Chicken Parmesan Focaccia Sandwich
May 12, 2025
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If you love chicken parmesan and you love focaccia, then this chicken parmesan focaccia sandwich is your dream come true. Think crispy, golden chicken schnitzel coated in parmesan, smothered in a rich tomato and basil sauce, layered with melted cheese, garlic confit aioli and homemade pesto. To finish off, it's all tucked between two slices of pillowy homemade focaccia. It’s the ultimate chicken parmesan focaccia sandwich — and yes, it’s as good as it sounds.
If there’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you love a good sandwich — especially when it’s packed with bold Italian flavours and tucked inside a golden, crispy, soft-and-pillowy slice of homemade focaccia. This chicken parma focaccia sandwich is comfort food at its absolute finest.
It’s got it all: crispy crumbed chicken (my mum’s iconic recipe), a rich tomato and basil sauce, authentic homemade pesto, creamy garlic confit aioli, melted cheese, and that glorious slab of focaccia to hold it all together. Yes, it takes a little time, love, and care to bring it to life — but one bite, and you’ll understand why it’s so worth it.
And hey, if you’re in a pinch and need to call in store-bought bread, condiments or breadcrumbs, absolutely no judgement here. Just promise me you’ll try the garlic confit aioli at least once!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It’s a classic Daen’s Kitchen creation – loaded with all the flavours you know and love from me: crispy crumbed chicken, garlic confit, pesto, aioli, and a thick slice of golden homemade focaccia.
- Everything is made from scratch – from the focaccia to the sauces – but it’s totally adaptable. Short on time? Store-bought works too and it’ll still be absolutely delicious.
- It’s the ultimate comfort food sandwich – cheesy, saucy, garlicky, crispy and soft all at once. One bite and you’ll understand why this one’s destined to become a favourite.
Ingredients
This sandwich is a true Daen’s Kitchen all-star — made entirely with existing recipes that you might already have on repeat. From my no-knead focaccia to garlic confit, pesto, aioli and crispy crumbed chicken, it’s a greatest hits of flavour all rolled into one epic bite.
- Fluffy Focaccia – Soft, golden, and crispy-edged. I use my no-knead focaccia recipe (any one of my toppings will work) as the base — it’s pillowy perfection and holds everything together beautifully.
- Crispy crumbed chicken – My mum’s famous recipe! Juicy chicken breasts coated in our homemade breadcrumbs and pan-fried in olive oil until golden and crunchy.
- Tomato and basil sauce – A rich, garlicky sugo made with tinned tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic.
- Mortar & Pestle Pesto – Homemade basil pesto for that herby, nutty hit of flavour.
- Garlic confit aioli – Creamy, garlicky and absolutely addictive. This aioli brings the whole sandwich to life.
- Cheese – I use parmesan and mozzarella for that perfectly melty finish, but any melty cheese you love will work.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Chicken Parmesan Focaccia Sandwich
This sandwich may have a few moving parts, but they all come together to create something seriously special. You’ll start by prepping each component — the focaccia, crispy chicken, sauces and aioli — then layer them up into the most flavour-packed sandwich of your life. Whether you go fully homemade or mix in a few store-bought shortcuts, this is one of those recipes that’s worth every bite.
Step 1: In a frypan on a low - medium heat, drizzle the sliced focaccia with olive oil and lightly toast.
Step 2: Begin with a layer of garlic confit aioli.
Step 3: Followed by a layer of pesto.
Step 4: Place the cooked chicken parma on top of the aioli and pesto.
Step 5: Finish off with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Step 6: Top with the other half of the focaccia and cut in half.
FAQ'S
Yes! You can prep all the elements ahead of time — bake the focaccia, make the chicken, sauces and aioli — and store them separately. Assemble the sandwich fresh to keep everything crispy and melty.
Homemade focaccia is my go-to for this recipe. It’s soft, golden, and sturdy enough to hold all the saucy, cheesy goodness. If you’re short on time, ciabatta or Turkish bread are great store-bought alternatives.
Absolutely! Swap the crumbed chicken for crispy eggplant slices or roasted mushrooms. Keep the rest of the fillings the same — the pesto, tomato sauce, and garlic confit aioli still bring loads of flavour.
Provolone, mozzarella, or a combo of both melt beautifully and give that signature cheesy stretch. You can also use parmesan in the crumb and layer for an extra punch of flavour.
How To STore
All the recipes in this sandwich are designed to be made in large batches and stored so you can use them throughout the week in other meals. From the garlic confit aioli to the focaccia and crispy chicken, each element keeps well and can be repurposed in countless ways — think pasta, toasties, salads, and more. The focaccia can be wrapped and kept at room temperature for 1–2 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days. The crumbed chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, and the sauces — garlic confit aioli, basil pesto and tomato sugo — will last up to a week in the fridge.
When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat the chicken in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) until warmed through and crispy again. Toast the focaccia, reheat the sauce, then assemble like it’s fresh out of the kitchen.
