DESCRIPTION
This simplified muffuletta recipe uses an easy oven-baked rotisserie chicken breast. Of course, turkey or chicken deli meat can be used as a substitute, but I am always looking for ways away from processed deli meats.
We routinely prepare this sandwich in the spring and summer time when we have fresh sweet basil growing at home. I have also recently started growing a basil plant indoors for the sole purpose of being able to make this sandwich with fresh basil during the winter months!
CHICKEN MUFFULETTA INGREDIENT DETAILS
- ITALIAN BREAD LOAF — I love to use a big fluffy loaf with soft crust for this sandwich.
- CHEESE — We typically use sliced provolone cheese on this sandwich, but sometimes I substitute mozzarella.
- VINAIGRETTE — The best part of this sandwich is the divine dressing that the bread is soaked into the bread. I like to use a high quality balsamic vinegar and a mild extra virgin olive oil in this along with the salt, garlic, and basil. As a note, I get the best results when using freshly minced garlic and freshly picked sweet basil leaves.
- BAKED CHICKEN — I bake a chicken breast with rotisserie-style seasonings for this sandwich beforehand. The prep is worth it! I let the chicken cool in the fridge for a while before slicing.
- TOMATOES — I love to layer thinly sliced tomatoes directly on the marinated bread when assembling the sandwich so that those soak up the marinade too!
CHICKEN MUFFULETTA PREPARATION
BAKE CHICKEN
I typically begin by prepping the chicken breast. Often, I find it most convenient to bake the chicken the night before or in the morning so that it has time to chill in the refrigerator before I assemble the sandwich. To bake the chicken breast, I simply coat a small chicken breast in olive oil and rotisserie-style spices such as Italian seasoning, black pepper, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. I then cook the seasoned chicken for 30-35 minutes in a pre-heated 350∘ or until the internal temperature reaches 165∘ . After the chicken has cooled for a few minutes, I store it in the fridge until it is time to assemble the sandwich. It is much easier to thinly slice cold chicken.
PREPARE VINAIGRETTE AND ASSEMBLE MUFFULETTA
For the vinaigrette, I combine olive oil, minced garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, and freshly sliced sweet basil.
When ready to prepare the sandwich, I slice the bread loaf length-wise and coat the inner faces with the prepared vinaigrette. I typically use a spoon to apply the vinaigrette to make it easy to evenly coat the bread.
Now, I simply stack on the rest of the components for this chicken muffuletta recipe– sliced chicken breast, provolone cheese, and roma tomatoes.
It would be tasty if eaten right away or can be stored the fridge for a while to let flavors marinate.
Chicken Muffuletta
Ingredients
Oven-Baked Chicken Ingredients
- 6 Ounces Chicken Breast Boneless, Skinless
- ¾ Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ⅛ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Sandwich Ingredients
- 6 Ounces Oven Baked Chicken Breast (pre-cooked and chilled ~1 hour)
- 1 Italian Bread Loaf
- 3 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Clove Garlic , minced
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Ounces Provolone Cheese , thinly sliced
- 1 Roma Tomato , thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh, Basil , fresh Sweet Basil, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place the chicken breast in a casserole dish and coat with olive oil, Italian seasonings, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook for 30-35 minutes. Chill in fridge until ready to prepare the sandwich.
- Prepare vinaigrette by mixing the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, garlic, and salt. Set aside.
- Assemble the sandwich by first slicing the Italian bread loaf in half long-ways.
- Evenly coat both inner faces of the loaf with the previously-prepared vinaigrette mixture.
- Layer the sliced roma tomato, provolone cheese, and baked chicken on the Italian bread.
- Close sandwich and cover. Let marinate in fridge for 1 hour minimum before serving.
Leave a Reply