Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich

By junerodgers

Ingredients

• For the tomato sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 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
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided use
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• For the grilled cheese sandwich:
• Tomato sauce
• Cooked chicken
• Fontina cheese
• Deli Rolls
• Butter
• Fresh Basil, ribboned

Preparation

Step 1

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!!