Buffalo Chicken Panini

Name: Buffalo Chicken Panini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 29 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (340 g) cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken meat, skinless, finely shredded; ½ cup (120 ml) buffalo wing sauce; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) ranch dressing, thick style; 1 medium stalk (40 g) celery stalk, very finely diced; 2 (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 2 cups (200 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded; ½ cup (60 g) blue cheese, crumbled; 8 slices (400 g) sourdough bread, about ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick slices, from a bakery loaf; 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, buttery sourdough wraps a spicy buffalo chicken filling with melty mozzarella and tangy blue cheese. A cool ranch-celery crunch keeps each bite balanced, and the whole thing is ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 2 min
Total: 31 min
Makes: 4 paninis

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Steps

Before you start

Use cooked chicken: leftover or rotisserie chicken works well. Remove the skin and bones before shredding.
Shred the mozzarella from a block if you can; it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
Soften the butter at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it spreads without tearing the bread.
Cook the paninis one or two at a time so the press closes properly and the bread browns evenly.

1
Heat the press
- Preheat the panini press to medium-high, about 375°F (190°C).
- If using a skillet, set it over medium heat and have a heavy pan ready to press on top.
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Ready when: Indicator light shows ready, or a drop of water sizzles on the surface
Tip: A fully heated press gives crisp bread without drying out the filling.
2
Dress the chicken
- In a medium bowl, stir together the shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch, celery and scallions until every shred is evenly coated.
- Taste and add black pepper if you like.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly orange-red and clings together in a loose, moist mixture
Tip: If your sauce is very thin, drain off any pooled liquid so the bread does not turn soggy.
3
Butter the bread
- Lay the 8 sourdough slices on a board.
- Spread about 1½ teaspoons of softened butter in a thin, even layer over one side of each slice, all the way to the edges.
- Flip 4 slices so the buttered side is down.
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Ready when: Every slice has a thin, shiny layer of butter edge to edge
Tip: Buttered sides face outward on the finished sandwich, which gives the golden crust.
4
Layer the sandwiches
- On each of the 4 unbuttered sides facing up, sprinkle ¼ cup (25 g) mozzarella.
- Top with about ¾ cup (about 125 g) of the buffalo chicken, spreading it to the edges.
- Scatter 2 tablespoons (15 g) blue cheese over the chicken, then ¼ cup (25 g) mozzarella.
- Cover with a remaining slice, buttered side up.
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Ready when: Chicken is sandwiched between two layers of cheese with no filling poking out of the edges
Tip: Cheese on both sides of the chicken works like glue and keeps the sandwich from sliding apart.
5
Press the first batch
- Place 2 sandwiches in the press (or skillet) and close the lid gently, pressing lightly at first.
- Cook 5–7 minutes.
- In a skillet, press down with a heavy pan and flip once halfway through.
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Ready when: Bread is deep golden brown with grill marks and cheese is bubbling at the edges
Tip: If the bread browns before the cheese melts, lower the heat slightly and cook a couple of minutes longer.
6
Cook the second batch
- Move the first paninis to a cutting board.
- Press the remaining 2 sandwiches the same way for 5–7 minutes, until golden and the cheese is melted.
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Ready when: Golden crust and cheese visibly oozing at the edges
7
Rest and slice
- Let the paninis rest for 2 minutes so the melted cheese sets slightly.
- Cut each in half diagonally with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Cut edges hold their shape and the filling does not slide out
Tip: Cutting immediately makes the molten filling spill out.

Good to know

Tips

Finely shred the chicken so the sandwiches hold together and press flat.
Use thick, Frank's-style buffalo sauce; thin hot sauces make the filling watery.
Don't overfill. About ¾ cup of chicken per sandwich keeps the filling from squeezing out.
Serve with extra ranch or celery sticks for dipping to cool the heat.

Make ahead

"Shred and dress the chicken filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Assemble just before pressing."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftover paninis wrapped in foil for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes or in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes per side until hot throughout (165°F/74°C). Freezing assembled, pressed paninis for up to 2 months works; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Room temperature storage should not exceed 2 hours."

Substitutions

blue cheese → extra mozzarella or sharp white cheddar. Gives a milder sandwich; add an extra tablespoon of ranch for tang.
sourdough bread → ciabatta or thick-cut white bread. Ciabatta crisps well in the press; cut slices to about ½ inch thick.
ranch dressing → plain Greek yogurt or blue cheese dressing. Use the same amount; yogurt gives a tangier, lighter filling.
low-moisture mozzarella → provolone. Melts well with a slightly sharper flavor.