SUNSET HILLS, Mo. — Panera Bread, the Sunset Hills-based bakery-cafe operator known locally as Saint Louis Bread Co., is adding chicken sandwiches to its menu nationwide next week.
On March 30, Panera will begin selling two versions of its Chef's Chicken Sandwich with a quarter-pound of all-white-meat chicken breast filet. Customers will have the choice between a "signature take" and "spicy take," but both will have crunchy toppings.
The chain spent two years working on a chicken sandwich, according to a Tuesday press release. The signature take has a garlic aioli and topped with greens and parmesan crisps. The spicy take adds spicy pickle chips and a spicy buffalo sauce. Both versions are made with clean ingredients and are on brioche rolls. The chicken for both sandwiches is marinated and seasoned, then seared and finished sous vide – vacuum sealed in plastic then slowly cooked in water at low temperature.
Panera also touted new packaging for the chicken sandwiches: a recyclable, "tear away" box that helps protect the brioche roll from being crushed and helps keep sauces from dripping out.
The sandwiches are a late newcomer to fast food chains' efforts to compete with Chick-fil-A. Popeyes made a splash in 2019, gaining viral status from a simple tweet. McDonald's revamped its chicken sandwich and debuted it in 2021 with three different versions.
Panera also is facing a far different market since 2019, with supply chain issues interrupting products and the pandemic changing consumer habits.
Click here to read the full story from the St. Louis Business Journal.