Award Winning Chipotle Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich
There are sandwiches that comfort you, and then there are sandwiches that make you sit up straight and take notes. This Award Winning Chipotle Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich is one of those rare treats: smoky chipotle heat folded into a bright, creamy sauce, layered with tender shredded chicken and gooey Emmi Le Gruyere. It’s the kind of grilled cheese that turns a weeknight dinner into an event and becomes the star of any casual gathering. I’ll walk you through a straightforward method that yields perfectly caramelized onions, juicy chicken, and crisp, buttery bread—everything you need for melty, unforgettable satisfaction.
Why this sandwich works
Several elements come together to make this sandwich sing. First, the cheese: Emmi Le Gruyere is rich, nutty, and melts beautifully, creating that luscious pull you expect from a stellar grilled cheese. Second, the chipotle sauce brings a smoky, slightly spicy tang that’s balanced by creamy mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. Third, the chicken adds substance and texture so the sandwich feels substantial and satisfying. Finally, a quick sauté of sliced onion adds a touch of sweetness and depth. The result is elevated comfort food—familiar but memorable.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
- 10-12 slices of Emmi Le Gruyere
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoon butter, divided
- 4 slices of bread
- 1 medium boneless chicken cutlet
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Chipotle Sauce
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 1 tsp. sauce, canned
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. dried dill
- Kosher salt, to taste
Prep work and quick tips
- Bring the cooked chicken to room temperature or warm it gently before assembling. This prevents the bread from over-toasting while you heat the filling.
- Slicing the onion thin helps it soften and caramelize quickly without burning.
- Use a moderate heat when grilling so the bread gets golden and crisp while the cheese melts through.
- If you like extra char, finish the sandwiches briefly under a broiler for 30–60 seconds—watch carefully.
Chipotle sauce: make it first
The chipotle sauce is the flavor backbone. It’s creamy, herb-bright, and carries a smoky edge from the canned chipotle chile. Because it’s simple to whisk up, make it first and refrigerate while you prepare the chicken and onions. This also lets the flavors meld for a few minutes.
Chipotle Sauce steps
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise and ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt until smooth.
- Finely mince the 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce and stir in 1 tsp. of the adobo sauce. Add the chile and sauce to the mayonnaise-yogurt base.
- Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, ¼ tsp. ground cumin, and ¼ tsp. dried dill.
- Taste and season with Kosher salt to your preference. Cover and chill while you finish the rest of the components.
Cook the chicken cutlet
This recipe provides both a pre-cooked shredded chicken quantity and a fresh cutlet to prepare. Follow the steps below to turn your medium boneless chicken cutlet into juicy shredded chicken and reach the specified 1 cup cooked chicken amount.
- Season the 1 medium boneless chicken cutlet with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken cutlet and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3–4 minutes.
- Flip the chicken, add 1/4 cup water to the pan, and cover. Allow the chicken to steam and finish cooking for 4–6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes. Use two forks to shred the chicken finely. You should have 1 cup cooked chicken once shredded—if you have slightly more or less, you can adjust the amount you pack into each sandwich to keep balance.
- Season the shredded chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté the onion
- In the same skillet (wipe it lightly if there are large browned bits), melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
- Add the 1/2 onion, thinly sliced, and sauté until softened and starting to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Stir occasionally so the onion cooks evenly and doesn’t burn.
- Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
Assemble the sandwiches
Assembly is fast once all components are ready. The goal is to layer so every bite has cheese, chicken, and sauce.
- Lay out the 4 slices of bread on a cutting board. Spread a generous layer of chipotle sauce on one side of each slice. Reserve a little sauce for serving if you like.
- On two slices of bread (the bottom halves), place a layer of Emmi Le Gruyere—use 10–12 slices across the two sandwiches so the cheese layer is generous and even. Depending on how you slice or fold the cheese, distribute it so both sandwiches use the total amount.
- Top the cheese with the shredded chicken, dividing the 1 cup cooked chicken evenly between the two sandwiches.
- Distribute the sautéed onions evenly on top of the chicken.
