Category Archives: sandwich

chicken cheesesteaks

Posted on by

3

Ok, let’s take a brief recess here from the sugar and the sweets and all of those desserts that I love so much.    Just the thought of pie is making me a little… uncomfortable.  Let’s flip the “savory” switch.

And let’s lighten it up a bit… I need something with some substance to it.

Steak? No, something light… chicken maybe… but not too light… let’s put it on some bread.

There we go…  swap out fatty rib-eye steak for lean, healthy boneless-skinless chicken breasta healthy(er) alternative to your sinful cheesesteak sandwich, .

Or, at this time of year, it may even be a resourceful way to use up the last of that dreaded leftover Thanksgiving turkey… ugh… turkey… let’s not use that word again for… at least a week or two.

Even though I have several cheese sauce recipes lurking in my “to do” lists, I can never actually bring myself to make them, especially not with the amount of food I’ve devoured in the past week… so I opted for sliced provolone cheese instead.

I’m not trying to claim that these are “authentic”, in fact I wouldn’t even call them “cheesesteak” if I had a better name for them…

Philly Chicken-Cheesesteaks?

Philly cheese-chickens?  Nah…

Phoenix Chicken-Steaks?

Ooh, I like that, maybe add some hatch chiles and monterey jack cheese… oh man.  Just thinking out loud here.  I’ve definitely smeared some leftover chipotle aioli on these babies and it was pretty amazing…

Chicken “Cheesesteaks”

[ Printable Recipe ]

  • 1 lb thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
  • 1 sweet onion, sliced
  • 6 slices provolone (or cheese of your choice)
  • 6 french rolls, halved lengthwise
  • salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or heat your broiler (high or low, whatever you prefer).  Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan over medium/medium-high heat.

2. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.  A shake or two of garlic powder never hurt anyone either, just sayin.  Cook with a teaspoon or two of olive oil over medium high until cooked through, set aside.

3. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan, and sauté peppers and onions until just tender-crisp. Salt and pepper onions and peppers to taste. Set aside.

4. Line a baking pan with foil.  Slice chicken breast into thin strips, toss with peppers and onions, and put into six “piles” on the baking sheet.  Place one slice of cheese on top of each pile, and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.  (If you have an oven-safe pan, and the ability to remember NOT TO GRAB A SUPER HOT HANDLE, you could just use your pan… but some of us aren’t that skilled).

5. Once cheese is melted, carefully remove pan from oven, and mix the chicken, peppers, onions, and cheese and pile each onto a French roll.  You can eat as is, or tightly wrap the whole sandwich in foil (with another piece of cheese, if you’re feeling naughty) and return to the oven for a few minutes to heat the bread through.

teriyaki chicken sandwich

Posted on by

2

I’ve got a treat for you, and it’s not just this amazing chicken sandwich.

I’m part of an elite, top-secret baking team hand-picked by Stefanie of The Cupcake Project. Together, we are testing what may just be the world’s ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe. I can’t tell you much, just that I CAN’T WAIT to tell you ALL ABOUT them!!! But I can’t do that yet…
I CAN tell you all about Stefanie’s “Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake” recipe, which I plan to make today as well. The chocolate ones, though… those ones you will have to wait for. Assuming, of course, that it is deemed the “ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe.”
These sandwiches, though. These are another thing entirely. BF said he wanted “chicken sandwiches” for lunch one day, and then I came home and made these. I’m not sure if they are exactly what he had in mind, but they have quickly become one of our favorite meals.
It’s grilled teriyaki chicken breast with avocado, tomato, lettuce, onion, and spicy sriracha mayo sandwiched between a crisp and toasty ciabatta bun. You need to make these. Like now. When I tried to complain to BF about posting it, because I didn’t have any “amazing pictures” he said “WHO CARES!? IT’S SO GOOD!” … so you have him to thank for this post. :) He was very concerned about you being able to enjoy these sandwiches.
Oh, and let’s not forget our virtual picnic on pinterest! If I don’t respond to your tag (Pinterest can be a little wonky sometimes), feel free to send an e-mail requesting to be a contributor to me at wee.eats@gmail.com or you can just comment on this post with a link to your pinterest account. :)
Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
Your favorite teriyaki marinade (I think I just used a bottled one – Lawry’s or something)
1 avocado, sliced
4 scallions, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
Lettuce of your choice (Romaine is ok, but I think arugula would be great)
Cilantro (optional)
4 ciabatta buns, split
Sriracha Mayo
1/4 cup mayo
1 Tablespoon sriracha
Drizzle olive oil (about a teaspoon)
1. Marinate chicken according to marinade directions. I marinate it for about 45 minutes.
2. While chicken is marinating, make the sriracha mayo and slice the toppings.
To make the mayo – Mix the sriracha, mayo, and oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Other flavorful (optional) mix-ins include sambal olek (chili-garlic paste), splash of lime, scallions, or cilantro.
3. Preheat grill and cook chicken until done. Tent loosely with foil.
4. Spread sriaracha mayo on ciabatta buns and grill, mayo side down, until toasted.
5. When ready to assemble sandwiches, cut chicken breasts int strips at a 45 degree angle. Assemble sandwiches – I like to sprinkle scallions on the bottom bun, top with the avocado, then tomato, then chicken (3 to 4 strips, depending on how big of strips you cut), and lettuce on top.