How To Serve
This sandwich is a meal in itself, but if you want to go all out, serve it with a side of crispy triple cooked fries, a simple green salad, or even some marinated olives for that full Italian café moment. It’s best enjoyed warm, when the cheese is gooey, the aioli is melty, and the focaccia is still crisp around the edges.
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Chicken Parmesan Focaccia Sandwich
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 700 g bread flour
- 680 g lukewarm water, (100°F / 34°C) - 95% hydration
- 7 g dry yeast
- 12 g fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 60 g olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt
Garlic Confit Aioli
- 10 garlic confit cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch of flakey sea salt
Pesto
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pinenuts
- 1 cup basil
- 1.4 ounces pecorino romano, grated
- 0.7 ounces parmesan, grated
- ¾ cup olive oil, extra virgin
Tomato & Basil Sauce
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 4 garlic cloves
- 14 ounces tinned tomatoes
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- ½ cup water
- salt and pepper
Chicken parm
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- 1.7 lbs sandwich loaf
- 4 eggs
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup flour, white all purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
- 1.4 ounces parsley, finely chopped
- 2 cups olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 cup tomato and basil sauce
- 1.4 ounces mozzarella, sliced
- 1.4 ounces parmesan, grated
- fresh basil leaves, to serve
Instructions
Focaccia dough
- Activate yeast: Stir water, yeast, and honey in a medium bowl with a whisk. Wait for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, signalling that the yeast is ready.
- Dry ingredients: In a different large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Then, pour in the yeast mixture, stirring with a spoon or your hands to form a wet, sticky dough without dry spots. Cover the bowl with plastic or a damp cloth for 10 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: Afterward, with damp hands, stretch a piece of the dough and fold it across itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this action three more times, covering the dough again for another 10 minutes. This is the stretch and fold method and it will strengthen your dough. On the final stretch and fold, continue until the dough shapes into a ball.
- 1st proof: Coat a new bowl with 20g of olive oil, place the dough inside, and cover it tightly with plastic. Let it rest in the fridge between 12 to 72 hours; this is the first proof. We only need half of the dough for this recipe so slice the dough in half and use the second half for a different recipe.
- 2nd proof: Oil a baking tin with another 20g of olive oil. Move the dough there, gently stretching it to a rough rectangle, but not to the tin's edges—it will spread as it rises. Protect it with a damp cloth and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm spot.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Toppings: After the rise, dimple the dough with your fingers. Scatter the rosemary and salt all over. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil.
- Bake & rest: Bake for 30 minutes until golden on top. Allow the focaccia to cool slightly before transferring it to a wire rack to rest for 15 minutes. Slice into it and serve immediately.
Garlic confit aioli
- Blend: Place all ingredients into glass container or jug that is just wide enough to fit an immersion blender. Using an immersion blender, blend all ingredients together being careful to not move the blender up and down. Once the ingredients begin to emulsify, move the blender up and down while slowly incorporating all of the oil. Continue until you have a thick consistency.
Pesto
- Soak Basil: Remove the basil leaves from the stems and soak them in a bowl of iced water for 5 minutes. Remove and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Make a Paste: Place the garlic clove and salt into a mortar and pestle and crush until a paste forms. Add the pine nuts and pound until they are broken down but still have some texture to them. Add the basil leaves in three or four batches and pound until you have a bright green paste.
- Add Cheese & Oil: Add the grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan in three batches, mixing well between each addition. Gradually stir in the olive oil until the pesto is at a consistency you like.
Tomato & Basil Sauce
- Fry aromatics: In a large deep fry pan, bring the olive oil to heat. Turn the heat to low, add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and soft. Stir the garlic quite often to ensure it does not burn. If you are after a more mild garlic flavour, add the garlic as whole cloves and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until they begin to slightly brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic from the olive oil and set to the side.
- Prep tomatoes: If using whole tinned tomatoes, squeeze the tomatoes with your hand to slightly puree them.
- Cook sauce: In the same pan, combine the tinned tomatoes, water, a pinch of salt and pepper and ¾ of the basil. Bring to the boil then turn the heat all the way down and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Depending on the tinned tomatoes you are using, your sauce may need a little sweetness. Keep tasting your sauce as it cooks and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Chicken Parma
- Do this the day before: If your bread is fresh, lay it out onto a baking tray and leave to dry out overnight
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C .Place a cast-iron frying pan in the oven so it’s piping hot when you are ready to assemble your chicken parm. This step is very important as it will ensure your chicken stays crispy on the bottom.
- Egg wash: In a shallow wide bowl, whisk the eggs and garlic together and set to the side. By preparing this early the garlic will have time to release its flavour into the eggs.
- Prep chicken: Using a sharp knife, cut through the middle of the chicken breast horizontally. Let the knife do most of the work, applying a small amount of pressure as the knife glides through crosswise. Repeat this step with all the chicken breast. Place one piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or baking paper. Using the smooth side of a mallet, pound the chicken from the centre outwards until the breast is roughly 2cm thick and has an even thickness throughout. Place the chicken onto a large baking tray and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Breadcrumbs: Roughly tear apart the bread and place into a food processor or blender with the parsley and rosemary. Blend until the bread is still quite chunky and the herbs have been mixed through. Place the breadcrumbs into a shallow baking tray.
