Name: Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini {My New Favorite Sandwich}
Brand: melskitchencafe.com
SKU: melskitchencafe-com-5
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini {My New Favorite Sandwich}

preview

Skip to Main ContentGet my best recipes:join 50,000 others to make cooking easy and fun!Follow Me:Follow me:Jump to Recipestars ( ratings)Chicken cordon bleu panini sandwich. All the flavors of chicken cordon bleu wrapped up in bread with a secret (3-ingredient) super simple sauce that’ll make you cry. YUM!Longtime readers already know that I have a thing for sandwiches. They are one of a very few foods I actually crave in a way that demands the craving be filled as soon as possible.I always, always look at the sandwich section on a menu first, and finding a sandwich that really wows me is reason for celebration. Spoiler alert: I’m kind of a sandwich snob.I’ve posted some seriously killer sandwiches over the years but only called out a few as favorites, like this banh mi meatball sub (oh my).&nbsp;Today, I’m adding to my narrow “favorite sandwiches” list with this amazing chicken cordon bleu panini. It’s exactly what it sounds like: chicken cordon bleu in sandwich form. What makes it special, other than those classic flavors, is the 3-ingredient secret sauce and seasonings that go on the outside and inside of the sandwich. It’ll take you 15 minutes to make…and you guys, it is so, so good.Admittedly, I’m already a huge fan of the cordon bleu ingredient lineup: Swiss cheese + chicken + ham. When I set out to create a perfect chicken cordon bleu sandwich, I knew it had to be more than throwing those three ingredients in between bread.&nbsp;I needed a sauce. A spread. A delicious concoction that could add flavor and a little panini glue.&nbsp;Come to find out, it only took three ingredients to get where I wanted to be. The result is chicken cordon bleu perfection.&nbsp;This is certainly not rocket science. The key is to spread the special sauce on both sides of each slice of bread. Then, sprinkle the outside pieces of bread with a little garlic/herb action.I’ve given some notes in the recipe for a homemade seasoning lineup, but if you don’t have those, you can just use a bit of salt and pepper. Don’t skip it! Our favorite sandwich/garlic bread seasoning in the history of ever is the Sandwich Sprinkle from Penzey’s (I order online – unsponsored, we just love it). It’s worth getting your hands on some if you can.&nbsp;We are panini fanatics and have them on the dinner menu at least once a month, if not more, usually to the tune of: grab whatever you can reach in the refrigerator and come up with your own panini creation. I even put together a nerdy panini spreadsheet years ago (look! it has a chicken cordon bleu sandwich on there already, but it’s much more boring than this version :)).&nbsp;If you don’t have a panini press, you can cook the sandwich in a skillet on the stove or on a griddle. The point is you just need to cook the sandwich so the bread gets toasty golden brown and the insides get hot and the cheese gets super melty. If using a griddle or skillet, you can just cook the sandwich grilled-cheese-style and flip halfway through OR you can use a heavy pan or cast iron skillet and press down the sandwiches while cooking to give them a panini effect (you’ll still want to flip partway through cooking).&nbsp;We have two panini presses; it helps speed up the process with a family of seven hungry sandwich lovers. This old Cuisinart one is still going strong after 5+ years (newer model here), and we also have this Breville model&nbsp;{aff links}. Use both. Love both.&nbsp;Using the secret sauce on the outside of the bread instead of butter lends a delicious flavor and crunchiness that is so yummy with the gooey melted Swiss and tender chicken and ham.&nbsp;I’m glad I first made this sandwich in the quiet of my own home on a Tuesday afternoon at 12:13 p.m. when everyone else was gone, because it was embarrassing the way I reacted over it. I mean, I already talk to myself a lot throughout the day. That’s normal. But I usually don’t make bold exclamations and animated fist pumps when I’m all alone. I stopped myself from doing a bad cartwheel over this sandwich, but I really wanted to.&nbsp;The point is, this sandwich is spectacular. Not just good. Not just ok. Not just choke-downable. It’s incredible and something I would gladly eat day in and day out.I sometimes play this little game with myself where I categorize recipes into whether they would be appropriate for my future restaurant or future cookbook (hypothetically, I really don’t have plans for either…it’s just a fun game, please tell me you sometimes do this too??). Because recipes that would make the cut for either of those would have to be next level good.