Copycat Panera Frontega Chicken Panini is so simple to make at home. Fresh, smokey, cheesy, and crunchy, it's full of mouthwatering flavor!
Step up your sandwich game with a homemade, copycat Panera Frontega Chicken Panini!
Tender focaccia bread is stuffed with pulled chicken, mozzarella cheese, tomato, red onion, fresh basil, and chipotle mayo then pressed until hot and crisp. So simple, SO delish — no restaurant required!
Start by making the chipotle mayo.
To a mini food processor add 1/4 cup low-fat mayo with 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce + 1 or 2 teaspoons sauce, depending on how spicy you want it. If you don’t have a food processor, finely minced the chipotle peppers then stir into the mayonnaise.
Chipotles in adobo freeze really well so don’t fret about not using the entire can. Just pop the remainder in a freezer bag then freeze and snap off a pepper or some of the sauce whenever you need it.
Next shred 2 chicken breasts, cooked any which way you like.
Slice up the fresh ingredients next. We’ve got 1 tomato, 1 small red onion, an 8oz mozzarella cheese ball, and 10-12 fresh basil leaves.
Finally, the bread! Panera uses fresh focaccia and so of course I use my Gluten Free Focaccia for making the panini at home! Bake then cool the loaf, and then slice it in half lengthwise. (Note: these photos show store-bought, non GF bread.)
Slather the top and bottom with some of the chipotle mayo then layer on the cooked/shredded chicken and thin slices of fresh tomato and red onion.
Next layer on mozzarella cheese slices and chopped fresh basil. Pop the lid on top then press in a panini maker, or cook on the stove, grilled cheese-style. I use my Griddler which we just love!
Five minutes later, presto – Frontega Chicken Panini!
Fresh, fast, crispy, cheese, and easy. What more could you want?
Hope you enjoy this delectable sandwich!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce + 1 or 2 teaspoons sauce
- 4 gluten free focaccia buns, or 1 loaf focaccia bread cut into quarters, see notes
- 2 chicken breasts, 12-14oz total, cooked then shredded
- 8 oz mozzarella ball, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 10-12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Directions
- Add mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce to a mini food processor bowl then process until smooth. Alternatively, chop the pepper up finely then stir into the mayonnaise.
- Spread chipotle mayo onto tops and bottoms of buns then layer on shredded chicken, tomato, red onion, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Press in panini press over medium-high heat until cheese is melted and bread is crisp. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Click here for my Gluten Free Focaccia.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Great recipe! Made these tonight for a girls’ night in and everyone loved them. They said they taste just like Panera’s. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad to hear it, Natasha!! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Oh my goodness, MUST try; I’m in LOVE with this sandwich at Panera. AND their creamy tomato soup. AND their wild blueberry cream cheese. Wow. New subscriber here!
This is my sister’s favorite sandwich from Panera. I made it for her but I just tasted half. I used your recipe. Just wanted to come back and say THANK YOU! It tastes AWESOME! :)
Thanks for sharing step-by-step recipe!!!
Thanks for step-by step sharings!!!
Made this tonight in a skillet and it was amazing!
I forgot to add, left over sauce makes great dip for Ruffles chips. And yes, some guys do cook. :)
Hello, I would take the sauce one step farther. It will also smooth out the flavor of the mayo if you’re not a big mayo fan. I make mine like yours, but I then add a 1/4 C sour cream, one more chipotle, and about five chopped or julienned basil leaves since I don’t put them on separately. Stir together and put in the fridge about an hour before needed.
Any suggestions on how to get the crispy factor without a press? Preferably a healthy-ish method.
You can cook it like a grilled cheese in a skillet!
I may live in Utah, but I wouldn’t mind watching that adorable baby of yours. My only just turned 8. He grew so fast, my mom told me he would, but when you have your own you get it.
The food looks wonderful too. :)
Being from the UK, I’m always interested to hear what Thanksgiving is like! Looks like you had a lovely relaxing weekend with lots of tasty food. I love the idea of this panini too – chicken and mozzarella is one of my favourite combinations! x
This is going to be the first panini I make after Christmas on my new GRIDDLER! Santa is bringing me one this year! I hope it ends up being worth the money! :)
I used to work at Panera and the paninis are so good because they are held in a steam box then grilled. Steaming gets everything warm and melty the whole way through, then a quick press on the panini grill makes it just a little bit crispy.
Hi… how do you steam the Panini? Steam box? I love this Panini and would love to make it as close as possible to the real Panera thing :)