This is not your mom's traditional grilled cheese sandwich because it's actually the chicken inside that is grilled. Made on Abigail's Oven Garlic Rosemary REAL™ sourdough bread, this scrumptious sandwich is packed with Swiss cheese, grilled chicken breast, sweet onions, and sweet red peppers. Then the sandwich itself might either be grilled in a frying pan or panini press, but always until the cheese melted and gooey.
The sandwich is said to be "cant-b e grilled cheese" because it is not anything like traditional grilled cheese sandwich you mom, or grandmother even made. It is more like a chicken melt or a grilled cheese panini. However, the name has stuck, and the sandwich is now known as the Can't-Be Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
The sandwich is certainly delicious and hearty, much like a pepper steak, but for farm fowl. The chicken is juicy and flavorful, the onions sweet and caramelized, and the peppers add a pleasant subtle sweetness and earthy undertone. "The earthiness," promises Mary, "adds a depth that balances the overall taste." The cheese melts and becomes gooey, and the sourdough bread provides the perfect contrast in flavor and texture. And the the cheesy crust crisp (Fricò) on the outside of the sandwich makes this nearly wicked to eat.
If you are looking for a grilled cheese sandwich that is a little different, the Can't-Be Grilled Cheese Sandwich is worth a try. It is a delicious and hearty sandwich that is sure to please.
Can't-Be Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 2 (6-ounce) boneless and skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sweet red peppers, roasted and finely chopped
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 8 slices of good melting cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Instructions:
- Preheat a cast iron frying pan to medium heat.
- Heat the olive oil, then add the onions, sliced peppers, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to the heated oil.
- Sauté until they are softened, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a deep golden-brown, about 30-40 minutes.
- Add the rosemary to the cooked onions and peppers, stir to combine.
- Transfer the cooked onions and peppers to a paper towel.
- Drizzle both sides of the chicken breasts with the lemon juice and sprinkle with the black pepper and the remaining salt.
- Add the chicken to the grill and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F [75°C], about 5-7 minutes per side.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken breasts into thin strips.
- In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise and the roasted red peppers and onion, stir to combine.
- Evenly spread 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture over 4 slices of the sourdough bread.
- Top the mayonnaise layer with 1 slice of the cheese, the chicken breast strips, the cooked onions and pepper, and 1 more slices of the cheese.
- Spread the remaining mayonnaise mixture over the remaining slices of sourdough bread and place the slices on the cheese-topped sandwiches.
- Spread the butter on the exteriors of both sides of the sandwiches.
- Grill over medium heat, cook the sandwiches for 2-3 minutes per side, or in a panini press until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Serve hot.
Enjoy!