30 minute Meal: Eggplant & Chicken Sandwiches

A riff on the classic dishes, Chicken Parmesan & Eggplant Parmesan, all rolled in to one sandwich that will have dinner on the table in 30 minutes!

Eggplant & Chicken Sandwiches

Sandwiches are on the menu for tonight's 30 minute meal.  They are a great summer dish when the heat is scorching and you want something light to eat.  This is a variation of the classic Parmesan dishes of Chicken and Eggplant all rolled in to an open faced sandwich.

The flavors of Italy come together in this easy to make sandwich of pan fried chicken cutlets and eggplant topped with store bought tomato-basil sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.  Throw in some spinach and some crusty bread and you have the makings of one heck of a sandwich. 

For the bread I bought a round uncut loaf of Italian County bread.  I cut two long slices across the loaf and then cut each slice in half giving me four pretty large pieces that would fit the chicken cutlets.  Once toasted these became the base of my sandwich.  This sandwich is open faced, as it doesn't have bread on the top.  The ingredients sit on the bottom bread and you will need to use a knife and fork to eat this.  You can always top it with another piece should you choose.

I served this sandwich along side a simple garden salad.  This meal is perfect for any summer night and done in 30 minutes!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts - you can buy thin sliced chicken or regular breasts that you can slice in half to make 2 thin breasts out of each one.

• eggplant - I bought small Chinese eggplant and sliced them in to long strips.  A globe or Italian eggplant will work by cutting 4 slices.

• Italian Country bread loaf or Sourdough loaf - I bought an uncut round loaf of country bread and sliced 2 long slices.  Then I cut each slice in half so I had four slices.  I made sure each slice would hold a piece of chicken and the eggplant without too much run off.

• baby spinach

• tomato basil pasta sauce - buy your favorite brand 

• shredded mozzarella - I bought a ball of whole mozzarella and shredded some.

Substitutions and Variations

• Bread:  Use a loaf or sandwich sized ciabatta bread. This would be delicious. Even slices of rosemary focaccia would be tasty.

• Chicken:  try breading the chicken in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs instead of pan frying it.

• Prosciutto:  Try layering pieces of prosciutto instead of the chicken for a different spin.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Serve with a simple side salad of spinach, tomatoes, mixed greens, cucumber, and balsamic vinaigrette.

• If you have leftovers it's best to keep all the ingredients separate and placed in the refrigerator that way, building the sandwich when you are ready to eat it.

• Cutting the bread:  Use an Italian Country bread loaf or sourdough loaf - you want a round loaf that is uncut.  This allows you to control the thickness.  Since this is an open faced sandwich you want the bread slice to be a little on the thick side to hold all the ingredients.  I cut each long slice in half so I had four slices, making sure they were long enough so that the chicken wasn't bigger than the bread slice.

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Eggplant & Chicken Sandwiches

serves 4

Salt & pepper to taste 
4 thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 round slices of eggplant or multiple long slices of Chinese eggplant
4 slices of Italian County bread or sourdough (I used a large loaf and cut each long slice crosswise into 2 slices that would fit the chicken)
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup tomato basil pasta sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Sprinkle salt & pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts.

In a large skillet over medium heat add 2 Tablespoons of oil.  Add chicken cutlets and cook 4-5 minutes per side until no long pink.  Remove from the skillet.  Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil.  Turn heat up to medium high.  Add eggplant and cook, flipping once until tender, about 4-5 minutes per side.  

Toast 4 slices of bread. Top with spinach, chicken, sauce, eggplant, and mozzarella.  Place on a baking sheet and broil until heated through and the cheese has melted, about 3-4 minutes.