Crispy Shallot Chicken Cheese (Printable)

A flavorful sandwich featuring tender chicken, crispy shallots, and melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
03 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Shallots

06 - 1/2 cup crispy fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)

→ Cheese

07 - 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
08 - 4 slices mozzarella cheese

→ Bread & Assembly

09 - 8 slices sourdough or country bread
10 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated.
02 - Lay out bread slices and spread softened butter on one side of each slice.
03 - Place 4 bread slices butter side down on a clean surface. Top each with 1 slice cheddar, a generous scoop of chicken mixture, 2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots, 1 slice mozzarella, and an additional slice of cheddar.
04 - Cover each prepared sandwich with remaining bread slices, butter side up.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook sandwiches 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Remove from heat, let sit 1–2 minutes, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy shallots add an unexpected crunch that transforms an ordinary grilled cheese into something restaurant-worthy.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel indulgent without the effort.
  • Stacking two cheeses creates pockets of melty richness that feel like you're eating something far more complicated than you actually made.
02 -
  • Medium heat is genuinely the right temperature here, even if you're impatient; high heat will burn the bread while the cheese remains cold and stubborn in the center.
  • Pressing gently on the sandwich as it cooks helps the cheese melt faster and creates a tighter seal, but pressing too hard squeezes out the filling, which I learned the hard way on my second attempt.
  • The order of your cheese matters more than you'd think; starting and ending with sharp cheddar keeps the mozzarella from getting lost in the middle.
03 -
  • Softening your butter before spreading it ensures an even coating without accidentally tearing the bread, which saves you from those sad, gappy spots that don't toast properly.
  • Setting the pan temperature to medium rather than high seems slower but actually results in a better sandwich because everything cooks through evenly instead of burning on the outside while staying cold inside.
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