Description
This Crispy Bacon & Ranch Chicken Melt recipe combines tender chicken, crispy bacon, flavorful cheeses, and a zesty homemade ranch dressing in a deliciously toasted ciabatta bread. Perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
Ciabatta Bread:
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced in half
Chicken Filling:
- 2 cups cooked chicken (roasted or grilled), sliced
Cheese:
- 4 slices Havarti cheese
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
Additional Ingredients:
- 6 slices crispy bacon
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Homemade Ranch Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven: Set to 400°F (200°C).
- Assemble the sandwich: Lay the ciabatta cut side up. Hollow out some of the bread from the top half to make space for the filling. Spread ranch dressing over the bottom half.
- Layer the ingredients: Add Havarti and pepper jack cheese over the bread, then layer the sliced chicken. Pour salsa verde over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the sandwich: Place the sandwich (without the top half) on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Prepare the greens: Toss arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, dill, and sesame seeds together. Season with salt.
- Finish assembling: Remove the sandwich from the oven. Add the arugula mix and crispy bacon on top of the chicken. Drizzle with more ranch dressing. Place the top half of the ciabatta and press gently.
- Toast again: Bake for an additional 5 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Serve: Slice into 6 sandwiches and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Chicken Melt, Bacon Ranch Sandwich, Homemade Ranch Dressing, Ciabatta Sandwich