Mains/ Recipes

C is for: Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese

As you may have noticed, I’ve been cheerfully enjoying National
Grilled Cheese Month with my Green Bean Casserole Grilled Cheese Sliders and my
Grilled Cheese Roundup over on Brit. I just couldn’t help myself, so I was back
at it in the kitchen this week coming up with another delicious creation. This
one was inspired with my favorite sandwich at La Villa Delicatessen in Willow
Glen. It’s been awhile since I’ve had one, so I can’t remember exactly, but I
think their version is more of a sandwich rather than a melt. Either way, my
rendition turned out AH-mazing (if I do say so myself).

I’m not going to tell you lies. This is not a healthy
sandwich. BUT…I did make my own tomato sauce and I baked the chicken instead of
frying it, so that cut down on the calories a bit. I went with Fontina cheese
because it seems to melt better than mozzarella, and I really like the way it
tastes with the chicken and tomato sauce.

If you like Chicken Parmesan, you are going to L-O-V-E this
sandwich. So what are you waiting for? Click here to check out the step-by-step instructions over
on Brit.

Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese

by Jaymee Sire

Keywords: bake grill entree sandwich basil chicken tomato cheese

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Ingredients (2 sandwiches)

For the tomato sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ of a yellow onion, chopped
2-3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
salt
pinch of sugar (optional)

For the chicken:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt& pepper
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided use
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

For the grilled cheese sandwich:

Tomato sauce
Cooked chicken
Fontina cheese
Deli Rolls
Butter
Fresh Basil, ribboned

Instructions

For the tomato sauce:

Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. Add the tomatoes, paste, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning (crush the dried herbs in your hand to release oils). Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove lid and simmer a bit longer to allow sauce to thicken. (Some people recommend removing the tomato skins first, but I don’t find it necessary). Season with salt and do a taste test. If it seems a little too sour, add a little sugar.

For the chicken:

Pound a chicken breast to about ¼ inch thickness and cut into pieces that are similar to the bread or roll you are using. (I found that one large chicken breast produced enough for two sandwiches.) Season both sides with salt and pepper.
To do the breading, you’ll need 3 shallow trays. In the first, combine flour and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. In the second, whisk egg and olive oil. In the third, combine bread crumbs, the other teaspoon of Italian seasoning and Parmesan. Dredge each piece in the flour, then the egg wash, then the breading and place on baking sheet lined with Parchment paper. (Alternatively, you could fry the chicken pieces, but baking is healthier). Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, turning once. (Don’t overcook!)

For the grilled cheese sandwich:

Butter each side of a deli roll, and stack with chicken, tomato sauce and cheese. Grill on medium-low heat until bread is toasty and cheese is melted. I like to wait until after grilling to add the fresh basil. Enjoy!!