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Crispy Chicken Hero
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Crispy Chicken Hero

Crispy Chicken Hero

Easily one of the favorite sandwiches (or hero, grinder or even sub) we've made. The Italian fried peppers are key and so delicious.

Makes one big hero that serves 2-4

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
  • 8 ounces baby spinach
  • Kosher salt & coarse ground pepper
  • 1 chicken breast, cut in half horizontally or 2 slices thin-cut chicken breasts
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon mayo
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

  • One Italian style loaf of bread: pugliese or ciabatta would be great, even sourdough - something fairly dense, though ideally not a French loaf
  • 7 or 8 slices Italian meat, like capicola or prosciutto
  • 5 -6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
    ‍

Directions

  1. Heat a large pan over medium, add about 1.5 tablespoons of oil, squish 5 cloves of garlic with the flat side of a knife and add to the oil
  2. Cook until just getting slightly golden, then add the peppers - mix well to coat in the oil and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring often until softened and beautiful - remove to a plate or bowl and set aside
  3. Add a little more oil to the same pan over medium heat, then put in the spinach and cook, stirring often until mostly wilted, add 1 clove of the garlic minced, stir through about 30 seconds then remove from the heat
  4. Put chicken in a ziplock bag, and pound to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch, season with salt & pepper, then dredge in the flour, then into the eggs, then back into the flour shaking off excess
  5. Heat a large pan over medium high, add about 1/4 inch of oil across the bottom and when approximately 350 degrees, cook chicken on both sides until between 160 & 165 - remove
  6. While it cooks combine the butter, 2 cloves of garlic minced, the mayo, the parsley and a pinch of salt & pepper - mix well to combine
  7. Slice loaf horizontally, drizzle lightly with oil, then toast in a skillet or under the broiler and when done spread the butter mixture on both sides
  8. Build hero: bottom bread, spinach, peppers, chicken, capicola, mozzarella slices (which you can torch or put under the broiler) and finally the top bread
  9. Slice & serve