Pulled Chicken with Jalapeño-Honey Mustard Panini

Photo by Marisa Zanganeh

Even before the panini fever hit the United States, I already loved these small bread roll pressed sandwiches. I had them in Rome, many years ago and it was love at first bite. Paninis actually remind me of the bocadillos I used to enjoy so much as a kid when my parents took me to Old San Juan. The cafeteria next to the now defunct Tienda Gonzalez Padin had the best ham and cheese sandwiches, with sweet egg bread rolls slathered in butter and toasted until the cheese melted and oozed out of the bread. So simple. So perfect. Here’s my favorite panini for any day of the week.

Ingredients:

2 hero or sweet egg rolls, split
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 store-bought grilled chicken, meat pulled off
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 pickled jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1 ripe vine tomato, thinly sliced
1 ripe Hass avocado, thinly sliced
Pickled red onions (click for recipe)


Directions:

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Mix mustard, honey and minced chile and set aside.
3. Brush rolls crusts with olive oil. Turn rolls over and spread with mayo and the jalapeño-honey mustard mix on both halves.
4. On bottom halves, layer tomato slices, pulled chicken, sliced avocados and top with pickled red onions. Cover with top halves, press gently to pack.
5. Place paninis on grill, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Enjoy!

To learn more about me or my recipes, visit me at DenisseOller.com and at AARP, where I am a chef and nutrition expert.

Other recipes by Denisse:

Pastelón de Yuca y Pollo
Mango Pie
Polvorosa de Pollo (Venezuelan-style Chicken Pot Pie)
Vegetarian Paella
Cod in Tomato Sauce
Mexican-Style Shrimp Ceviche
The Mexican Tamale: A Delight for the Palate
Shrimp Asopao with Pigeon Peas