Chicken Cordon Bleu Paninis

For a week now, two Panko crusted chicken cutlets have been staring at me from the bottom crisper drawer in my fridge. Decisions, decisions, what do I do with you little sweeties?

Yes, I talk to my food, don't you?
It even answers me. When it's mad at me for the idiotic ingredients I picked, it starts to scorch. When it loves the hot tub it is gently simmering in, it gets moist and tender.

What? Don't you listen to your food? It is always telling me things. Think about it....

When you place a slice of tomato in the wrong order of importance when stacking ingredients in a dish it will squish out the side and drib on the plate. See, I told you I don't play well with a slippery piece of cheese. I need something to hold on too, like the bread, dummy!! The mayonnaise goes on top of me, not the other way around, brainless!!

I think we become more accomplished in the kitchen when we start listening to our food and think about what it is you're making, what ingredients you are using and what you want the end result to be.

Sandwiches are the perfect example of what I am trying to convey to you today. I remember an Alton Brown show where he was teaching his nephew the correct way to build a sandwich and pulled out a floor plan. Even Alton listens to his food.

Where is all this going?

I decided to use my cutlets in a sandwich but any ole sandwich, a Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini.

If you do not already know, Chicken Cordon Bleu is made with 4 simple ingredients....Chicken breasts, ham, Swiss cheese and bread crumbs. I am elevating this to another level by using prosciutto and a mixture of Jarlsburg and bleu cheeses with an herb mayonnaise spread on the inside AND on the outside of the bread.....YUM

I am telling you the next time you make basic chicken cutlets, use Panko crumbs and make extra, just for these sandwiches.



I butterflied the cooked cutlets to expose the inside to the bleu cheese and prosciutto ham. I also think a slice of prosciutto (since it is paper thin) on the top and bottom of the chicken will add more 'hammy' flavor. I stuffed the chicken and placed it into the oven for 10 minutes to melt the insides (the bread will be burnt before the heat will penetrate the insides), then built the sandwich. Spread the herb spread on both slices of bread.

Simple Herb Mayonnaise
Makes 1/4 cup
* 3 parts fat-free (or olive oil) mayonnaise: 1 part Dijon: 1 teaspoon Herbs De Provence
* Salt & Pepper
* Agave nectar

Order of ingredients:
Slice of bread
herb spread
Swiss cheese (glue)
half chicken cutlet
bleu cheese
prosciutto
Swiss cheese
half of chicken cutlet
Swiss cheese (glue)
herb spread
Slice of bread

You could add leaves of baby spinach or arugula and roasted pepper.



Butter tops with herb mayonnaise and place on panini grill. If you do not have a panini grill you can use a George Forman Grill or a non-stick fry pan with another pan weighted on top.

Preheat grill for 5 minutes. Bread should sizzle when placed on grill.
Cover with weighted pan or panini lid and grill for 3 minutes or until the bread is GB&D.

You could serve ranch dressing, chipotle dipping sauce or honey mustard sauce for dipping.
That sort of would be like gilding the Lilly, no?

I gave The Nudge the last of a macaroni salad in the fridge but a small bowl of soup would be great also.

Review: This sandwich was absolutely delish!! Huge sandwich with a huge flavor. I might not go out of my way to buy the ingredients to make these but I would make them again if I had these leftovers. I think you need to know that I always try to eat only half a portion, even if it is low-cal, low-fat and Diabetic friendly. The pics are what The Nudge eats and is always 1 full serving.