Chili Crisp Honey Chicken Cheese (Print Version)

Shredded chicken with honey and chili crisp layered with melty cheese in crisp, buttery bread.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken Mixture

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

→ Sandwich Assembly

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)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, honey, chili crisp, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated and set aside.
02 - In a separate bowl, mix shredded mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese until well blended.
03 - Arrange bread slices on a flat surface. Spread a thin layer of softened butter on one side of each slice. Optionally, spread mayonnaise on the opposite side for added crispness.
04 - On the unbuttered side of half the bread slices, layer a generous portion of the cheese mixture, followed by the honey chili crisp chicken, and top with more cheese. Cover with remaining bread slices, ensuring buttered sides face outward.
05 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet in batches if necessary. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
06 - Remove sandwiches from skillet. Allow to cool slightly, then slice and serve with extra chili crisp if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The honey melts into the warm cheese while the chili crisp brings just enough heat to make every bite interesting.
  • It comes together in the time it takes to butter bread and heat a skillet, but tastes like you've been working on it all day.
  • You get chicken, cheese, and that crispy exterior you chase in every grilled cheese, all fighting for attention in the best way possible.
02 -
  • Medium heat is non-negotiable—too hot and your bread burns before the cheese even thinks about melting, too low and you'll end up with butter-soaked bread and cold insides.
  • The honey won't burn if you coat the chicken first; cooking it as a paste with the other ingredients actually caramelizes slightly and becomes part of the magic.
  • Don't skip the mayonnaise side if you're after that shattering crisp; butter alone gets you there, but mayo gets you *there*.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or thin spatula to flip so you're not tearing cheese-laden bread and disrupting everything you've carefully built.
  • If cheese starts leaking out the sides while cooking, that's actually the sign you've done it right—you've layered generously and something beautiful is happening inside.
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