Chicken Philly Sandwiches with Provolone Sauce
| October 21, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Chicken and Poultry, Quick Weeknight Meals, Sandwiches |
Forgive me for not telling a story to go along with this post. There really just wasn’t one. I hope that the sandwiches speak or themselves.
I roasted a chicken this weekend so that I could use it for quick, easy meals all week. Half the breast was used for these, the other half will go into soup made from the bones, and I’m planning to make enchiladas with the legs and thighs. Who says roast chicken needs to be eaten as a traditional “meat+3″ meal? I’ve found that it’s a cheap, easy way to get a head start on weeknight meals.
I’m also trying out a new program to calculate nutrition and allergen information for my recipes. I had been calculating that all manually, which was kind of a pain. Hopefully this program makes things easier. It’s still in beta, so there might be some kinks to work out, but I think you’ll like it as much as I do! Click on the “L” over on the right to show more nutritional information.
Chicken Philly Sandwiches with Provolone Sauce
Leftover roast chicken – or a store bought rotisserie chicken – is a great shortcut on these sandwiches. The provolone sauce is a labor of love, but worth the effort. The result is a thick, silky sauce that flows like lava and coats the sandwiches with a thick blanket of cheese. Make the the cheese isn’t cold when you add it to the milk; it will seperate and congeal if it is. Work slowly over very low heat for the smoothest sauce.
The rolls pictured here looked just right in the store, but they turned out to be too bready. (I knew I should have gone with a thinner baguette! ) I ended up only eating the bottom half of my roll, which helped a lot. Too much bread and you can’t taste the vegetables.Use smaller hoagie rolls or a soft baguette so you don’t overpower the delicate flavors of the filling.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion, sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic, mined
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced Mushrooms
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 cup Baby Spinach
- 1 teaspoon Butter
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup Fat Free Milk
- 4 ounces Provolone, at room temperature, shredded or chopped
- 1 roast Chicken Breast, skin removed, chopped
- 4 small Hoagie Rolls or other Soft Rolls, split and warmed
Preparation
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Add the red bell pepper, mushrooms, and water. Cook for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in spinach until wilted. Keep warm.
- Prepare the provolone sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan set over low heat. Whisk in the cornstarch; cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring constantly until melted. If needed, return to low heat to help the cheese melt.
- Divide the chicken between the rolls. Top with vegetables and cheese sauce.
Don’t tell anyone, but I’m not really a fan of Philly cheesesteaks. I much prefer chicken cheesesteaks and provolone of “wiz” anyday. These look like the perfect alternative to that iconic sandwich that I’m constantly surrounded by, and I love that they’re made with leftover chicken!
You had me at provolone sauce. YUM.
Yeah, I can think of more than a few things to slather this provolone sauce on.
Yummy Perfect for a Friday night!
These look delicious! I can’t wait to try them. I love the idea of a provolne sauce (thinking of additional uses for it as I type!) Thank you.
I saw this on Blogher and had to follow the link. I was looking for something to make for dinner and have all the ingredients. I’m going to whip up some crusty french bread for the sandwiches. Thanks for the inspiration and the instructions for the provolone sauce.
I just stumbled upon your blog and I can’t wait to try so many of your recipes with this one being at the top of the list! I have tried a few different chicken philly recipes but I think this provolone sauce is going to take the cake!