Best Chicken-Bacon Panini Ever

Delicious seared chicken breasts, crisp smoky bacon, and gooey mozzarella cheese topped off with buttery Italian bread. This chicken panini is so good you won't want to eat anything else!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 761 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) package bacon
• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or to taste, chopped
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or to taste
• 8 slices Italian bread
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper for marinade together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Step 2

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels.

Step 3

Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Discard the remaining marinade.

Step 4

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook until golden brown, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear, 5 to 7 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Slice chicken into 1/4-inch thick pieces or leave whole if desired.

Step 5

Preheat an electric grill (such as George Foreman®) for medium heat.

Step 6

Assemble panini by spreading mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on 1/2 of the bread slices. Layer each slice with equal amounts of tomato, onion, chicken, bacon, and mozzarella cheese and top with remaining bread. Butter the outsides of the sandwiches.

Step 7

Cook on the preheated grill until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.