not your average chicken sandwich

Posted on by

3

Close your eyes, wait don’t do that or you won’t be able to read this. Read this, then close your eyes and imagine, if you will, grilled ciabatta with basil mayo layered with warm, grilled chicken breast, asiago cheese, roasted red peppers (see, told you you’d need these), arugula and red onion. Do you see it in your mind’s eye? Can you smell it? Taste it?

For some reason I NEEDED this sandwich. I woke up with it in my head, had all of the ingredients on hand, and my brain was just repeating over and over “grilled chicken sandwich”, “asiago”, “roasted red peppers”, “ciabaaaataaaaaa”…. Which really isn’t a normal thing for it to repeat, normally it’s more along the lines of, ”CHOCOLATE CAKE”, “PEANUT BUTTERRRRR”.

My brain (and stomach) were being held hostage, so I had no choice but to make it happen, and it was every bit as delicious as I imagined.

Ok, now wipe the puddle of drool off of your desk and go get the ingredients and make this sandwich. Now.

Oh, and you can serve it with some roasted red pepper soup and asiago croutons. For this meal, I just doctored some Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup with a little chicken stock, asiago, basil, and croutons. It was a match made in heaven.

I’m not really one to brag, but this meal just really hit the spot for me. Warm, comforting, homey, and filling…. just wow.

As much as I loved this sandwich, I can’t end this post without mentioning how much I love my new light box (thanks BF!). This thing is amazing. Of course, natural light reigns supreme for photos, but I am in a serious state of shock when I can take photos like the ones here on a day like this:

Gross, right? Without this light box I would have been screwed. Royally screwed. These photos wouldn’t have even been an option. My only wish is that it had come with more backdrops, but no biggie. I can easily fashion my own backdrops with a little cloth and some velcro. I just need the time… and motivation.

*Update – I’ve been using leftover ingredients from this sandwich to make wraps for lunch during the week …. still delicious :)

Asiago Chicken Sandwich – serves 2 (but can easily serve more)

[Printable Recipe]

For sandwich:

  • 1 (½ lb) chicken breast, cooked and sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted
  • ½ small red onion, sliced
  • 4 slices asiago cheese
  • handful arugula
  • 1 small loaf ciabatta, sliced in half
  • basil mayo (recipe follows)

For mayo:

  • ¼ cup mayo
  • bunch of basil, minced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

1. Make your basil mayo by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or food processor. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

2. Roast your red pepper(s) if you haven’t already, peel off the skin, cut to desired size and set aside until ready to use.

3. Cook your chicken breast as desired. I marinated mine in some stock, salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and thyme. Then grilled it over high heat for 6 minutes each side, then rest tented with foil for ten minutes. Set aside.

(You can do everything up to here a day ahead of time, and save grilling the bread for last. Or, don’t even grill the bread and have a tasty cold sandwich instead :) )

4. While the chicken is resting, spread basil mayo on your ciabatta (you won’t all of the mayo). Grill over medium high to high heat until toasted (alternatively, you can toast it in a nonstick skillet, or under the broiler).

