Chicken Breast with Roasted Peppers, Mozzarella, and Spinach-Basil Pesto
We devised this sandwich partly to challenge ourselves. Usually prepared in advance of its use in a sandwich, chicken loses moisture by the time it arrives there. So we looked for a way to keep the chicken moist . . . and we found it. By slowly and gently poaching the chicken, and then storing it in the poaching liquid until it’s used, we lock in the moisture. (Use this trick whenever you’re preparing chicken for a picnic or for use in a salad—the chicken will be moist and delicious, and without oil, to boot. Further, you can use the poaching broth for soup simply by adding more water, some vegetables, and some of the chicken.) We serve this as a pressed sandwich, but it also works well served cold.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a pot, bring 8 cups water to a gentle simmer and salt heavily (so it tastes like seawater). Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and pepper. Add the chicken to the poaching liquid and simmer until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Allow the chicken to cool in the liquid and remove when ready to use.
Step 2
Preheat a sandwich press according to the manufacturer’s specifications (see Note, page 96). Thinly slice the chicken breasts and evenly distribute on each of 4 slices of bread. Spread the pesto on top of the chicken and top with the peppers and mozzarella. Top with the remaining 4 slices, and place in the sandwich press (no need to butter the press or the bread). Close the lid and apply slight pressure. Cook without disturbing for 5 to 8 minutes. Open the press and check for color and temperature: the cheese should be melted and the bread golden. If the bread is sticking to the press, allow it to cook for a bit longer and it will unstick itself. If the press seems to generate more heat on the bottom, flip the sandwich halfway through to ensure even cooking (making sure the ridges in the bread line up). Once cooked, remove, cut into halves, and serve.
