Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8 slices Italian bread, I used Udi’s Artisan Bakery Italian Wheat
• ¼ cup of butter
• 4 slices pancetta
• 2 large chicken breast
• 1 recipe of Garlic Basil Aioli, recipe below
• I cup parmesan or asiago cheese, shredded
• 8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 small lemon, zested

Directions

Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. Place them in a Ziplock bag and proceed to pound the chicken breast so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill until completely cooked through. My grill took about 7 minutes.

While chicken is grilling make aioli. Place the egg, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley into a blender, I used my Ninja and use the single serving cup to blend. Blend until mixed and there are no garlic chunks, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, a sprinkle of lemon juice may also be added. Blend until thickened. Set aside.

Once chicken is done, heat medium skillet on stove over medium-high heat. Use 2 teaspoons of butter and let it melt in pan. Meanwhile generously butter 8 slices of bread, just on one side. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese on each slice of bread and sprinkle 1 tablespoon – 1 ½ tablespoons of grated parmesan or asiago cheese on each slice of bread as well. Push down cheese to make it stick to the buttered bread. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place 2 slices of bread in skillet pan, cheese-butter side down. Immediately spread aioli on the bread, then top with chicken, pancetta, about ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese, touch of the left over parmesan and a pinch of lemon zest top with slice of bread with the parmesan butter side up. After cooking for a few minutes and until the cheese is a golden brown flip over sandwich and bake until cheese in the sandwich is melted and the bread is a golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat process with remaining ingredients.

Cut sandwiches in half and serve with a green salad. If you have extra aioli, have it on the side for those who want more.

Note the aioli by itself has a bite to it, but once in the sandwich the flavors mellow out, so don’t hesitate to spread it on thick.