Chicken Fajita Panini with Chipotle Mayo

There is no cute story to go along with this recipe.  It is what it is, and that is a powerhouse of flavor slipped between two halves of a freshly baked Ciabatta bread from the market.  It starts with a very simple marinate of many different spices with a good amount of lime juice.  Chicken tenderloins were used, they soaked up the marinate and required five hours to develop the full body of flavors. Peppers, Onions, Monterey Jack, a touch of Asiago along with a very smooth Chipolte Mayonnaise complete the sandwich.  Try it, you WILL Love It.  It was a solid winner in my household.

Chicken Fajita Panini Ingredients:

Marinade:

1/3 cup of Lime Juice (store bought bottle)

1/3 cup of water

2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon of white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

1/2 teaspoon of  cilantro

1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke

1 teaspoon of salt

Sandwich

1 pound – 1 1/3 pound of chicken tenderloin

1  Vidalia Onion sliced

1 Green Pepper sliced

1 1/2 Cups of Monterey Jack cheese shredded

1/3 cup of Asiago cheese

4 bakery fresh Ciabatta rolls

Chipotle Mayonnaise

1/2 cup of Mayonnaise

2 teaspoons of adobo sauce

1 large clove of garlic minced or pressed

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, remove any seeds if present, and chop

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 shakes of dried oregano (or 1 pinch)

2 shakes of dried cilantro (or 1 pinch)

Preparation of Marinade

Add the lime juice, water, EVOO , garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne powder, chili powder,  cilantro, liquid smoke, and salt to a bowl.  Mix well, add to a locking zip style bag.  Grab a fork and pierce each tenderloin a few times and place in to the marinade.  Place the baggie in to the refrigerator for at least five hours.  Optimally flip the baggie every hour to help spread the marinade throughout the chicken.  This can be made the night before.

Preparation of Chipotle Mayonnaise

Place the Mayo, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, oregano, and cilantro in a blender or food chopper and blend till smooth, 20-40 seconds.  Transfer to a bowl , cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator till needed.  Can be made the night before.

Final Preparation

Grab a skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet, I used a No. 12 Finex cast iron skillet.  Place enough Extra virgin olive oil to wet the pan, around a Tablespoon.  Toss in the peppers for around five minutes at medium heat.  Next place the onions in skillet, add a little salt and pepper and cook for at least 15 more minutes or until the onions and peppers are soft.

Grab another skillet, again preferably a cast iron skillet, I used a No. 10 1880’s fancy handle.  On a medium-high heat, remove the tenderloins from the marinate.  Discard the used marinade.  Cook the chicken until fully cooked throughout about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Cut each tenderloin in half lengthwise , and place to the side.

If you have a Panini Press then use the proper tool.  For the rest of us, it’s time to wing it…  (get it chicken, wing it….)  Moving on.  I used a Finex Cast Iron No.10 Grillet for the base and a Finex No.10 Cast Iron skillet for the press.  Preheat the bottom pan and lightly oil the ridges with EVOO.  Now it is time to assemble to the sandwich.

Slice the fresh Ciabatta roll in half, spread a generous amount of chipotle mayo on each half of the bread.  Place a generous amount of Monterey Jack on the base of bread followed by a couple of pinches of Asiago cheese.  Add 3 to 4 pieces of chicken going across the short side (if you go along the long edge the chicken will push out when pressed). Next add onions and peppers, followed by another round of Monterey Jack and a few more pinches of Asiago cheese.  Top with the upper half of bread.  Place the sandwich in the grillet and top with the skillet using gentle pressure. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes and flip, cook for another 4 minutes or till  both sides cheese has melted. Serve with a side of Adobo, Chipotle Mayo, or Salsa.  Enjoy!

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Chicken Fajita Panini with Chipotle Mayo

A powerhouse of flavor slipped between two halves of a freshly baked Ciabatta bread from the market. It starts with a very simple marinate of different spices with a good amount of lime juice. Chicken tenderloins were used, they soaked the marinate up and only required five hours to develop a full body of flavors. Peppers, Onions, Monterey Jack, and a touch of Asiago along with a very smooth Chipolte Mayonnaise complete the sandwich.

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes

Servings 4 sandwiches

Author Ken at CookingYo.com

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1/3 cup of Lime Juice store bought bottle
• 1/3 cup of water
• 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Sandwich
• 1 pound - 1 1/3 pound of chicken tenderloin
• 1 Vidalia Onion sliced
• 1 Green Pepper sliced
• 1 1/2 Cups of Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 1/3 cup of Asiago cheese
• 4 bakery fresh Ciabatta rolls
• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce
• 1 large clove of garlic minced or pressed
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo remove any seeds if present, and chop
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 shakes of dried oregano or 1 pinch
• 2 shakes of dried cilantro or 1 pinch

Instructions

1. Preparation of Marinade
2. Add the lime juice, water, EVOO , garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne powder, chili powder, cilantro, liquid smoke, and salt to a bowl.
3. Mix well, add to a locking zip style bag.
4. Grab a fork and pierce each tenderloin a few times and place in to the marinade.
5. Place the baggie in to the refrigerator for at least five hours. Optimally flip the baggie every hour to help spread the marinade throughout the chicken. Can be made the night before.
6. Preparation of Chipotle Mayonnaise
7. Place the Mayo, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, oregano, and cilantro in a blender or food choper and blend till smooth, 20-40 seconds. Transfer to a bowl , cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator till needed. Can be made the night before.
8. Final Preparation
9. Grab a skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet. Place enough Extra virgin olive oil to wet the pan, around a Tablespoon. Toss in the peppers for around five minutes at medium heat. Next place the onions in skillet, add a little salt and pepper and cook for at least 15 more minutes or until the onions and peppers are soft.
10. Grab another skillet, again preferably a cast iron skillet. On a medium-high heat, remove the tenderloins from the marinate.
11. Discard the used marinade.
12. Cook the chicken until fully cooked throughout about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
13. Cut each tenderloin in half, and place to the side.
14. If you have a Panini Press then use the proper tool, otherwise two Cast iron skillets will work. Now it is time to assemble to the sandwich.
15. Slice the fresh Ciabatta roll in half, spread a generous amount of chipotle mayo on each half of the bread.
16. Place a generous amount of Monterey Jack on the base of bread followed by a couple of pinches of Asiago cheese.
17. Add 3 to 4 pieces of chicken going across the short side (if you go along the long edge the chicken will push out when pressed).
18. Next add onions and peppers, followed by another round of Monterey Jack and a few more pinches of Asiago cheese.
19. Top with the upper half of bread. Place the sandwich in the grillet and top with the skillet using gentle pressure.
20. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes and flip, cook for another 4 minutes or till both sides cheese has melted.
21. Serve with a side of Adobo, Chipotle Mayo, or Salsa.

Inspired by:

Chicken Fajita Paninis by SpicedBlog.com

Adapted from:

Chipotle Mayonnaise by Emerils.com