The best comfort food I have ever had, and possibly will ever eat, is in the form of an open faced sandwich. Yes, you will need a knife and fork to eat it with, but you will not regret the time and effort put into this meal. In fact, this meal will be one you will make over and over again when you are wanting something different, something comforting, something warm and gooey. This cheesy concoction of chicken goodness is too good for everyone to not know about it.
To start, you will need to have boneless, skinless chicken (or turkey) breast prepared. You can cook it anyway you’d like, however, I’ve found that if you sauté it in a pan (a grill pan will give it nice grill marks) and finishing it in the oven works best. If you have a turkey that has been cooked for a holiday (oh, I don’t know…say Thanksgiving or Christmas) it works as well, just slice the meat up and use it on the sandwich.
Once you have the meat cooked, slice it and set it aside. You will also need thick sliced bacon cooked and set aside. This will be used when layering the sandwich. I take the bacon and cut it before I cook it. It makes the bacon easier to cook, and it looks better.
I also slice a large tomato in preparation for the layering process. I choose a firm tomato. They are typically sweeter and when they heat up from being in the oven, they sweeten more. It adds to the flavor of the chicken and bread and cheese. The flavors marry together in a burst of yummy in your mouth.
The bread is important when you are buying for this dish. You do NOT want to use just plain old sandwich bread. You are going to want to use a sturdy bread. We like to use something like Texas Toast, French Bread, or Sourdough. If the bread is too soft, it will fall apart. Also, toast the bread before layering, it makes it tougher.
To make the sauce:
Take a small sauce pot and put about two cups of half and half in it and warm it slowly (on med heat) until bubbles. Add the garlic powder (whisk it in), lower the heat to low. Continue to whisk.
In a small bowl, add 1/2 cold whole milk and 1 tbs all purpose flour. Whisk it together. Add slowly to warm half and half.
Once the temperature has come back up and the sauce has thickened slightly, remove from the heat completely, add the parmesan cheese and whisk.
Layering TIME!!!!!
This is the time my mouth starts to water, because it’s starting to get close to eating time!!!
Spray your pan with non-stick spray. Just a tip from someone who HATES to scrub melted cheese off of pans.
Order of Yumminess!!! Bread, Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Tomato, Sauce, Parmesan Cheese, Chicken, Sauce, Bacon, Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Bacon — I know that sounds a little crazy, but trust me, you won’t regret it.
I told you this was comfort food!!!
You are going to put it in the oven, under broil for about 3-5 minutes, just to let the cheese melt and get all bubbly.
If you’re feeling all excited like I do, slap that sauce and extra cheese on your fries (because that’s what I serve this with) and throw them in the broiler too.
I promise you, this recipe will not disappoint. You will be full, satisfied, happy, and wondering why you didn’t know about it years ago. We happened upon this recipe a few years ago and have modified it to what we like. I’m sure you’ll add what you like. That’s the best way for recipes to be.
Enjoy and be comforted!
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 sandwiches
- For the Sauce:
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- pinch of salt and pepper
- ½ cup cold whole milk
- additional ingredients you will need:
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- sturdy bread of your choosing
- 3 chicken breast cooked and sliced
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 3 slices of thick cut bacon, diced and cooked
- Making the Sauce:
- Take a small sauce pot and put about two cups of half and half in it and warm it slowly (on med heat) until bubbles. Add the garlic powder (whisk it in), lower the heat to low. Continue to whisk.
- In a small bowl, add ½ cold whole milk and 1 tbs all purpose flour. Whisk it together. Add slowly to warm half and half.
- Once the temperature has come back up and the sauce has thickened slightly, remove from the heat completely, add the parmesan cheese and whisk.
- Layering the Sandwich:
- (Spray your pan with non-stick spray)
- Bread,
- Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Tomato
- Sauce
- Parmesan Cheese
- Chicken
- Sauce
- Bacon
- Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Bacon
- Put into the oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until golden bubbly brown.
[…] Wednesday ~ Hot Kentucky Brown […]