Chili Honey Chicken Grilled Cheese (Printable Version)

Sweet-spicy shredded chicken with honey and chili crisp layered in melty cheese on buttery crisp bread.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
02 - 2 tablespoons honey
03 - 2 tablespoons chili crisp
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
05 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sandwiches

07 - 8 slices sourdough or sturdy sandwich bread
08 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Combine shredded chicken, honey, chili crisp, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.
02 - Mix shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses in a separate bowl.
03 - Arrange bread slices. Spread a thin layer of softened butter on one side of each slice. Optionally, spread mayonnaise on the opposite side for extra crispness.
04 - On the unbuttered side of half the bread slices, layer cheese mixture, followed by the honey chili crisp chicken, then top with additional cheese. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side facing out.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Remove sandwiches from skillet, allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve with extra chili crisp if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It's ready in 25 minutes flat, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The sweet-spicy chicken filling feels restaurant-quality, but it comes together in one bowl with ingredients you might already have.
  • That moment when you bite through the golden crust into warm, gooey cheese is pure joy.
02 -
  • Medium heat is essential, because high heat will burn the outside before the cheese melts inside, turning your sandwich bitter.
  • Shredding the chicken finely matters more than you'd think, since chunks don't coat evenly with the sauce and can pull out when you bite.
03 -
  • Softened butter spreads smoothly without tearing delicate bread, and it browns more evenly in the pan than cold butter.
  • Pressing gently with a spatula during cooking helps the bread make full contact with the pan, giving you that golden crust every edge needs.
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