&nbsp;And that was one of the first thoughts after I ate this sandwich: this is restaurant-worthy and something I would totally make if I owned an eating establishment (or food truck).&nbsp;Considering it takes less than 20 minutes to make, this means you and I can both be enjoying chicken cordon bleu panini sandwiches whenever we darn well want.&nbsp;One Year Ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel CakeTwo Years Ago: Instant Pot Cheesy Potato SoupThree Years Ago: Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon RollsFour Years Ago: Video Tip: How to Make Perfect Pie CrustFive Years Ago: Step-by-Step Homemade Tortillas {White &amp; Whole Wheat Versions!}Six Years Ago: Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown ButterSeven Years Ago: Red Chicken ChiliEight Years Ago: White Bean and Sausage Ragout {with Tomatoes, Kale and Zucchini}stars ( ratings)Print RecipeRate RecipePin RecipeSerrated Bread KnifePanini PressRecipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen CafeDisclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.20-minute or less 30-Minute Meal Chicken Egg-Free Gluten Free Adaptable Ham Main Dish No Oven Meals Recipes Recipes That Use Cooked Chicken Sandwich Wraps The Best Sandwiches Wrapsposted on October 14, 2019 (last updated October 3, 2022)join 50,000 others to make cooking easy and fun!« Previous PostPumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake {One-Bowl + Whole Grain}Next Post »Homemade Oatmeal Cream Piescami —March 22, 2023 @ 7:29 pmReplyi HATE mustard but this was SO good, thank you SO much for this AMAZING recipie, this was so easy, i’m 13 and i made it just fine.Jessica A —February 3, 2022 @ 1:30 pmReplyThese are delicious! I made the sauce with sour cream (I have very strong feelings about hot mayo). It was so good!!!Brandon —January 18, 2022 @ 1:13 pmReplyOnly thing I do differently is heat the meat up before putting on bread if making 2 paninis worth, I place that much meat on plate and microwave for a minute. That way inside temp of sandwich is closer to outside when biting in.Christine Carroll —November 23, 2021 @ 11:56 amReplyBest sandwhich eva!Maura McAlister —June 1, 2021 @ 9:25 amReplyMy son picked this out and he LOVED this!Beth —November 27, 2020 @ 9:51 amReplyAm I correct that one doesn’t then add butter to the outside of the sand which before cooking? Just a light spread of the sauce?Ashley —October 12, 2020 @ 6:19 pmReplyI was looking for an idea for dinner and came across these amazing Paninis! I used French Bread and put the sauce on both the inside and outside of the bread! Cooked in a skillet and they were cooked to perfection!! The family loved the Paninis!!! Thank you for another great recipe!!!AK —October 8, 2020 @ 5:05 pmReplyHow do y’all make this without scorching the bread? I had doubts putting cream cheese on the outside, but all the reviews are good and Mel said it worked, so I did it. &nbsp;I put the sandwiches on the pan (no panini press sadly) and weighted them and they quickly burned. I took them apart and remade them with plain Mayo on the outside, the sauce on the inside. Holy moly these sandwiches are good. I used breaded chicken patties another person recommended, since my son crabs so badly about chicken. The family went completely bananas over these sandwiches so I’ll definitely make them again. Any suggestions about how you griddle them without burning would be greatly appreciated!!NAnderson —October 6, 2020 @ 6:17 pmReplyI’m not sure how I missed this recipe when you first posted it. I ended up omitting the chicken since I was short on time. That sauce!!!Becky Clegg —September 15, 2020 @ 4:48 pmReplyOk back to the thoughts on the cookbook… is there no cookbook in the works?! &nbsp;I have been praying for you to do one! Prepear is great but not the same when you’re cooking (I try to cook with my phone but way prefer to print out and read a good recipe. &nbsp;Could we at least poll the public? Maybe If like 30% of us need you to make a cook book then you’d know it wold be worth it? &nbsp;We can crowd fund &nbsp;it! There has to be some kind of magic machine that can take content from this amazing site and put it into a book??? &nbsp;You’ve done so much work already, wouldn’t that be so amazing to have your own book? &nbsp;I’m trying all the ways toConvince you here… hoping you agree?Iva —August 9, 2020 @ 1:07 pmReplyJust a PSA: panini is sandwiches. It’s plural. Panino is singular. One sandwich.&nbsp;Krista —August 7, 2020 @ 6:23 amReplySuper easy- super delicious!