An easy, out-of-this-world, open-faced, cheesy, savory croissant!
I cannot describe how good these creamy and flavorful open-faced chicken salad melts are made with toasted buttery croissants. They are soft, fresh, savory, gooey, and so easy to make that you can have them on the table in just thirty minutes.
This idea came to me when I was at my niece’s house. She made these delicious tuna melts over everything bagels. She put them in the air fryer to melt the cheese, and I thought, “I can recreate this with the chicken, and my family will love it!” Guess what? They do and keep asking for them!
Why will my family keep asking for them?
Tender, herby, chicken salad
With sweet, fresh peppers and scallions
Briny, spicy pepperoncini
Stringy, melty cheese
All on a buttery, flaky croissant!
What will I need for these melts?
Croissants -these are light, flaky, and buttery, but you can substitute your favorite bread.
Fresh mozzarella slices -you can’t go wrong with warm, melty goodness. I like using mozzarella slices or shreds because it’s mild and doesn’t take away from the flavors, but you can try cheddar or your favorite melty cheese.
Dried oregano -adds fresh, herby flavor.
Crushed red pepper flakes -add a bit of heat for more depth of flavor.
What if I don’t have croissants?
Feel free to substitute bagels, Greek bread rings, pita, or your favorite sliced bread for the croissants. I even made it the other day in a wrap!
What’s in the chicken salad?
Chicken tenders -I use these because they’re so tender and create the perfect texture for the chicken salad. I encourage you to get these just for this recipe, but you can substitute any chicken you have on hand in a pinch.
Mayonnaise -add as much as you like because some prefer dryer chicken salad, and some prefer creamy. Make it how you like it.
Bell pepper -diced to add a fresh, sweet crunch to each bite.
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper -mayo is traditionally salty, so I go light but add as much as your family likes.
Scallions -thinly sliced distributes throughout the salad, and adds so much freshness.
Pepperoncini -I love adding these because they’re tangy, salty, and a little spicy.
Dried oregano -or fresh parsley for herbiness.
Could I add more or swap veggies?
Sliced kalamata olives would add even more Mediterranean flavor, and diced roasted red peppers would add a soft roast flavor. If you have pickled red onion slices, they would be amazing on top of the whole sandwich.
How do I cook the chicken?
Boil the chicken tenders in salted water until fully cooked. Cool, drain, and shred the chicken. Discard any rubbery parts and fat. Place the shredded chicken in a bowl.
How do I make your chicken salad?
Add the mayonnaise, pepper, bell pepper, and scallions to the chicken. Then, thinly slice the pepperoncini peppers and add them to the chicken salad. Mix everything and taste, and add some salt if needed.
How do I make the chicken salad melts?
Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C. Slice the croissants in half lengthwise and place them onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Top with chicken salad and a slice or two of fresh mozzarella (or your favorite cheese). Sprinkle some oregano and crushed red pepper flakes on top of the cheese.
How long do I cook these melts?
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until the cheese melts -about 9-10 minutes. Turn the oven’s broiler element on high for the last 1-2 minutes so that the cheese gets some color (optional).
Can I cook the melts in the Air Fryer?
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 350 °F and air fry the chicken melts for 7 minutes. It crisps the croissant and melts the cheese, just like when I cook my Greek chicken and phyllo pies in the air fryer.
Tell me more about your niece’s tuna salad melts!
You can use this exact recipe. Just substitute tuna for the chicken. Make it both ways and let me know which your family likes best!
How do I serve chicken salad melts?
Because the cheese gets melty and stringy, I serve these immediately for brunch or an easy dinner. They would go perfectly with a Greek lettuce salad, creamy Greek cucumber salad, arugula salad, or summer fruit salad. Kali Orexi!
Watch the Video:
Chicken Salad Melt (over a Croissant)
Creamy & flavorful chicken salad in toasted buttery croissants topped with cheese are out of this world delicious. Make them for brunch or for dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 Croissants
- fresh mozzarella slices
- dried oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes
For the Chicken Salad:
- 2 pounds chicken tenders (about 12 tenders)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise or to taste
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- salt. to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 6 pepperoncini, or to taste
- dried oregano or fresh parsley
optional:
- sliced olives
- diced roasted red peppers
- pickled red onion slices
Instructions
- Boil the chicken tenders in salted water until fully cooked. Cool, drain and shred the chicken. Discard any rubbery parts and fat. Place the shredded chicken in a bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, pepper, bell pepper, scallions to the chicken.
- Thinly slice the peperoncini peppers and add them to the chicken salad. Mix everything together and taste. Add some salt if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
- Slice the croissants in half lengthwise and place them onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Top with chicken salad and a slice or two of fresh mozzarella (or your favorite cheese). Sprinkle some oregano and crushed red pepper flakes on top of the cheese.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until the cheese melts. About 9-10 minutes. Turn the broiler element of the oven on high for the last 1-2 minutes so that the cheese gets some color (optional).
- Serve immediately. Kali Orexi!
Notes
Feel free to substitute bagels, Greek bread rings, or your favorite sliced bread for the croissants.
Air Fryer Instructions: Preheat the air fryer to 350 °F and air fry the chicken melts for 7 minutes
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