Who doesn’t love chicken parm? These sandwiches are a fun play on the classic Italian dish, combining pulled rotisserie chicken with marinara, mozzarella, and parmesan inside brioche baguettes.
If you’re new around here, I make predominantly high protein recipes. And these chicken sandwiches fit the bill with 48 grams of protein and just 31 grams of carbs each.
Ingredients and Substitutions
There are plenty of customizations to make for different nutrition goals or ingredient preferences. I’ve included all my thoughts below. If you’re in a hurry, you can jump straight to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The Rotisserie Chicken
While it’s impossible to make a rotisserie chicken sandwich without rotisserie chicken, you can make sandwiches like these with all kinds of protein options. I first made chicken parm sandwiches with frozen lightly breaded chicken breast that I air fried and stuffed inside sandwich rolls with all the same ingredients.
You can also use any cooked and pulled or chopped chicken breast. Leftover grilled chicken works great.
The Cheese
Go with fresh mozzarella over the pre-shredded stuff for a better melted cheese pull and appearance. Shredded Italian cheese blends tend to be the driest and least flavorful of shredded cheese options in my experience.
My recipe calls for four ounces of mozzarella, with half going underneath the chicken and marinara. This creates a more even bite of cheese and chicken, and it also protects the bun from having a soggy bottom. Mary Berry would be proud.
If you’re on a low fat diet and have trouble squeezing these into your macros, you can reduce the amount of mozzarella. I’ve made these sandwiches with as little as one ounce of mozzarella each (just on top of the chicken).
As for the parmesan, go with freshly grated parm or parmigiano reggiano over any pre-grated parmesan. Leave the pre-grated stuff for crispy carrot fries and chicken tenders.
The Sauce and Bread
Look for a marinara with 50-60 calories per 1/2 cup to match the nutrition facts of my sandwiches. I have a lasagna with rotisserie chicken that uses Carbone spicy vodka sauce with 60 calories per serving and great flavor, but there are lots of options out there.
I used brioche French baguettes from Whole Foods with 260 calories, 7 grams of protein, 48 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of fat each. Any sandwich roll or bun works for these sandwiches, but you may need to adjust the amount of filling for smaller/larger options.
Garnishes and Pairings
Freshly chopped basil or parsley and pickled peppers are your best options for low calorie garnishes.
But if you have the calories to spare, a bit of basil pesto or chopped Calabrian chili peppers are always great choices. I also sprinkled a bit of lightly fried shallots and chili flakes in the photos. Nice texture and a bit more heat.
Let me know what you think about these rotisserie chicken sandwiches and any other pairing ideas you come up with in a recipe review or comment below. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about the recipe or ingredients there as well.
And if you need more ideas for things to make with rotisserie chicken, check out my bbq chicken flatbread or black pepper chicken bowls next.
Until next time! – Mason
Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 8 oz Pulled Rotisserie Chicken
- 1 cup 240g Marinara
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, optional
- 4 oz Fresh Mozzarella, torn into pieces
- 1 Tablespoon Freshly Grated Parmesan
- 2 Brioche Baguettes, or your choice of sandwich roll
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Add the rotisserie chicken, 3/4 of the marinara, and Italian seasoning to a bowl. Mix everything together, cover, and microwave for 90 seconds.
- Place the baguettes on a sheet pan. Open the baguettes and place about half the mozzarella at the bottom before adding the sauced chicken. Top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and grated parmesan.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browning around the edges.
- Garnish with fresh basil or basil pesto, Calabrian chili peppers or pickled banana peppers, and more grated parmesan, if desired.
These sandwiches have no business being so tasty with just 5 ingredients. I especially appreciate the even bite of cheese-chicken-cheese from layering the mozzarella.
For such a simple recipe, these sandwiches are so flavorful!