Spinach, Artichoke & Chicken Sandwich Melts

Whenever I am out to eat and hot spinach and artichoke dip is on the menu, I have to order it. It is one of my favorite appetizers, ever! That is how this idea came to. Wouldn't it be great if instead of having the dip as an appetizer, you could just eat it as your main dish. But maybe does it needs a little more substance? Throw in some shredded chicken and we are good to go. This sandwich combines awesome flavors that you will love. But I am going to warn you now, once you try this sandwich, you will never stop craving it. It is just that amazing!

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients 

1 lb chicken breast

14 oz can artichoke hearts

3 garlic cloves

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed

1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt

2 tbsp light cream cheese

2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Salt & black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, shred the Parmesan cheese and set aside.

Into your food processor goes the artichoke hearts and garlic cloves. Pulse until the artichokes are broken down and there is a chunky paste remaining.

Add the greek yogurt and cream cheese to a large bowl.

Mix in your artichoke paste.

Add the spinach. Make sure it is completely thawed and strain any excess liquid before adding it to the bowl.

Add both of your cheeses. Mix it all together until all ingredients are combined.

Spread the mixutre into a large baking dish and place in the oven. Cook for 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and the top is lightly golden.

While the dip is in the oven, season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to a hot pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through.

Slice your bread and butter one side of each piece. Set aside.

Once your dip is done, remove from the oven.

Once the chicken has cooled to the touch, shred it.

Now it is time to start assembling the sandwiches. Spread the non-buttered side of bread with the dip. Add a handful of shredded chicken. Top with another slice of bread that has been covered with dip. Repeat this process until all your sandwiches are made. Remember, the buttered sides of the bread should always be on the outside.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add your sandwiches to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until the bread is golden and toasted.

Remove to a servng dish. Serve for lunch or dinner. You can even make them bite sized and serve as an appetizer at your next party. Trust me, once you try these, you will be looking for ways to serve these whenever you can. Enjoy!

Cheesy Garlic Quinoa

Mac n' cheese is always a home run. It is delicious and can quickly become the perfect side dish for just about any meal. But for those of you who are trying to be conscious and eat healthier, mac n' cheese may not be an option. Insert quinoa n' cheese. The beauty of this dish is it has rich flavors and can easily substitute for mac n' cheese, but its lacking in the calories and carbs department. Now if a dish has to be lacking in something, carbs is always a good one! If you have that craving for mac n' cheese but don't want to throw your diet off track, try this recipe and I promise you won't even miss the macaroni!

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat your olive oil. Mince the garlic and add it to the pan. Toss to coat in the oil and cook for 2 minutes, continuously stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add the quinoa and chicken stock tot he same pan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

While the quinoa is cooking, shred the cheese into a bowl and set aside.

Once all the chicken stock has been absorbed, the quinoa should look plump and fluffy. Just like this:

Add in the cheese, basil, salt and pepper and give it all a good stir. Add more seasoning to your taste.

Remove to a serving dish and top with additional shredded cheese for presentation. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

This is a simple Italian seasoning recipe to add to potatoes that really enhances their flavoring. I am curious to see how it will taste on cauliflower or even roasted root vegetables. The possibilities are endless.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
2 lbs baby red potatoes
2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp parsley
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees and place a rack in the center. Scrub your potatoes clean.

Dice the potatoes into 1/4" chunks.

Add the potatoes to a baking dish and coat with oil. Toss in your spices and cheese and give it a good stir so all the potatoes are evenly covered.

Cover the pan with tinfoil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove tinfoil, use a spatula to toss up the potatoes, and then return to the oven for another 30-40 minutes. During this time, check on the potatoes every 10-12 minutes and give them a turn so all edges get crispy.

If you would like the edges to get super crispy, I suggest placing the potatoes under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn, but this will help those edges really crisp up (the way I like them). Serve and enjoy!

Tri-Colore Chicken Milanese

Today I have some big news to share with everyone, I have purchased my own domain name! Now all you have to do is go to www.theonebehindtheapron.com and you will be directed to my blog. Thanks for all your continued support.

Chicken Milanese is one of my favorite dishes because it is so quick and easy to make and it is so light and refreshing. I often top my chicken with a tri-colore salad to get the strong flavors from the different lettuces, but a regular romaine salad will also work.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts (I used 8 thinly sliced)
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used 1/2 cup regular and 1/2 cup Panko)
1 large egg
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 head radicchio
1 head endive
6 oz baby arugula
1 cup shaved slices of Parmesan
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Set up your breading station with breadcrumbs in one bowl, egg in another bowl and flour in a third bowl.

For each piece of chicken, coat first with flour, shaking off any excess. Next it goes into the egg. And finish it off with a thick coating of breadcrumbs.

Line the chicken up on a greased baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 8 minutes then flip the chicken and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Cut thin slices of the Parmesan cheese. The best way to do this is to use a vegetable peeler for the thinnest results. Add the cheese to the bowl with the lettuce.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the radicchio and endive. Add to a large bowl with the arugula.

Right before serving, add the cheese and toss the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing. (Try my recipe from this post Balsamic Dressing Recipe)

Plate the chicken cutlet and serve with a mound of salad on top of the chicken. Enjoy!

Cheesy Lemon Chicken

I am always looking for new ways to serve chicken cutlets. Don't get me wrong, a simple breaded chicken cutlet is delicious, but it can get a bit boring after a while. If you are looking to switch things up, this is an easy recipe to do it. The prep and process are, for the most part, the same, so you don't have to worry about a big time commitment. Just throw in a few extra ingredients and you have a new dish everyone is sure to enjoy.

Recipe yields 5-6 servings

Ingredients
2 lbs chicken breast
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp garlic powder
Zest from 2 lemons
3 tbsp oregano
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F. Prepare your baking sheets with a light coating of olive oil. I used two baking sheets and about 1 tablespoon of oil for each. Depending on the size, you may need more or less oil, just make sure there is a nice coating. Prepare your breading stations by placing the flour in one bowl. Whisk together your eggs and the water in a second bowl. And in the final bowl, mix together the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, lemon zest, oregano and Parmesan cheese.

For each chicken breast, first cover it will flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip it in the egg wash and finally cover with a nice coating of the breadcrumb mixture. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and repeat this process until all chicken is breaded.

Place the chicken in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes. While in the oven, slice the lemons that you zested earlier. After 15 minutes, the bottom of the chicken should be browned and crispy. Flip the chicken over, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and leave the lemon slices on the baking sheet when you put it back in the oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is just about crispy on all sides.

Sprinkle the tops of the chicken breast with a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Serve with a slice of lemon for garnish and some vegetables or a fresh salad on the side. Enjoy!