Brie, Chicken, and Caramelized Onion Panini
Succulent chicken, velvety brie, and sweet caramelized onions harmoniously united in a crispy panini
Succulent chicken, velvety brie, and sweet caramelized onions harmoniously united in a crispy panini
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 whole chicken breast sliced to half-height thickness
- 1/2 small wheel brie cut into small wedges
- 1 small onion sliced
- 4 slices rustic italian bread such as como, sliced 1/2
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- equipment: panini press
- Carbohydrate 38.3058787585326 g
- Cholesterol 85.6165625065405 mg
- Fat 29.4334106274674 g
- Fiber 1.67500003576279 g
- Protein 21.914439375112 g
- Saturated Fat 13.4519360015627 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (196g)
- Sodium 654.070750022883 mg
- Sugar 36.6308787227698 g
- Trans Fat 1.72533187517273 g
- Calories 506 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the panini press. If it has a variable setting, set it to "sear" (high) - you're going to cook the chicken breasts first.
- Make the caramelized onions: In a saute pan on low, melt the butter, then add the sliced onions. Let them heat slowly (not saute) for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Caramelized onion will store well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Cook the chicken breast: Wash chicken breast and pat dry. Drizzle olive oil on both sides, and add a pinch of kosher salt to both sides. Put in panini press for 3-5 minutes, and check for doneness. (I like to rotate the chicken breast 90 degrees halfway through to achieve a crosshatch pattern.)
- Wipe down panini grill -- be careful, it's hot! Lower heat to panini temperature (low.)
- Assemble the panini: For each sandwich, spread olive oil on one face of both slices of bread. Add cheese, then cooked chicken breast, then carmelized onion. Top with bread, olive oil side up. Place in panini press and cook for 5 minutes. (I like to rotate it halfway through, 90 degrees for the crosshatch pattern.)
- Get plates ready. Remove hot panini, slice on a diagonal, and serve immediately.
Crusty rustic Italian bread shatters under pressure while warm, yielding brie oozes outward, and sweet-tart balsamic onions cut through the rich dairy fats. Successfully executing this sandwich requires understanding how your heat sources operate. Because the chicken breast is sliced to half-height thickness, it cooks rapidly on a high-temperature sear setting without drying out its interior proteins. Slicing the poultry this thin also prevents the sandwich from listing dangerously to one side when pressed.
Managing Your Equipment
A standard panini press with adjustable heat settings is ideal here, but a heavy cast-iron skillet paired with a foil-wrapped brick works as a reliable alternative for applying downward force. When utilizing a dual-plate electric press, preheat the metal thoroughly on high before searing the oiled chicken for three to five minutes, then wipe the plates clean and drop the temperature to prevent scorching the exterior bread before the cheese melts. Olive oil brushed directly onto the exterior crust promotes even browning by conducting heat efficiently from the ridges to the dough. Rotate the sandwich ninety degrees halfway through its five-minute pressing window if you desire distinct crosshatch grill marks on the crust.
- If onions begin to stick during their twenty to thirty minute low-heat reduction, introduce a single teaspoon of water rather than more butter to control browning.
- Store surplus caramelized onions in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels prior to oiling to ensure proper contact with hot grill plates.
