Chicken, Arugula & Provolone Pressed Sammy

Like most foodies, I love kitchen gadgets & appliances but there are some that just take up more room more than they add worth. One is the Panini press. Maybe I feel this way because I have a George Foreman & it's worked beautifully for pressing & warming sandwiches through. Whatever you have or don't have, making warm melty sandwiches at home is a breeze.

This is a classic combo & one that we really enjoyed. I am falling more in love with Cuban bread because it is perfect for these sandwiches although you can use what you prefer, like Ciabatta or Sourdough. I am even going to start keeping pre-measured sections of bread in my freezer so they're sandwich ready!

{ Cuban bread will press down even thinner than sandwich shown above which was with French Bread}

CHICKEN, ARUGULA & PROVOLONE PRESSED SAMMY

{ Click for Printable Recipe }

4 chicken breast halves boneless & skinless
1 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp sage
1 tsp rosemary or thyme
Salt & Pepper
4 pieces of crusty bread like Cuban, about 6” long
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 cups arugula washed & dried
8 pieces prosciutto thinly sliced
8 pieces Provolone cheese thinly sliced

Brush chicken breasts lightly with oil. Sprinkle chicken with sage, rosemary, salt & pepper. Grill chicken breasts over charcoal grill or under broiler until firm to the touch. Transfer to plate & let cool slightly.

While chicken is cooking, cut each sandwich loaf without cutting all the way through. This will keep your sandwich from falling apart when it’s being pressed & warmed through. Hollow out the

loaf by removing just some of the bread inside.

Sprinkle bottom of each piece with vinaigrette. Divide arugula among each loaf. Layer 2 slices of prosciutto on each.

Add 2 slices of cheese. Slice each chicken breast half crosswise into diagonal slices & place on top of cheese.

Drizzle more vinaigrette over chicken. With either a Panini press, George Foreman grill or a stovetop pan, press the sandwich until warmed through & cheese is melted. {Not shown below. This is before sandwich is pressed}

{Food for Thought}

I love Cuban bread from the grocery bakery for sandwiches like this. It's crusty & warms perfectly without becoming too hard. The arugula, prosciutto & herbs are a classic combo but you can also use spinach & any other type of herb you're fond of. I am not even a big Rosemary fan so I used Thyme instead. Prosciutto is an Italian type of ham you ask for at the deli. It's saltiness adds so much flavor to a sandwich like this.

If you're using your stovetop you can lightly butter your pan & just use low heat with something heavy to press the sandwich down.

And for one of our most favorite sandwich meals ever:

Ham & Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese, with Homemade Southwestern Onion Rings

 {  Linking Deliciously to Blessed with Grace for Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  }