Today I’m sharing a really fun sandwich I made recently. It's a 3-foot-long Chicken Caprese Sandwich. You guys, I do not expect you to make a sandwich of this size. Ever. However, I wanted to do it for my daughter’s birthday and I knew you’d get a kick out of It. My recommendation is that you take the ingredients below and reduce them by 2/3 so you have the ingredients for a one-foot-long sandwich. You’ll still get the same amazing sandwich with all the right flavors!
As you can see, this sandwich is not complicated at all. It features classic flavors like chicken, cheese, red pepper, and basil. You could also add pesto instead of basil or more herbs if you’d like. There is no wrong way to make a sandwich, after all, it is meant to be made into exactly what you want it to be! I ordered the bread from a distributor that supplies one of my restaurants. To find this where you live you can probably specially order it from a bakery.
The longest part of preparing this is making the chicken cutlets. Do not rush this part because you really want crisp cutlets that are moist on the interior. This really makes all the difference. Also, be generous with your seasonings when you make this. Lots of balsamic glaze, overlapping fresh mozzarella, and the entire jar of peppers are what make the flavors really pop. There is so much bread that it’s almost impossible to overdo it!
Sandwiches like this have a really great “wow” factor to them. I usually leave it whole until we are ready to dig in so it stays as fresh as possible. Then we slice the sandwich into pieces and serve them on awesome plates with chips or homemade french fries (link) on the side. Yum!
You’ll love making this when people come over for the big game, or you’re serving a crowd for a casual meal. You can’t go wrong!
3 FOOT CHICKEN CAPRESE SANDWICH
This sandwich is a monster! Rest assured, if you want to cut this recipe into half, thirds, or even quarters, you can. I like making this for casual gatherings. I make the large sandwich and cut it into easy handheld sized pieces. There are many variations of this sandwich, feel free to add different herbs or glazes if you’d like!
Makes 1 3-foot sandwich, at least 12 – 14 servings
3-foot long bread loaf
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
6 Eggs
1 tablespoon Djion Mustard
2 cups vegetable oil, plus a little more if needed when cooking
For the Sandwich
1 cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 32-ounce roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into ½-inch strips
2 lbs fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Balsamic Glaze
For the chicken:
Set up the breading station for the chicken cutlets. In one tray place the flour.
In a second tray whisk the eggs and mustard.
In the third tray place the panko and Italian breadcrumbs and mix them together.
Place a skillet with high sides on the stovetop and add the oil.
Slice the cutlets in half lengthwise. Place them between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound them to ¼-inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides of the thin chicken with salt and pepper.
Bread the cutlets by dipping them in the flour and tapping them to remove any excess. Then, dip them in the egg mixture so they are completely moistened all over, and finally dip them in the panko mixture so they are completely coated with breadcrumbs on all sides.
Bring the heat to medium-high and add the chicken cutlets to the pan. Cook a few at a time, for about 5-minutes per side, or until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through. Transfer the cooked chicken cutlets to a pan and repeat until all the cutlets are cooked. Add more oil to the pan as you cook if needed.
Assemble the sandwich:
Make the balsamic vinaigrette by whisking the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper together.
Cut the sandwich bread in half horizontally.
Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette on both halves of the bread, allowing it to soak in.
Arrange the chicken cutlets in one layer, overlapping as needed, over the entire bottom of the bread.
Layer the mozzarella over the chicken so the cutlets are entirely covered.
Lastly, layer on the roasted red peppers, and finish the sandwich with the basil on top.
Drizzle the basil lightly with the balsamic glaze. The sandwich is complete!
Place the top back on the sandwich, then slice it into pieces to serve!
Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT. She is currently operating with COVID-safe procedures and is happy to discuss your event and catering needs with you. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekasevents.com or call 203.658.8659.
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