Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sunday's Chicken Panini Sandwich

Chicken Panini Sandwich

4 chicken breasts thinly sliced
roasted red peppers in jar
fresh spinach
shredded or sliced mozzarella

sliced bread (preferably wheat, wholegrain, or rye) - we're using Aldi's hoaggie rolls.

season chicken breast with salt and pepper then saute or bake until cooked thoroughly.  (if your chicken is cooled because you cooked it earlier or bought ready-to-go chicken you should reheat it - panini's need warm chicken!).

Barbara says to saute spinach in pan with olive oil on low heat. add salt.  Kim prefers to keep the spinach only SLIGHTLY wilted, so she uses fresh spinach and just lets it wilt when the panini is cooking.

Place cooked chicken breast on bread, top with spinach (done your way), roasted red pepper and mozzarella, top with breadslice.  Place on a hot panini maker and cook for 30 seconds, or place in a slightly greased, or sprayed with cooking spray, hot, lidded frypan and heat over low heat, until cheese is melted.

serve with fruit, preferrably fresh (grapes!) and pretzels if you have them in your pantry.

 
Before I got my Panini maker (Walgreens, $15 range a year or so ago!) I used my stovetop grill pan and it's cover - got the cover hot by setting it on the grill pan then quickly lifting it, inserting the sandwich, then placing the HOT cover onto the sandwich (cooking on top and bottom) ... Since I like the "lines on both sides" of my panini, I would spray the top of the sandwich with cooking spray about 1/2 way thru the cooking and flip it over ... JUST as easy to do it this way, and you don't have to store the panini press - but if you got the toys, you might as well play with them! 
If you have neither a stovetop grill pan nor a panini press, think "grown up grilled cheese" and cook in a frying pan.
You could also use the George Forman grill if you prefer.
Brought to you by the Fit, Fast & Frugal Foodies

1 comment:

  1. The sandwhich was a snap to make and I know that for fact b/c I had somewhere to go tonight, but had to get dinner ready for 3 kids and Grandma. I did season and bake the Chicken, but everything else was left in the hands of my very capable niece Julie(11). She loved using the panini maker, and did a great job! Sunday night, our usual "go to" meal is pizza. We usually order a couple and pay at least $30.00. This sandwhich was tasty, healty and easy, and letting kids help with the cooking, may get them to try more foods!

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