Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese with Chicken and Bacon

Crispy-chewy baguette, overflowing with grilled chicken, smoky bacon and two types of stretchy cheese. Best grilled cheese ever - and the oven does all the work.

I know, this isn't technically a "grilled cheese". No official grilling happened. But if it's still delicious, the cheese is melty, the bread is chewy on the inside and delightfully crusty on the outside, and it's been festooned with grilled chicken and bacon, do we really need to mince words here?

Call it what you want. I'm calling it hella good.

About the grilled chicken: If you don't want to cook the chicken from scratch, you can certainly swap in leftover chicken from a previous meal. You can also purchase grilled chicken from the grocery store. And shredded rotisserie chicken works too.

About cooking the bacon: I always roast my bacon. If you want to do the same, arrange the strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, until chewy-crisp. Drain on paper towelling before using. Clearly, you can also use a skillet or microwave! Use whatever method floats your boat.

About the mozzarella: I used fresh mozzarella in this sandwich. Why? Because it's uber creamy and melts like a dream. Plus, it's a great counterpart/partner for the sharp cheddar. Feel free to use any mozzarella you like, including pre-shredded.

About the baguette: I used a take-and-bake baguette I found at the grocery store. I LOVE the take-and-bake stuff (rolls, bread, baguettes). I was able to get 5 pieces from this loaf (making 5 sandwiches), which is pretty standard. If you want to skip the step of baking the bread, opt for an Italian or sourdough baguette instead. French baguettes are a little too narrow for the heft of the filling.

Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese with Chicken and Bacon

Cooking spray or olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
Salt and ground black pepper
8 strips bacon of choice, cooked until chewy-crisp
1 baguette of choice, cut into 4-inch long pieces (you should get 4 to 5 pieces)
4 ounces regular or fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken pieces are golden brown and cooked through, turning frequently.
Halve the baguette pieces (as if cutting a bagel). Top the bottom half with the mozzarella cheese. Top the cheese with the chicken, cheddar cheese and bacon.
Transfer the sandwiches to the prepared pan and bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Serves 4