Quick Chicken Parmigiana Panini

This is a shortcut recipe to getting all those great flavors of Chicken Parmigiana without spending a long time making the original.  For this super quick lunchtime or light dinner treat, you can pick up a few convenience items at the grocery on the way home and have a gourmet, deli-worthy panini in only a few minutes!  And since you aren't staring down a breaded and fried dinner with a pile of pasta, you won't be too weighed down to get out and take that walk after dinner that you've been promising yourself.

I want to preemptively say (again) that this is a  shortcut recipe.  No, I'm not making the components from scratch.  It's for a fast and easy meal.  Of course you can use your delicious homemade sauces, chicken, etc. 

Click for Printable Recipe 

Ingredients:

• French bread
• prepared marinara
• freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano
• cooked, grilled and sliced chicken breast strips
• fresh basil leaves (or dried basil)
• shredded, part-skim mozzarella
• sliced provolone 
• just a bit of mayonnaise 

Method:

It feels a little silly giving you a "method" to make a sandwich, but here goes... as some people like having explicit directions.    The short version:  Make the sandwich, grill and press it!  There.  :)    

The longer version:  Find yourself some lovely French or Italian bread. 

Apply some store-bought marinara to the inside of each piece that you will be using.  Choose the brand of your choice.  If you have some marinara that you have already made, use it. 

Starting with the "bottom" bread, add some freshly grated Parmigiana reggiano, your pieces of cooked chicken, some basil, shredded mozzarella, and provolone.  

Parmigiana reggiano

Grilled chicken strips

Basil - either fresh or dried.  You choose.

Sliced Provolone cheese.

Shredded mozzarella.

Top with the second "top" bread that also has marinara spread onto it.  

Add marinara to the top piece.  I like the chunkier marinara because I like having the pieces of tomatoes.  I'm sure you can find a smoother version if that's your preference.

Look good, already, right?!

Now to get this beautiful golden brown color, spread a little mayonnaise to the outside of each bread.  You can use butter or cooking spray, but the mayo really browns beautifully... and no - it won't taste like mayo.  

You can grill them on a grill pan, on a panini machine, on a George Foreman-type grill, on a black iron skillet, or just a plain old non-stick skillet.  I LOVE my grill pan, and use it all the time!

Flip when brown, and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown.  Pressing them gets all the ingredients "glued together."  If you are using just a skillet, consider putting a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it.      

Serve with a side of marinara.

Did you enjoy this recipe?  Then please pop on over to my Recipe Index for tons of ideas to cook with and for your family.  Crazy about Italian food?  Here are a few more...

Mozzarella Caprese Skewers

Chicken Mezzaluna

Tomato Basil Chicken

Eggplant Parmigiana

Super Easy Stuffed Shells

Written Method:

It feels a little silly giving you a "method" to make a sandwich, but here goes... as some people like having explicit directions.    The short version:  Make the sandwich, grill and press it!  There.  :)    

The longer version:  Find yourself some lovely French or Italian bread.  Apply store-bought marinara to the inside of each piece that you will be using.  Starting with the "bottom" bread, add grated Parmigiana reggiano, your pieces of cooked chicken, some basil, shredded mozzarella, and provolone.   Top with the second "top" bread that also has marinara spread onto it.  Now to get this beautiful golden brown color, spread a little mayonnaise to the outside of each bread.  You can use butter or cooking spray, but the mayo really browns beautifully... and no - it won't taste like mayo.  You can grill them on a grill pan, on a panini machine, on a George Foreman-type grill, on a black iron skillet, or just a plain old non-stick skillet.  Pressing them gets all the ingredients "glued together."  If you are using just a skillet, consider putting a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it.

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Loaded Baked Potato Slabs with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

You know Summer is imminent when you have a house full of teenagers... fishing out back on the lake, riding dune buggies, and having a great time!  Then they descend upon the kitchen - ravenous!  Well if you are looking for something to feed them... try this recipe on for size!  I assure you, there was not even one piece left over.  I did manage to have ONE of these, but abdicated the rest to the boys.

Almost everyone I know loves loaded potato skins... but you can only get like two skins from each potato.  By making thick slices of the potatoes, I can get many more from each potato.  Granted, there isn't much "skin," but the potato itself serves as the vessel to convey all the yummy toppings.

Click for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
Hmmm.. let's see here.  This one was just for fun, so I didn't even write notes.  The ingredient amounts will depend, obviously, on the quantity you are making.  We're gonna have to float through this recipe a bit.  The idea here is to top them however you would like them.

