Chicken, Provolone, Arugula Panini: How to make it with less

For TR who assured me that people want to learn about sandwiches.

I admit it; I'm an kitchen appliance and gadget junkie. I love new kitchen gadgets, appliances, and cool gizmos which make my life easier when I cook. I want more all the time. But, due to the RECESSION (Husband's favorite word) and my desire for a new, very expensive camera lens, I've really held back for the past year. But one thing I've REALLY REALLY wanted is the panini press/grill you see to the left, because I LOVE paninis. I love the crisp flattened bread that gets caramelized, the beautiful crust it forms from the pressure, the oozing melted cheese, and just the process of converting an ordinary sandwich into a PANINI! Brother even offered to get it for me, but I declined because I do not want to accumulate yet another appliance for my kitchen, just for the mere fact that I want a sandwich once in a while.

But I learned that you can NOT have a panini press AND have your panini too! How you say? You just need an extra fry pan, and BAM! PANINI! Just as a note, this is not my patented technique, but one that I've seen now a few times in magazines and on cooking shows, which got me thinking, "Why not?" So today I tried it using the ingredients I had in my fridge: two slices of stale-ish bread, a leftover rotisserie chicken which had been shredded, a few sprigs of basil, a bag of arugula, package of sliced provolone cheese and a lemon. What I created far exceeded the leftovers from whence they came. The panini was crispy, warm, cheese was oozing, the arugula slightly wilted and the flavors delicious. It took me no longer than it would if I had had a panini press, and instead I just used two fry pans and smooshed the thing manually. Perhaps it is less elegant of a solution, but it tastes amazing and sure beats losing more counter space to a piece of equipment I would potentially use a few times a week.

Feel free to mess around with the ingredients, keeping one thing in mind; the key to a really delicious panini or sandwich is the balance of flavors. I like to have protein, cheese, something green, and a hint of acid (in the form of a pickle, pickled shallots, or a squeeze of lemon juice like I did.)

Daughter #1 and I ate one each and she gobbled down every single bite. (So did I.)

Chicken, Provolone, Arugula Panini
Serves 2

4 slices of bread of your choice (I just used ordinary wheat bread I had in the house)
1 cup of chicken, broken into smaller pieces (My favorite Costco rotisserie was in this one)
1 cup of arugula
6-8 basil leaves
2 slices of provolone cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

One one slice of bread, spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Layer 1/2 cup of chicken on top. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of lemon juice on top of the chicken.
Add another layer, 1/2 cup arugula. On top of arugula lay down 3 basil leaves. Finish with a slice of provolone, a dash of mustard (optional) and then add the final slice of bread.

In a nonstick fry pan, over medium low heat, heat 1 tablespoons olive oil. Swirl the pan so the oil spreads and carefully place the sandwich in the pan. Cover the sandwich with another fry pan, pushing down on the pan to provide the smoosh factor. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bread is golden and crispy. Flip the sandwich, lay the pan down again and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan, allow it to cool for a moment, and then slice it in half and enjoy!

Printable recipe