop of flavor.
I'm sure this chipotle chicken avocado melt recipe will win your taste buds in no time.
FAQ
Not really! It is more smokey than it is spicy in flavor thanks to the chipotle peppers. However, if you add in a ton of the peppadew peppers it could get a little spicy.
I love serving this up with some chips or apple just like they would do at Panera!
More Related Recipes
If you tried this Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt (Panera Copycat!)
Equipment
- 1 non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet
- 1 small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 flat loaves of foccacia bread I used garlic herb
- 6 oz shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 avocado sliced
- ¼ cup mayo
- 6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup Peppadew peppers chopped (or sweet & hot cherry peppers)
- 4 oz sliced gouda
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the chopped chipotle peppers in adobo with mayo. Stir well & set aside.
- Slice the flat loaves of focaccia into 4 pieces each. You will have 8 square pieces in total.
- Spread the chipotle mayo on each slice.
- Add cheese, avocado slices, shredded chicken, cilantro, and peppers to ½ of the slices of bread.
- Top with the remaining slices.
- Over medium high heat in a skillet, carefully place the sandwiches in the skillet.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes then carefully flip them with a spatula and cook 2 more minutes.
- Gently tilt the pan to the side and pour in the water, cover and let them steam for 1 minute until the water has evaporated.
- Remove the cover and enjoy!
Notes
- Are you making a grab-and-go sandwich for lunch? Brush the avocado slices with lemon juice so they don't brown by lunchtime!
- Adjust the salt and seasoning in the chipotle sauce. I sometimes add a bit of salt and minced garlic for a pop of flavor.
Nutrition
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