- Flour: In a shallow baking tray, whisk together the flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Dredging station: Begin with your flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumbs and then finished with a large clean plate or tray to place the crumbed chicken in.
- Bread chicken: Take one chicken breast and coat both sides evenly with the flour. Then place into the egg wash and coat both sides evenly. Lastly, place into the breadcrumb mixture applying pressure with your hands when you flip the chicken over to ensure the breadcrumbs are evenly coated all over. Place the chicken breast onto the clean plate and then repeat this step with the remainder of the chicken.
- Fry chicken: In a large frying pan, add the olive oil. Bring the olive oil to heat. Turn the heat down to low - medium and fry 1 - 2 pieces of chicken at a time for 2 - 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy. Place the cooked chicken onto a plate lined with absorbent paper or cooling rack.
- Broil: Take the cast-iron pan out of the oven. Change the oven setting to broil. Very carefully place the chicken in the hot cast-iron pan. Generously spoon the tomato and basil sauce on top to cover most of the chicken. Cover with the parmesan, then the mozzarella. Place under the broiler for 4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling. Allow to slightly cool, then scatter with basil leaves, if desired, and serve.
Sandwich
- Toast: Slice focaccia in half and drizzle with olive oil. In a fry pan on a low - medium heat, lightly toast the bread.
- Assemble: Assemble the sandwich by beginning with a layer of garlic confit aioli, followed by pesto. Place the chicken parma onto the spreads and top with a little extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Top with the remaining slice of focaccia, slice and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Dough: We only need half of the dough for this recipe so slice the dough in half and use the second half for a different recipe. You can use many of focaccia toppings!
- Yeast: I like to use dry yeast that needs to be activated in water however, you can use instant yeast if you prefer. There is no need to activate instant yeast so simply add it to the dry ingredients along with the water and honey.
- Flour: If you don't have bread flour, all purpose flour will also work.
- I used a mortar and pestle for my pesto, but if you’re missing this kitchen tool or are pressed for time, a food processor also works. Whizzing the pesto into a fine paste can take some patience using a mortar and pestle, but it’s important to do this so it coats the noodles evenly.
- Oil: Use the oil that the garlic roasted in for an extra garlicky flavour. Olive oil is a popular choice for making aioli, especially if you're looking for a richer, more flavorful and heart-healthy option. While traditional aioli often uses neutral oils for a milder taste, extra virgin olive oil adds depth and a slightly peppery finish. It can be a bit bold on its own, so some people prefer to use a lighter olive oil or blend it with a neutral oil to soften the flavor. Either way, olive oil gives homemade aioli a more wholesome and Mediterranean feel.
- Bread: I have found the best bread to use in a cheap white sandwich loaf. Make sure the bread is stale or a few days old. If it's fresh, you can toast it and leave it to cool before making your breadcrumbs or lay it on cooling racks the day before.
- Breadcrumbs: We aren’t looking for a fine and crumbly texture with this breadcrumb as its those chunky crusty parts that make the breadcrumb extra special. If you are using a small blender you will need to do this step in batches.
- Shallow frying: You can check if the olive oil is hot enough by placing a wooden skewer into it and seeing if bubble forms around the skewer.
- Cooking chicken: It’s best to test out one piece of chicken to make sure your cook time and heat levels are accurate. Remember your chicken will continue to cook when you take it off the heat so take it off a few seconds before you feel it’s ready.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Just wow!! I have been making your crispy crumbed chicken for years and this was such a great use of it. I bought the bread and pesto but the aioli and chicken were truly superb. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
This is the most ambitious meal I’ve ever tried. I just made the mayo and it just tastes like oil. Is there anything I can do to fix it? What did I do wrong?
You may have used a heavy olive oil! I recommend using a very light tasting olive oil or a mix of olive oil and a neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed.
Hello, I just wanted some clarification on your beautiful and delicious recipe. What needs 1 day of prep for this recipe?
Hello! That is for the focaccia if you are making it from scratch 🙂
It’s taking me a few days haha but I’m determined! 😊 For the garlic confit once it’s done, do you keep adding fresh oil to keep it submerged? Because I am scooping out the oil for the bread dough and sandwich and it’s not submerged anymore. Thanks!
I am so glad you're giving this recipe a try! I would cover the garlic cloves with some fresh olive oil just to be safe.
I made the cheesy Focaccia with tomato and garlic confit and the chicken parm and it turned out perfect! My family raved about it - including my husband (who is a steak and potato guy) who said it was the best meal I had ever cooked! I took it to my Catholic priest (who is Italian) who said it was excellent! Thank you for posting and I will definitely be making this again!
Aw I am so happy to hear that!!