Waldorf Chicken Salad Panini
- One 2 1/2- to 3-pound whole chicken, giblets removed and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped, plus 1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced celery
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup seedless purple grapes, halved
- 1 Gala (or other crisp) apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- One 16-ounce herbed focaccia, cut into equal quarters
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Rub the exterior and cavity liberally with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the cavity with the garlic, carrots, celery stalk, lemon, onion and thyme.
- Tie the legs tightly with kitchen twine and fold the wing tips under the breasts.
- Place on a roasting rack in a deep pan and into oven.
- Roast until a digital read thermometer registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove and cool.
- Once cooled enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.
- Shred against the grain with two forks.
- Cool completely.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, cream cheese and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, diced celery, grapes and apples.
- Toss to evenly coat.
- Fold in the walnuts, parsley and tarragon until thoroughly incorporated.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble, use a preheated panini press on the highest setting.
- If unavailable, bring the oven to 400 degrees F and use two cast-iron skillets to form a press.
- Cut the focaccia quarters in half with a sharp serrated knife and arrange on a prep surface.
- Spoon about 1 1/4 cups of the chicken salad onto each bottom half.
- Replace the top half.
- Place onto the press and crisp until the bread is golden on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
- If using skillets, place the sandwich into the bottom pan, place the second skillet bottom on top of the sandwich and crisp, flipping halfway through the cooking process.
- To serve: Remove the sandwiches from the press or oven to a prep surface.
- Cut in half diagonally with a sharp serrated knife and arrange on serving plates.
- Enjoy immediately.
chicken, olive oil, kosher salt, garlic, carrots, celery stalk, lemon, onion, thyme, mayonnaise, whipped cream cheese, lemon juice, purple grapes, gala, walnuts, parsley, tarragon, quarters
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/waldorf-chicken-salad-panini-recipe.html (may not work)