"My Favorite Salad" Panini

I know, I know...what a strange name for a panini. But seriously, I couldn't come up with a name for this grilled sandwich. You see, my favorite salad is a spinach salad with grilled chicken breast, blue cheese, pecans, apples, and dried cranberries. Now I couldn't very well call this a chicken, blue cheese, pecan, apple and dried cranberry panini, could I? No, I didn't think so either.

The spinach, blue cheese, pecans and cranberries are processed with a little reduced-fat mayonnaise to form a pesto-like spread which is first placed on both slices of bread, focaccia, in this case.

Then thinly sliced grilled chicken breast is placed on top of one of the bread slices.

And thinly sliced apples are layered on top of the chicken breast.

Put the whole thing together and grill on a panini press or grill pan for a few minutes and you'll have one of the tastiest grilled sandwiches you've ever eaten. Swears. (It REALLY was good.)

My Favorite Salad Panini (makes 4 sandwiches)

8 slices of focaccia bread
2 seasoned and grilled chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 apple, cored, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

Process the spinach, pecans, dried cranberries, blue cheese and mayonnaise in a food processor. Spread mixture on each slice of bread. Top with grilled chicken slices and apple slices. Grill on panini press or grill pan until bread is toasted.

I'm entering this panini recipe in My Kitchen Addiction's September Kitchen Bootcamp Challenge.