&nbsp;Wendy —July 8, 2020 @ 4:56 pmReplyMel you’ve hit another one out of the park! My family asks for these on a regular basis! &nbsp;My kids like these with breaded chicken patties instead of the shredded chicken, they are awesome both ways!Cathy —May 1, 2020 @ 7:01 pmReplySO delicious! &nbsp;Rachelle —February 3, 2020 @ 6:18 pmReplyThis was simply delicious!&nbsp;Rebecca —November 4, 2019 @ 6:57 pmReplySo good. Another Mel success!! For some reason it wouldn’t let me rate it but it’s 5 star + for sure.Jessica —October 28, 2019 @ 5:18 pmReplyHoly amazing! This sandwich is an explosion of everything wonderful! &nbsp;Walkers Friend —October 28, 2019 @ 12:04 pmReplyThis looks really goodLyric Payne —October 28, 2019 @ 11:16 amReplyMy husband and kids do not like the taste of mustard, even a little bit 😉 Can you think of a replacement for the dijon mustard in this recipe?Elle —October 23, 2019 @ 6:23 pmReplyWho would’ve known that such simple ingredients combine to make something so good?! Thank you for another home run recipe and the detailed notes!! I don’t like Dijon but made the spread as written using trader Joe’s Dijon and I didn’t mind it in there; the spread in the Panini is subtle but definitely adds something that you can’t quite put your finger on.Ann —October 23, 2019 @ 5:31 pmReplyHad these for dinner tonight…literally 30 min ago. &nbsp;SO GOOD!!! &nbsp; Whole family loved them &amp; they will be part of our rotation. &nbsp;Especially on those crazy busy nights. Thank you!!!BeckyM —October 22, 2019 @ 8:26 pmReplyThis was SO good! I made it as a sheet pan panini and that worked great! The spread was awesome! I had some of Penzey’s sandwich sprinkle and added that to the inside! Thanks for another fast and easy winner!Melanie Blauer —October 21, 2019 @ 7:42 amReplyWhat kind of whole wheat bread do you like to use for panini sandwiches?Heather —October 20, 2019 @ 9:41 pmReplyOk, so I’m feeling like I should give this a go. But I don’t like mayo, mustard, or cream cheese unless there’s plenty of other ingredients to mask their flavors. So does the combination of the 3 create something that doesn’t quite taste like any of them, or am I just out of luck? (It’s weird, I know.)Sarah P. —October 16, 2019 @ 7:09 pmReplyOh, and I don’t have a panini press so I just made this sandwich on the stove. I pressed the sandwich down with a spatula and it was perfect.Sarah P. —October 16, 2019 @ 7:08 pmReplyThat’s it. You’ve done it. While there are hundreds of incredibly delicious recipes on this site, THIS creation will forever cement you as one of the top contributors to amazing food in the history of the earth. I made this sandwich today and it was awesome (understatement). For the sake of science, I actually ate two sandwiches. For the second, I spread butter on the outside of the bread instead of using the sandwich spread (I still used the spread generously inside). I preferred the sandwich with butter but they were both divine.Jessica —October 16, 2019 @ 7:57 amReplyMy husband told me this was the best sandwich he’s ever eaten after I made these last night. Even my picky kids ate them right up. Thanks Mel for another fabulous recipe!Anne —October 15, 2019 @ 8:05 pmReplyYou saved dinner tonight! Thank you for this delicious, quick meal. I love sandwiches, too! I had a busy day so this was wonderful because I actually had all the ingredients on hand. I used greek pita bread that I had in the freezer from Costco. When my teenage boys took their first bite, they both said “Mmmm, this is so good!”. Which made it just perfect!Ashley —October 15, 2019 @ 6:51 pmReplyI made this tonight and the flavors were great! &nbsp;I can’t ever get the bread crispy when I use the panini press though. &nbsp;Is there a trick to this? &nbsp;Not sure if I’m using the wrong kind of bread or the press doesn’t get hot enough?Ellen —October 15, 2019 @ 10:16 amReplyOk, sandwiches are probably my favorite food group. I’ll be trying this soon! But.. The restaurant/cookbook/food truck dream is real, ain’t it? If you start any of them up, I’ll fly out to be one of your very first customers. (Not in a stalking/creepy way).Julia —October 14, 2019 @ 5:42 pmReplyHave you tried this with thinly sliced green apple? &nbsp;It sounds like a perfect combination.Stephanie —October 14, 2019 @ 4:22 pmReplyI love me some hot sandwiches! I am totally stoked to try this.Beth —October 14, 2019 @ 3:26 pmReplyLove a great sandwich!! Any sandwich that isn’t grilled or is made without cheese or bacon or avocado is just not much of a sandwich to me. And one with all the above is simply heavenly!Amy W. —October 14, 2019 @ 1:31 pmReplyOkay, I’m