Chicken Soprano Panini

By cserumga

Ingredients

• For the sandwoch:
• 4 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• olive oil
• 1 Tbsp coarse ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic
• 2 medium red peppers
• 1/2 lb sharp provolone cheese, thinly sliced
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 12 leaves fresh basil
• 8 oz sliced pepperoni
• 6 ciabatta rolls
• 1/2 cup roasted garlic aioli (below)
• For the ailoi:
• 1 head of fresh garlic, stem ends removed to 1/2"
• 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• Salt
• Coarse ground black pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

For the ailoi:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the garlic, cut ends up, in an oven-safe pan or dish. Drizzle each head with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in an oven and roast for 30 to 45 minutes ot until garlic is a rich brown, caramelized color and the cloves are easily pierced with the sharp tip of a knife. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove the roasted cloves by pinching each clove to force the garlic from the skin.

Combine 3 cloves of the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt, then mash the two together using the back of a spoon to make a paste. Whisk in egg yolk and Dijon mustard. While whisking, gradually add the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify. The mixture will become thick, white, and creamy like mayonnaise. Continue adding the oil until a thick, crewamy emulsion forms. Add lemon juice and black pepper and combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.

For the sandwich:
Preheat grill to high. Combine chicken breasts with 4 Tbsp olive oil, pepper, and garlic. On a platter, rub each red pepper generously with olive oil. Place chicken and red peppers on grill. Grill chicken 7 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let cool. When cool enough to handle, cut into thin strips and set aside.

Grill red peppers, charring the skin black all over, about 20 minutes total. Transfer to a paper bag and seal, then let sit for about 5 minutes. Remove peppers from bag and peel away charred skin, leaving bright red flesh. Remove stem, seeds, and pulp, then cut into thick strips and set aside.

Brush inside of roll with olive oil, place on grill, oiled side down, and toast until golden brown. Transfer to plate. Lay out bottom half of roll, toasted side up, and spread with garlic aiolo. Top with provolone, basil, pepperoni, chicken, red pepper, mozzarella, and finally top of roll, toasted side down. Wrap sandwich in aluminum foil. Reduce heat on grill to low. Place sandwich on grill and cook for 7 minutes, turning once, until cheese is melted. Repeat process with remaining ingredients to make additional sandwiches. Remove from foil, slice in half and serve.