Chicken Parm Sandwich

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

• ¼  cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½  medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ½  tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
• 2 cups diced tomato, (Superior Foods Featured Item: #43027 – Dei Fratelli)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1½ tsp. Balsamic vinegar

Chicken

• 2 trimmed chicken breasts, halved horizontally and lightly pounded, (Superior Foods Featured Item: #90264 – Koch Foods)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 cloves of garlic, grated
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup flour
• 3 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Japanese  panko breadcrumbs
• Frying oil

Sandwich and Assembly

• 10 oz. brick cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. grated parmesan
• Fresh basil leaves, plus basil oil (see Tips)
• Ciabatta

Preparation

Tomato Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds more. Stir in tomato paste and cook stirring until paste begins to caramelize. Add diced tomatoes, salt, and balsamic vinegar.
3. Simmer 20-25 minutes until slightly thickened. Blend with an immersion blender off heat if you desire a smoother sauce.

Chicken

1. Combine buttermilk, grated garlic, salt, and chicken breasts in a sealable bag or dish. Allow to marinate for 1 hour.
2. Remove chicken portions from marinade and allow excess marinade to drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour, then dip in egg wash, then coat in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high, or heat deep fryer to 400°F. Fry chicken 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. (165°F). Drain briefly on paper towels and season with salt.

Sandwich and Assembly

1. Preheat broiler and mix both cheeses in a small bowl.
2. Spoon sauce on both halves of your sandwich bread. Place fried chicken on the bottom half and top with cheese mixture.
3. Broil sandwich halves with cheese and sauce facing up, just until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2–3 minutes.
4. Top cheese half with basil leaves and close sandwich. Serve with extra sauce and basil oil.

Tips

For basil oil bring a pot of water to a boil, and prepare a bowl of ice water. Plunge  1 cup of basil leaves into the boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds, then scoop out and immediately submerge in the ice water. Dry basil as much as possible with kitchen towel or paper towel. Blend basil in a high speed  blender with 1 cup of neutral oil until fully blended. Strain the mixture through several layers of cheesecloth into a small pot. Do not squeeze the cheesecloth or you’ll end up with cloudiness and extra water in your oil. Heat the oil gently over very low heat until it turns brighter green and the cloudiness dissipates, indicating that any water has evaporated out of the oil. Cool, then keep refrigerated and use within a week.