- Place another layer of Emmi Le Gruyere over the onions and chicken to create a molten cheese lid.
- Close each sandwich with the remaining bread slices, chipotle-sauce side down so the sauce touches the filling.
Grill to golden, melty perfection
- Heat a clean skillet or nonstick pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt, swirling to coat the pan.
- Place one sandwich in the skillet and cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Press gently with a spatula to encourage even contact and melting.
- Carefully flip the sandwich and add a little more butter to the pan if needed. Cook the second side until golden and the cheese is fully melted, another 3–4 minutes. Adjust the heat down if the bread is browning too quickly before the cheese melts.
- Repeat with the second sandwich, adding butter between sandwiches as needed. If the cheese is reluctant to melt, lower the heat and cover the pan for a minute to trap heat inside and finish melting the cheese.
- When both sides are crisp and the cheese is gooey, transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and let them rest for 1 minute before slicing. This short rest helps keep the cheese from spilling out everywhere while still allowing lovely stringiness.
To serve
Slice each sandwich on the diagonal for that classic presentation. Serve with any remaining chipotle sauce on the side for dipping, a bright green salad, or a handful of pickles to cut through the richness. These sandwiches are best enjoyed hot and melty—the cheese pull is part of the joy.
Make-ahead and storage tips
- The chipotle sauce stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before using.
- If you have leftover assembled but ungrilled sandwiches, wrap them tightly and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours; grill from chilled, adding a little more time so the cheese melts through.
- Cooked shredded chicken keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat gently before assembling so it warms through without drying out.
Flavor variations and swaps
- Swap Emmi Le Gruyere for another melty, nutty cheese like a mild Swiss or raclette if you prefer, but keep the quantity the same.
- Add thin slices of tomato or avocado after grilling for extra freshness and creaminess.
- If you want more heat, stir an extra 1/2 teaspoon of adobo sauce into the chipotle mayo or include a second minced chipotle chile. Taste as you go so it doesn’t overpower the sandwich.
Why the method matters
Each step in this recipe is deliberate. Searing and steaming the chicken cutlet yields moist, easy-to-shred meat. Sautéing the onions separately concentrates their sweetness without risking uneven cooking of the sandwich. Arranging cheese above and below the filling guarantees that every bite has a molten, cohesive texture. And a moderate heat during grilling is essential: you want golden bread and melted cheese rather than scorched bread and unmelted filling.
Final notes
This Award Winning Chipotle Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a balance of textures and flavors—smoky, creamy, buttery, and savory, with just enough heat to keep things interesting. It’s a celebration of what a grilled cheese can be when you treat each component with care. Ready in under an hour from start to finish, it’s perfect for an indulgent weeknight or to impress friends without fuss. Make the sauce, crisp the onions, shred the chicken, and assemble—then enjoy a sandwich that’s anything but ordinary.
Award Winning Chipotle Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Make the chipotle sauce by combining 1 can chipotle chile (use 1 chile and 1 tsp adobo), 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp dried dill and kosher salt to taste in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth, about 2–3 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Caramelize the onion: heat a small skillet over medium, add 1 tablespoon butter and the sliced 1/2 medium onion, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes until soft and caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Cook the chicken cutlet: heat a heavy-duty skillet over medium-high with 1 teaspoon oil. Season the chicken cutlet with salt and pepper and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
- Add 1/4 cup water to the pan, reduce heat to low, cover or simmer gently for 5 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly, then shred the chicken with two forks or by hand to make about 1 cup shredded chicken.
- Assemble sandwiches: butter one side of each bread slice with the remaining butter. On the unbuttered side of two slices, place an even layer of Gruyere, then divide the shredded chicken and caramelized onions between the sandwiches. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons chipotle sauce over each, top with more cheese and the remaining bread slices, buttered side out.
- Grill the sandwiches: heat a griddle or skillet over medium, add a little butter if needed, and cook each sandwich 2–3 minutes per side until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.
Notes
- Allow cooked chicken to cool slightly before shredding.
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for creamier sauce.
- Adjust chipotle amount to taste for spiciness.
- Caramelize onions slowly for best flavor.
