Chicken Avocado Melt Sandwich Recipe

I’m sharing my Chicken Avocado Melt Sandwich as one of my go to Easy Dinner Sandwich Recipes, and the small twist I add will make you want to read on.

I keep coming back to my Chicken Avocado Melt Sandwich because it never behaves the way I expect. The ripe avocado gives a creamy, almost tangy note while cooked chicken adds a solid, savory bite, and together they make weirdly perfect sense.

It’s the kind of sandwich that feels simple but tricks you into eating it faster than you planned, like a small delicious revelation. I cant explain why it hits different some days, maybe it’s the texture, maybe it’s mood, but every time I take a bite I get curious about the next one.

I’ve served it to friends and they were surprised.

Ingredients

• Hearty bread gives carbs and fiber, great for toasting, holds fillings well
• Cooked chicken is lean protein, fills you up, keeps sandwich hearty
• Creamy avocado gives healthy fats and fiber, makes it rich and slightly sweet
• Melty cheese adds savory fat and calcium, boosts mouthfeel and saltiness
• Fresh lime juice brings bright acidity, cuts richness, adds subtle tang
• Mayonnaise gives creaminess and fat, helps bind fillings, mild tang
• Tomato adds juiciness, vitamin C, slight acidity and sweet notes
• Herbs add freshness, light herbal notes, make sandwich taste brighter

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 slices good sandwich bread (sourdough or country)
• 8 ounces cooked chicken, shredded or sliced, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 4 slices cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• 4 thin tomato slices (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

How to Make this

1. Warm the cooked chicken (about 8 ounces) briefly in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a hot skillet so it wont make the sandwich cold, then shred or slice it if needed and set aside.

2. Halve and pit the ripe avocado, scoop into a bowl and mash with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder if you want it; fold in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley if using.

3. Gently fold the warmed chicken into the avocado mixture, taste and adjust salt or lime if it needs a little brightness.

4. Spread the softened 2 tablespoons unsalted butter on one side of each bread slice, that will be the outside of the sandwich.

5. On the unbuttered side of two bread slices, divide the chicken avocado mix evenly, top each with 2 slices of cheese and 2 thin tomato slices if you like.

6. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, buttered side out, press them gently with your hand so the fillings settle.

7. Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium low heat until hot, place the sandwiches in the pan and press down with a spatula, cover the pan with a lid to trap heat and melt the cheese, cook about 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is golden.

8. Flip each sandwich carefully, cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the other side is golden and cheese is fully melted, lower the heat if the bread is browning too fast.

9. Remove sandwiches, let them rest for about a minute so the filling firms up a little, slice in half and serve with extra cilantro or parsley on top.

10. Tips: if you have a panini press use that, or bake in a 375 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes flipping once; you can also swap butter for mayo on the outside for an extra crispy crust.

Equipment Needed

1. Microwave or a hot skillet to warm the chicken
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife for halving the avocado, slicing tomatoes and chicken
4. Small mixing bowl
5. Fork or small potato masher to mash the avocado
6. Measuring spoons for lime, mayo, mustard and spices
7. Butter knife or spreader to butter the bread
8. Nonstick or cast iron skillet
9. Spatula and a lid to press and trap heat so the cheese melts
10. Plate and a serrated knife to let the sandwich rest and slice before serving

FAQ

Chicken Avocado Melt Sandwich Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bread: swap the sourdough or country loaf for ciabatta (toasts up nice and chewy), whole grain or multigrain for more fiber, or a good sturdy pita or gluten free loaf if you need GF.
• Cooked chicken: use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey, canned tuna or salmon for a quicker pantry option, or smashed chickpeas/white beans for a vegetarian take.
• Avocado: replace the creamy layer with hummus (loads of flavor), mashed green peas with lemon for a bright note, or a tangy ricotta/Greek yogurt spread if you want less fat.
• Cheese: swap cheddar/Monterey Jack for provolone or mozzarella for milder melt, Swiss for nuttier flavor, pepper jack for spice, or a plant based cheese if you’re dairy free.

Pro Tips

– Warm the chicken in a skillet and pat it dry first, don’t just microwave it soggy; a quick sear adds flavor and keeps the bread from getting wet.
– Keep the avocado a little chunky and save a few thin slices to layer in the sandwich, that way it doesn’t turn into one flat mush.
– Put the cheese next to the tomato or between tomato and bread so the melted cheese acts as a moisture barrier, and always blot tomato slices first.
– If the bread is browning too fast before the cheese melts, drop the heat and cover the pan, be patient, don’t crank up the flame or you’ll burn the crust.
– For a reliably crisp, golden outside try mayo instead of butter or mix butter with a small splash of oil; it browns more evenly and resists burning.