When Jay and I want sandwiches for dinner, there’s no holding back. We want hot, melty, lean over the plate and lift your elbows while you take a bite sandwiches. Some of our favorites include these meatball sub sandwiches, Jay’s philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and now our chicken parmesan sandwiches.
Jay grew up on his mom’s chicken parmesan served over homemade spaghetti. I was a little nervous in my attempt to replicate the chicken, but Jay relayed her method for creating perfectly crispy chicken and the sandwiches turned out killer.
I’m using chicken breast that’s been sliced in half lengthwise to create a thin cut. I pound the chicken with the bottom of a heavy pan to increase the surface area of the meat allowing it to get extra crispy in the pan. Each piece gets lightly coated in flour, dipped in an egg wash, then covered with a mixture of seasoned flour and bread crumbs. A few minutes in a pan filled with about half an inch of oil cooks the chicken and creates a beautiful crunchy exterior.
The chicken gets topped with the homemade sauce, a slice of provolone, and a sprinkle of parmesan then it goes under the broiler until the cheese gets bubbly. While the chicken is rolling in the oven, I toast some sandwich bread in a pan. Once the cheese is melted, I spoon more sauce on both sides of the sandwich bread and place the chicken in between the slices.
I made a roasted red pepper sauce with tomatoes and onion, but any good tomato sauce will work. To make the sauce I chopped a red bell pepper, five tomatoes, and an onion then roasted them in the oven with olive oil and spices until the vegetables were soft. I blended everything in the blender until it reached a creamy texture. We had a lot of sauce leftover but we enjoyed it with pasta during the week so none of it went to waste.
Although these sandwiches are a little labor intensive, they are absolutely worth it. The chicken is perfectly crispy, the sauce adds a nice acidic note, and the molten cheese holds everything together. Give them a try to get your sandwich fix and be sure to follow Daily Ciabatta on Instagram to keep up with the latest happenings.
Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
For the Sauce
- 5 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
- 1 Medium Onion, sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped, seeds removed
- 5-6 Whole Garlic Cloves, skin on
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Pepper
- 4-5 Rosemary Sprigs
Preheat the oven to 425. Combine the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive. Add the salt, oregano and pepper and toss everything to coat in the oil and spices. Lay the rosemary sprigs on top and roast for 25-30 minutes.
Let cool and remove the skins from the garlic. Discard the rosemary sprigs and add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and season accordingly.
For the Chicken
- 5-6 Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts (or 3 Regular Chicken Breasts, halved)
- 1/2 Cup Flour + 2 Tbsp For Dusting
- 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
- 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
- Canola Oil
- 5-6 Slices Provolone
- Buns
- 1 Tsp Olive Oil
Turn on the broiler in your oven. Place a wire baking rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add enough canola oil to the pan so that it comes up about 1/2 an inch up the side.
Place a large sheet of saran wrap on the counter and lay the chicken on top. Cover with another sheet of saran wrap and use the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken thin. Remove the top layer of saran wrap and dust the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of flour on each side.
In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup flour and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, add the eggs. Dip each chicken breast in the egg to coat, then lay the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Gently lower the chicken breast in the oil, working in batches if necessary so the pan doesn’t get crowded. Cook each chicken breast 2-3 minutes per each side until both sides are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on the prepared wire rack.
Spread 2-3 spoonfuls of sauce on each piece of chicken and top with provolone. Pop the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the top of the cheese begins to bubble and turn brown. Remove and set aside.
While the chicken is under the broiler, heat a pan over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the buns to the pan to toast. Remove and top both sides with additional sauce. Place a chicken breast on each bun and serve with additional sauce dipping.