5. Assemble sandwiches however you like (some people like the toppings on the bottom, some like them on top, whatever you do, just get them in there)

short rib grilled cheese

Posted on by

1

Even though I was convinced I just saw this recipe a couple weeks ago in my Bon Appétit, I went back to my bookshelf and turns out… February 2010 cover recipe. No big deal. Apparently the cover picture was just hibernating in my subconscious waiting for the perfect time to spring out and jerk my hunger chains. Grilled cheese and short rib sandwich with pickled caramelized onions and arugula… yeah, pretty full of win.

The issue? Finding short ribs. I checked all my usual stores during my regular shopping and didn’t see any. Finally, the morning after thanksgiving, I stopped at the store on my way home from the gym. I found short ribs, but they were the “last chance 50% off buy these before they spoil” short ribs… not gonna cut it. Unfortunately for them, that let me know that the option existed. The friendly man behind the meat counter at my local Safeway grocery store was sweet enough to go in the back and cut them for me fresh. I was so excited… until he handed me the package.

30+ dollars for my package of short ribs!? Wish I had known that ahead of time. I was tempted to dump them into the cooler and abandon my dreams of short rib grilled cheese… but after waiting for like 25 minutes for the poor guy to get them, cut them, and package them specially for me, I felt obligated to purchase them. I went to buy a loaf of hearty bread and… there was none. I probably should’ve anticipated that the store would be ransacked and empty the day after thanksgiving, but I didn’t. what ever happened to home-made rolls, people? Fresh bread for thanksgiving? Come on, lazybones, a loaf of store bought bread on thanksgiving? Really? Leaving me with no options the next day? I gave up and was forced to use wimpy bread, making it more of a knife-and-fork sandwich, but delicious no less.

Still medium defeated, I returned home and began cooking. Sure, I should’ve been eating leftovers, but this sandwich was in my head. I couldn’t get it out. I needed to make it before my brain exploded. I began braising the short ribs on the stove top, made my onions ahead of time, and sat around all day while the house smelled delicious.

Boyfriend ate one and a half sandwiches, they were darn tasty. My issue was with the short ribs themselves. Even after I picked out as much fat as I could, I felt like I threw away pretty much half of my meat. $15 of meat just gone, because I deemed it too fatty. So while the sandwiches were delicious, I don’t know if I would spring for short ribs again, or if I did I might pull the trick of putting the cooked short ribs in the oven to dry out a bit. I bet that would be super tasty…

Regardless, I give you

Bon Appetit’s Grilled Cheese and Short Rib Sandwiches (with Pickled Caramelized Onions and Arugula )

[ Printable Recipe ]

Short Ribs

  • 5 pounds beef short ribs
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
  • 1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large fresh thyme sprig

Pickled Caramelized Onions

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Assembly

  • Butter, room temperature
  • 16 slices country-style crusty white bread
  • 12 ounces Petit Basque or Monterey
  • Jack cheese, sliced
  • 4 cups baby arugula

For the Short Ribs

1. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook beef until browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme sprig; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Season with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot, propping up on sides and arranging in single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.

3. Using tongs, turn ribs over in pot. Cover and simmer until ribs are tender and sauce is very thick, occasionally rearranging ribs in pot to prevent sticking, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Uncover and cool 30 minutes.

4. Transfer ribs to work surface. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig. Spoon off fat from sauce in pot. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces, trimming any fat. Return meat to pot.

* Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm just until lukewarm before using.

Pickled Caramelized Onions

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and cook until almost all vinegar is absorbed, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl; cool.

* Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Microwave in 15-second intervals until lukewarm before using.

Assembly

1. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with waxed paper. Butter 8 bread slices; place 4 slices, buttered side down, on each prepared sheet.

2. Divide short rib mixture among bread slices, about 1/2 cup for each. Divide cheese among sandwiches. Spoon about 1/4 cup onions over each sandwich. Place large handful of arugula atop onions. Top with remaining 8 bread slices. Spread bread with butter.

* Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

3. Heat griddle over medium heat. Working in batches, cook sandwiches until bread is golden brown and cheese melts, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface. Cut each in half on diagonal. Transfer to plates and serve.