Panera Bread is launching a Chef’s Chicken Sandwich on March 30, creating a new menu platform that expands its warm and hearty options.
The fast casual’s launch of flatbread pizzas in 2020 and warm grain bowls in 2019 resonated very strongly with consumers, said Eduardo Luz, Chief Brand and Concept Officer for Panera. Demand was high to add more items that skew towards dinner—a daypart that grew for the chain during the pandemic.
That is the intention of the new chicken sandwich.
It is “very differentiated” from those that surged to popularity in the QSR segment, said Luz. “Our chef created two versions of the sandwich—a Signature Take and a Spicy Take—that are true to Panera’s clean ingredient and animal welfare standards, as well as being delicious and better for you,” he said.
Both versions start with a 4.25-ounce chicken breast filet, sourced from antibiotic-free, humanely raised chickens. The filet is marinated in a savory seasoned broth, then seared and cooked sous vide to keep it tender, flavorful and juicy.
The two takes are both layered on Panera’s slightly sweet, buttery brioche, a carrier that’s a signature for the bakery-rooted chain, and topped with fresh baby greens. But here the builds go their separate ways.
The signature sandwich is layered with aioli sauce—made with olive oil, garlic and spices using a personal recipe from the file of Panera’s chef. Parmesan crisps are added on top for flavor and crunch.
The spicy version is slathered with Buffalo sauce, a blend of cayenne pepper, roasted garlic, honey and molasses. Crispy spicy pickle chips complete the build with a pop of bold flavor and crunch.
Both will sell for about $10, depending on location, and can be ordered as part of Panera’s Pick Two menu, paired with soup or salad.
“The R&D took a long time as we worked to differentiate the chicken sandwich,” said Luz. “We don’t fry anything in our stores, and the Chef’s Chicken Sandwich is not breaded or fried, making it unique and healthier. Like everything else at Panera, it’s made to order.”
The 4.25-ounce chicken breast filet is a new SKU for the chain, but “we intend to use it in other dishes,” said Luz. “Everything else is new, too—the chef’s aioli, the Buffalo sauce and the spicy pickles. But these ingredients can be cross-utilized in other applications.”
The sous vide equipment was already in the stores but had to be adapted to this new use through staff training.
Also new is the packaging. “We developed a new package for off-premise sandwich orders,” said Luz. “It opens like a gift box and the sandwich emerges wrapped in thermal paper. The sealed box and paper were designed to hold the temperature well.”
A goal during the development process was to make the sandwich portable so it could be eaten with one hand, he added. The box can also be opened with one hand, a convenience for those who are driving or sitting at a desk working.
The two chicken sandwiches are listed in a special new menu section dedicated to this category. “They will star prominently on the permanent menu—not as LTOs,” said Luz.
And going forward, there will be more innovation on the chicken sandwich platform, he added.
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