Dunkin' Donuts debuts flatbread chicken sandwich

Dunkin' Donuts, the Canton-based coffee-and-baked-goods chain, continues to beef up its foods offerings as it pursues an aggressive nationwide expansion plan.

Today Dunkin' Donuts unveiled the Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich, the latest addition to its all-day menu. (The image above this story, taken from the Dunkin' Donuts website, is of another flatbread sandwich on the menu.)

According to Dunkin', the new entree features a grilled chicken fillet topped with cheddar cheese, grilled peppers and onions, and a maple-chipotle sauce, all pressed in a flatbread.

Once the chain was known as regional breakfast powerhouse, serving up doughnuts and coffee in stores heavily concentrated in the Northeast.

In recent years, the chain has looked to give its customers plenty of reasons to visit its stores at lunch time, the afternoon, and the early evening, and the Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich seems to be the latest example of this effort as Dunkin' Donuts looks to enter new markets.

Dunkin' Donuts said in today's press release that its "Oven-Toasted" menu, launched earlier this year, is the most significant change to Dunkin' Donuts product lineup since the company launched espresso-based beverages in 2003.

The Oven-Toasted menu includes flatbread sandwiches, such as the new Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich, as well as "personal pizzas" and hash brown, the company said.

Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands Inc., also of Canton.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)