Roasted Chicken Sandwich on Focaccia Bread

This Roasted Chicken Sandwich is a great way to use up leftover chicken that you have in your refrigerator. Creamy brie cheese, roasted chicken, and sliced apricots are layered between rosemary focaccia bread before the whole thing is cooked on a panini press.

Making this Brie and Roast Chicken Sandwich

Abundance of apricots? Check. Abundance of rosemary focaccia bread? Check. Leftover roasted chicken? Check.

In my mind there was only one thing to do, and that was to figure out a panini to go with these ingredients. I was in a no-fuss cooking mood. A use-up-leftovers mood. And a something-different-for-dinner mood.

I already had some focaccia that I had baked earlier in the day, and because rosemary goes so well with apricot and chicken, I used that as my bread.

I checked out the handy Flavor Bible to see what cheese paired best with apricot. Brie, in case you’re wondering.

It ended up being a great, simple dinner to throw together with the leftovers of existing dishes.

fresh apricots in a blue colander to use in this roasted chicken sandwich recipe

Tools to a Prepare Roasted Chicken Sandwich

You’ll need just a couple kitchen tools to prepare this panini with chicken and brie. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

Panini Press – to cook the roasted chicken panini. If you don’t have one, I’ve provided instructions below in the recipe FAQs for how to get a similar effect.
Knife and Cutting Board – to cut the ingredients for this panini recipe.

What’s in this Roasted Chicken Sandwich?

This sandwich with roasted chicken doesn’t have a ton of ingredients in it. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to prepare it:

Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Brie Cheese
Roasted Chicken
Fresh Apricots
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, if desired

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this chicken panini, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make a Roasted Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich is so easy to make! You’re just layering a slice of cheese or two with roasted chicken and fresh sliced apricots, then a little more cheese on top of a piece of bread.

Then, you’ll add another slice of bread on top and stick the whole thing in the panini press to cook it until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

The above is simply a quick summary of this toasted chicken sandwich recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

rosemary focaccia bread to use to make a roasted chicken sandwich recipe

Roasted Chicken Sandwich Recipe FAQs

Got questions about how to make this panini recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I Make this Without a Panini Press?

Yes! Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat.
When the pan is hot, add the roasted chicken sandwich, and place a cast iron grill press (or foil wrapped brick) ontop of the sandwich to compress it.
Cook the sandwich until the side facing down is crispy and golden.
Then, flip and repeat with other side, cooking until the bread is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.

Do I Have to Make a Roasted Chicken for this Sandwich?

No, this sandwich is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken that you’ve purchased at your local grocery store.

I just happen to like preparing this sandwich recipe after making homemade roasted chicken.

It is a great way to ensure all of the meat from the whole chickens gets used. Plus, people can use dark meat or breast meat, whatever is preferred.

You could make this a grilled chicken sandwich, too, by using leftover grilled chicken as long as the flavors used doesn’t clash with the rest of the sandwich ingredients.

Can I Substitute Deli Meat for Roasted Chicken?

I haven’t made it that way, but I’m sure you probably can.

My advice would be to ask for either oven roasted turkey breast or oven roasted chicken and request it be sliced a little thicker than deli meat typically is (unless you prefer it thin).

Is Focaccia Bread Necessary for this Roasted Chicken Sandwich?

No, you can use thick sliced sourdough bread, rustic white bread, ciabatta rolls, or whatever your favorite sandwich roll is.

That said, the rosemary and garlic in the focaccia add delicious flavor and really take the sandwich to the next level though.

You may want to experiment with adding some extra seasonings or flavors such as fresh rosemary, sliced red onions, or garlic powder to your sandwich.

What Can I Substitute for Fresh Apricots?

I haven’t tried this sandwich with any other fruit substitutions, so I’m not sure how it would turn out using dried or canned apricots.

Figs, apples, pears, and cherries also go with brie. Those fruits might be worth an experiment. If you try something different, I’d love to hear about your results!

What to Serve With Roasted Chicken Sandwiches

We the first time we made these sandwiches we served them with We had plump, juicy red grapes on the side and kettle cooked potato chips.

Here are some other ideas:

Try this Roast Chicken Sandwich Recipe at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a unique sandwich with incredible flavors, give this Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Brie and Apricots a try!

Did you love the idea of using leftover chicken to create a new meal the next day? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this rotisserie chicken sandwich!

More Toasted Sandwich Ideas

This Reuben Panini is a great way to use up leftover St. Patrick’s Day corned beef. It features roasted cabbage, Swiss cheese, and corned beef.

Cheddar cheese, bacon, green apple, and caramelized onions are piled in between two slices of toasted sourdough for an easy Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe.

Make a delicious Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich by layering creamy brie, bacon, and raspberry jam between buttery, crispy bread for an easy Grilled Cheese with Brie.

In this Slow Cooker French Dip Panini Recipe, Classic French Dip Sandwiches are converted to a Panini Recipe with crispy sourdough bread.

Looking for more sandwich recipes? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.

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