Chicken Salad Panini with Bacon and Cheddar

Ingredients -

2-1/2 cups chopped cooked Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 Bacon Strip, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 Scallion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing
8 slices Whole Grain Bread
1 Beefsteak Tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
4 Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices

Preparation:

1. Combine the chicken, mayonnaise, bacon, scallion and ranch dressing in a bowl and mix well.

2. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and spread on 4 slices of bread.

3. Top the chicken salad with cheese, tomatoes and the remaining bread slices.

4. Preheat a grill pan and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

5. Grill the sandwich for 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.

6. Serve with Dijon mustard if desired.

Chicken Salad Tips -

Chicken Handling Safety

When working with raw chicken, be sure to use safe handling practices. Raw chicken carries salmonella, so all surfaces should be washed well with soap and warm water after preparing raw chicken, in order to avoid contamination. Also, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling other foodstuffs, as the salmonella bacteria can be transferred in that manner.

Chicken Salad Tips -

Poaching Chicken Breasts

Adding aromatics such as onions or garlic to the water will augment the flavor of poached chicken breasts. Herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme or tarragon can also be added to the water to enhance the taste. To produce white meat when poaching, rub chicken breasts with lemon juice and add lemon juice or white wine vinegar to the water.

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