This Chicken Melt is a delicious sandwich that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. I cook the chicken breasts and chop them for the chicken salad to ensure each bite is tender. The chicken salad mixture has plenty of creaminess and tangy flavor to balance the melted Colby Jack and juicy ripe tomato slices. It’s toasted with butter until it’s golden brown on the outside like an enhanced grilled cheese!
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The dressing for the chicken salad is super balanced and yummy. The relish adds acidity and sweetness that plays well with the mayonnaise and kick of Dijon mustard. This chicken melt has an extra creamy texture when combined with the cheese.
If you like sandwich melt recipes, you will love this Subway copycat Meatball Sub Sandwich and Grilled Cheese and Egg Sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy to make: This is a simple and tasty chicken salad melt recipe that anyone can put together. The instructions are easy to follow so you will have a successful sandwich to enjoy.
- It’s ready in less than 30 minutes: It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare this chicken melt, making it perfect when you’re short on time.
- It’s inexpensive: The ingredients used to make this chicken sandwich are cheap and common, so you won’t spend a fortune to make it.
Ingredients
Below are all of the components needed to make a quick and easy chicken salad into a delectable chicken melt. I use simple everyday condiments and ingredients to create a creamy, melty sandwich.
- Chicken breasts: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. I like to cook them in a skillet or oven until they are fully cooked and then chop them into small pieces. Feel free to use a precooked rotisserie chicken and shred it instead.
- Celery: This is a classic ingredient added to chicken salad. It’s fresh and adds a subtle crunchy texture.
- Mayonnaise: This is the creamy base for the chicken salad. You will use just enough to coat the chicken. Choose any brand that you like!
- Dijon mustard: For a zesty kick, Dijon mustard is the way to go. It adds a subtle spice that brightens the other ingredients.
- Sweet relish: The sweetness of the pickle relish provides balance and texture to the chicken salad. It elevates the whole sandwich!
- Cheese: You can’t have a proper melt without cheese! I like Colby Jack for this because you may use any sliced cheese that melts well. Cheddar and American are great choices, too.
- Butter: I like to use butter with my toasted sandwiches. I just love buttery bread, and it gives it a nice color as well.
- Tomato: A couple of slices of juicy tomato add texture and moisture to the chicken melt. It’s an optional topping but I love it.
- Bread: You need to use sturdy bread for this recipe. I chose sourdough bread, but you can try another variety, like thick white bread.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Southwest: Use a chipotle sauce in place of the Dijon mustard and add slices of ripe avocado for a southwest version.
- Mediterranean Flavors: Top the chicken salad with feta cheese and sliced kalamata olives.
- Apple Cranberry: Bring some sweetness by adding diced apples and dried cranberries to the chicken salad mixture.
- Spicy: Make a spicy rendition by adding a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce and use a spicy cheese like Pepper Jack.
How to Make Chicken Melts
Here are the instructions on how to execute this chicken melt recipe. It’s very easy and is the same process as making a classic grilled cheese sandwich on a skillet or griddle.
Step 1: Combine the filling ingredients. Combine the chicken, celery, condiments, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir until everything is well coated.
Step 2: Add it to the bread with toppings. Grab your slices of bread and layer a slice of cheese, tomato, and half of the chicken salad for each sandwich.
Step 3: Butter the sandwich. Generously spread butter on both sides of the outside bread of each sandwich.
Step 4: Cook and serve. Heat your skillet over medium heat. Then, carefully drop in your chicken sandwiches. Cook them for about 4 minutes per side or until they are perfectly golden brown and crispy. Enjoy while it’s nice and warm!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overfill the sandwiches: Add just enough of the chicken salad mixture to cover the top of a slice of bread. Otherwise, too much filling will leak out the sides as you’re cooking it and will make a mess.
- Watch the sandwich closely: You want a lovely golden brown color on the outside of the bread so keep an eye on your stovetop. If the heat gets too high, it could burn your chicken melt.
- Make it open-faced: Try an open-faced version and toast the sandwich under the broiler in the oven to ensure you get super melty cheese.
If you love recipes like this easy chicken sandwich, you may also enjoy this Blackened Chicken Sandwich.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store any leftover sandwiches tightly covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If unassembled, the chicken salad will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat the chicken melt in a skillet over low heat. I recommend covering it to trap the steam.
- Make Ahead: The best way to make this recipe in advance is to prepare the chicken salad mixture and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you plan to cook and serve your chicken melt.
Serving Suggestions
- Sandwiches and soups are one of my favorite combinations. Serve your chicken melts with a tasty homemade soup like slow cooker tomato soup or red cabbage soup.
- Add a creative salad like this chilled seafood salad or this grape salad recipe as an accompaniment to your sandwich melt.
- For a kick, drizzle on some creamy jalapeno sauce!
Recipe FAQs
Of course! Place the sandwiches on a sheet pan and bake them at 425 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
I love the buttery texture and taste but mayo works amazing in a pinch. It will give the sandwich a darker color faster, so watch the melts as they toast!
I recommend skipping this. Freezing the chicken salad messes with the consistency when it thaws. If you freeze the chicken melts, they become difficult to reheat evenly and toast in a skillet.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Do you like easy sandwich recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Cheesy Chicken Melt
Equipment
- heavy bottom skillet The one I used was 12inches
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and chopped
- 1 stalk celery diced fine
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sweet relish
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices colby jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 2 tomato slices sliced thin
- 4 slices sourdough bread
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chopped chicken breast, celery, mayo, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper until well mixed.
- Preheat a large, heavy bottom skillet over medium heat.
- While the skillet heats, assemble your sandwiches. On a cutting board, place 2 slices of bread next to each other. Stack each piece of bread with 2 slices of cheese, 1 slice of tomato and half of your chicken mixture. Top with the remaining 2 slices of bread.
- Spread butter over the outside of the sandwich bread on both sides and set into the skillet, butter side down, for about 4 minutes until the bread is brown and toasted.
- Flip and cook on the other buttered side pressing down with a flat spatula to ensure good contact with the skillet. Cook until bread is golden brown and crisp and cheese is melted, about 4 minutes per side. Serve warm.
Notes
- Don’t overfill the chicken melts with the chicken salad mixture. It will make them difficult to flip as the filling will start to leak out.
- Store your chicken melt in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or the chicken salad separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- I do not recommend freezing any leftovers. As it thaws, it will become difficult to toast and the filling will begin to separate.
Nutrition
This post was originally published June 2016. It's been updated with new content and images.
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