totally adding this to the rotation. We love sandwiches, too, and our favorite to date has swiss and ham, with melted butter mixed with generously sprinkled onion salt/dried onions and maybe some poppy seeds (if I have them on hand) spread on both sides of the bread and put through the panini press. I have to admit, though, I just pretend my George Foreman is a panini press and it works really well. I just turn the heat to “on” and it’s just the right amount for golden toast and melted cheese, and I can do 4 sandwiches at the same time. Love it! Can’t wait to try this one!! Thanks, girl!Sarah Reed —October 14, 2019 @ 12:49 pmReplyThe spice mix from Pnezeys looks amazing! What else do you like from their site- trying to get free shipping so I need to order a few more items.Kristina Black —October 14, 2019 @ 12:34 pmReplyDo you have a favorite store bought French bread for this sandwich?&nbsp;Molly —October 14, 2019 @ 12:21 pmReplyI’m so with you on looking at sandwiches first on a menu! Restaurants make me really happy when they bother to make their sandwiches unique and interesting. (And I love looking at menus online even when I can’t get there right away, taking notes on sandwiches to try to create at home.) Can’t wait to try this, and thanks for the heads-up on the sandwich sprinkle – I don’t know why I’d never explored Penzeys before but glad I did…$25 worth of different seasonings coming my way soon!Donna McEwen —October 14, 2019 @ 11:02 amReplyMustard and mayonnaise are really not my thing. Do you think making it with just the cream cheese would work, or would you suggest a bechamel?ThanksTiffany Jennings —October 14, 2019 @ 10:56 amReplyWe love Panini’s, but apparently haven’t been very adventurous! Your spreadsheet is awesome! We use our George Foreman grill for paninis. I just put a towel on top and smash the heck out of it, haha. In all of my chicken cordon bleu recipes, I use gruyere cheese instead of Swiss. Hopefully that will work for this recipe!Becky —October 14, 2019 @ 9:58 amReplyI love sandwiches so much! I love a lemony note with my chicken cordon blue- would it totally ruin it to add a touch of lemon juice to the sauce?? Maybe I’ll do some both ways and compare. Can’t wait to try it!Katrina —October 14, 2019 @ 9:35 amReplyMmmm this looks like lunch. I’ll report back in a few hours.&nbsp;Alana —October 14, 2019 @ 9:00 amReplyOh this looks and sounds sooooo yummy. &nbsp;Have you ever tried&nbsp;Croque Monsieur? &nbsp;Sounds very similar!&nbsp;Vicki Skonieczny —October 14, 2019 @ 5:13 amReplyUmmmm……..talk to yourself throughout the day……….Mel, I have full on conversations with myself, especially when baking or cooking. And when baking, I sorta pretend I have my own show and talk like I have an audience. Cracks my husband up. I hope you’re still reading after that admission. You are a girl after my own heart. I always search to see if there is a “sandwich” section on any menu. We live in upstate NY, near the Canadian border and only about an hour from the Adirondack mountains. The Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation is only about a 15 minute drive from our house and there’s a restaurant called The Bear’s Den that has a whole page dedicated to sandwiches named after the area. My fav is the “The Adirondack”…. thick toasted sourdough with sliced turkey, sliced apples, avocado, bacon, melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo. It is unreal!! Hits all the right notes. I have made Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders and they are delicious. I really prefer a toasted bread for my sandwiches so I cannot wait to try this new recipe of yours. I could eat sandwiches every day for the rest of my life and I’d be a happy camper! Thanks for another great recipe. Have a great week Mel!Follow Me:join 50,000 others to make cooking easy and fun!©2023 Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Design by Purr.

Skip to Main ContentGet my best recipes:join 50,000 others to make cooking easy and fun!Follow Me:Follow me:Jump to Recipestars ( ratings)Chicken cordon bleu panini sandwich. All the flavors of chicken cordon bleu wrapped up in bread with a secret (3-ingredient) super simple sauce that’ll make you cry. YUM!Longtime readers already know that I have a thing for sandwiches. They are one of a very few foods I actually crave in a way that demands the craving be filled as soon as possible.I always, always look at the sandwich section on a menu first, and finding a sandwich that really wows me is...

Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini {My New Favorite Sandwich}

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS