Easy Chicken and Feta Sandwiches
I know, I know, it's Monday again and with that comes---WHAT AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER TONIGHT?!! Yup, I feel it too--just because I write a food blog, doesn't make me immune to the age-old quandary. Why, oh why, can't I be less lazy and more organized over the weekend and prepare for the week ahead?!! But no matter, there are still delicious and easy ways to get around that laziness and turn out a meal that everyone loves and asks for again, like these Easy Chicken and Feta Sandwiches. They're the perfect example of how mixing together ordinary ingredients in just the right combination results in something that surpasses the sum of its parts--not sure if I've got that right--maybe I should just go with the simpler "try them, you'll like them". Either way, you can't go wrong.
If I got this sandwich in a cafe somewhere, with a little side salad maybe, I'd be a happy girl. The simple flavors of the feta, scallions and tomato combine so well with the grilled chicken and toasted bread that's been infused with balsamic vinegar and olive oil--it's all so basic but so good. And just right as the weather heats up and we want to keep dinners light and fuss-free!
And versatile too--you could totally keep this vegetarian by just cutting the chicken--the feta/tomato/scallion mixture is so delish!!
And if all of you in your family are running in different directions during the dining hour (which happens at least 2-3 times per week for us) this easy to assemble sandwich and a salad sans dressing left in the fridge, is a good way to leave a healthy meal for those busy, busy people! Monday dinner? I am so on top of you!
Easy Chicken and Feta Sandwiches
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes if you're using leftover chicken, otherwise, tack on the time it takes to grill or roast some chicken breasts.
Ingredients
About 1 pound of cooked chicken, sliced (using leftover is fine or make some fresh--combine 1 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and sugar in a small bowl. Rub all over 4 chicken breasts. Grill chicken on barbecue or roast in the oven. Let cool and slice.)
1 large baguette, cut into 4-5 pieces and each piece sliced lengthwise in half
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2-3 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green parts
16 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
The Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the bread cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle a little balsamic and some olive oil over each piece and place in the oven to toast a bit. (You can leave the bread untoasted but we all preferred it with the bread warmed a little.)
2. Meanwhile, mix the feta and scallions together in a small bowl. Add the tomatoes and stir together gently. Set aside.
3. When the bread is warmed and crunchy, remove from the oven and layer on the sliced chicken and the feta mixture to the bottom halves. Top with the remaining baguette halves and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Cook What You Love by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. I tinkered with this, toasting the bread, grilling my own chicken freshly, etc.
