Editor's Note: In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year--so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around the Windy City. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know

[Photograph: Lindsey Becker]

I think we've all been in this situation: a thick, steaming chicken parmesan sandwich lands at the table, the smell enchanting in its familiarity. Tomato sauce has already completely soaked the bottom slice of bread and is slowly rappelling down the sides of a once-crusty piece of fried chicken. To put it mildly, you know this is going to be a messy situation. You take a bite and taste crusty bread, sweet tomato sauce, and molten, vaguely salty cheese, but the chicken? Well, the chicken has shot out the other end to land in a saucy, cheesy mess on your plate (if you're lucky).

You won't have that problem with the Chicken Parmesan Panino ($11.99) at Francesca's on Chestnut (or any of the numerous Francesca's around Chicagoland). A well-seasoned, piping hot chicken breast is layered with parmesan and just enough tomato sauce to provide a hint of counterbalancing sweetness, but not enough to eject the chicken DVD-style. The best part of this structurally-sound sandwich is by far the ciabatta, which provides a comforting crusty yet pillowy-soft bite.

Francesca's

200 E Chestnut Street, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)
312-482-8200
miafrancesca.com/