• large russet baking potatoes
• 1 used 4 for a large pan.  Allow perhaps allow 1 per person.
• kosher salt for salting the water
• 4 - 5 strips of bacon
• grated cheese
• I used a cheddar, mozzarella blend
• Seasoning of your choice for potatoes - salt, pepper, garlic powder?, creole seasoning?, Maybe a pre-made spice rub would be good.  Whatever you want to spice them up.  
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro
• chives to garnish

Step-by-Step:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Please wash and scrub the potatoes first.  They WERE grown in dirt, you know. 

Yes, I do have pink Disney princess plates in my sink.  Doesn't everyone?

Cut them into thick slabs.  I used the widest setting on my mandolin.  

Add cold water to cover the potatoes, salt the water, and bring to a boil. 

Allow to boil for about 5 minutes.  They should still be firm.  We are only partially cooking them. 

Don't overcook them or they will turn to mush!

While the potatoes are cooking, I cooked some bacon.  I cut the bacon into lardons - about 1/2" pieces.  Cook the bacon until crisp.  Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate, but save the bacon grease.  

I used Maple flavored bacon just to have that extra flavor, but the bottom line is - use what you have!

When the potatoes are done, drain them and rinse in cold water. 

Pat the potatoes dry, then drizzle with the bacon grease, then season them up liberally.  

Roast the potatoes at around 400 degrees F until you see a nice brown on them, flip and roast the other side.  It may take 10 - 12 minutes per side.  Just keep roasting them until they look done.  I roasted them on a cooking rack so the hot air could circulate under them as well.  After they are brown'ish, add your toppings - cheese, crumbled bacon, chives, whatever you fancy.  Put them back in the oven until everything is melted and bubbly and delicious looking. 

While I waited, I mixed up a little dipping sauce:  Greek yogurt, lime juice, chili powder, fresh cilantro, a little of the crumbled bacon, and some seasoning (salt, pepper, whatever).  Need to save yourself a step or two?   You could just serve this with ranch dressing (or a spicy ranch).  I was just looking to do something a little different.  Don't care for Greek yogurt?  Use sour cream instead.

Plain, Greek yogurt.  Maybe 1/2 a cup?

Juice of 1 whole fresh lime

Chili powder (or chipotle chili powder if you prefer). 1/4 - 1/2 tsp?

crumbled bacon.. I may have had about 1 - 2 Tbsp left over.

fresh chopped cilantro.  Ummm  about 1 Tbsp.

Adjust your seasonings and get ready for the troops to move in!

Add salt, pepper, etc to your liking

When everything is brown and bubbly, remove them and serve with the dipping sauce.

Find some kiddos and turn them loose! 

Are you feeling sorry for my kids yet?  Sometimes, I'm sure they wish for more regular stuff.  "Why can't you just throw some ranch dressing in there?" And then other times, I'll hear from other kids (or their parents) about how much they enjoyed something "cool" that I made here while they were over.  I guess it's just my kids' job to grumble a bit every now and then about the stuff I make.  :) 

Enjoyed the recipe? Then please check out my Recipe Index for tons of ideas for you to cook for your hungry kiddos!  Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Baked Chicken Taquitos

Meatball Stuffed Buns

Meatball Stuffed Fried Ravioli

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

Homemade Snickers Bars

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne

Method:
Please wash and scrub the potatoes first.  They WERE grown in dirt, you know.  Cut them into thick slabs.  I used the widest setting on my mandolin.  Add cold water to cover the potatoes, salt the water, and bring to a boil.  Allow to boil for about 5 minutes.  They should still be firm.  We are only partially cooking them.  While the potatoes are cooking, I cooked some bacon.  I cut the bacon into lardons - about 1/2" pieces.  Cook the bacon until crisp.  Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate, but save the bacon grease.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and rinse in cold water.  Drizzle the potatoes with the bacon grease, then season them up liberally.   Roast the potatoes until you see a nice brown on them, flip and roast the other side.  I roasted them on a cooking rack so the hot air could circulate under them as well.  After they are brown'ish, add your toppings - cheese, crumbled bacon, chives, whatever you fancy.  Put them back in the oven until everything is melted and bubbly and delicious looking.  While I waited, I mixed up a little dipping sauce:  Greek yogurt, lime juice, chili powder, fresh cilantro, a little of the crumbled bacon, and some seasoning (salt, pepper, whatever).

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