grilled chicken sandwich with arugula pesto

Earlier this week, I bought some arugula for a chicken paillard I was going to make for dinner. The dinner was fabulous but I found myself with a ton of left over arugula afterwards. It isn't exactly my favorite salad green but I knew I needed to find something to do with it.

I was flipping though one of my favorite cookbooks, Weeknights with Giada, when I stumbled on her recipe for arugula pesto and instantly knew exactly what I would be using my extra greens for. I whipped up a batch and absolutely loved it!

I was feeling particularly lazy about making dinner the next night when I remembered my arugula pesto. I grabbed a demi-baguette, threw some ingredients together and invented this little gem. I call it the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Arugula Pesto but it's so much more than that. Let's begin.

Here's what you'll need:

{arugula pesto (recipe below), a demi-baguette or small loaf of crusty bread, dry italian salami and some cheese - also used but not pictured: romaine lettuce and grilled chicken}

The only cooking involved is grilling off a piece of chicken breast so do that. Now let's talk assembly:

 {slice the baguette in half and slather both sides with the arugula pesto}

{layer on your sliced chicken breast}

{and then a few slices of the salami}

{then some cheese - i used mozzarella this time but provolone also works well here}

{pile on some lettuce}

{and just pop the top on it}

I toast it at this point to melt the cheese, then serve along side some Terra Chips (see above). The arugula pesto is really the star of the show here but each ingredient definitely brings an amazing texture and flavor to the sandwich as a whole. This one's a winner, folks! 

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Arugula Pesto 
(as seen in Weeknights with Giada)

2 packed cups arugula

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Blend arugula and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and process until well blended. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper. 

 I store mine in a small mason jar. It should last about a week or so. 

   

 

pot pie for the pops

In honor of Father's Day, I thought I would share one my dad's favorite recipes. He requested this meal on his birthday last month and I'm sure that if I were home this weekend, he'd ask for it again.

I first saw this Chicken Pot Pie recipe about a year ago on Rachel Ray's Week in a Day and it was an instant hit. I won't lie, it isn't the easiest recipe in the world and it's pretty time consuming but well worth the effort. It's baked with a biscuit top, which is probably the best part, and the homemade chicken broth (should you choose to take that on) is wonderfully flavorful.
As usual, I made my own tweaks to the recipe based on my personal taste. For example, instead of poaching an entire chicken, I opted for 2 large chicken breasts. I'm not the biggest fan of dark meat and this also keeps it more on the healthy side.

 After it simmers for a few hours, I strain the broth and put the liquid back in the pot to reduce. Then I shred the chicken, but make sure it's been cooled.

 Like I said, I won't lie. This recipe can be labor intensive but that's mostly when it comes to the chopping. With everything from potatoes and carrots to onions and celery, you'll be chopping for a little while. But again, well worth it. I saute the veggies for 10-15 minutes, then cover them in the sauce made from the broth and finally add the chicken along with some peas.

I pour the mixture into a baking dish and top it off with dollops of biscuit mix, then bake it off until the biscuits are golden brown.
 This recipe is definitely a keeper and a crowd pleaser!

With dorm life and all, this will probably be my last recipe post for the next few weeks but don't fret. I'll keep you posted on all of the amazing restaurants I'm trying here in the city and will definitely be cooking up a storm come August. In the mean time, I've been posting recipes like a mad woman over on Pinterest. You can check out my food board here.