Pesto chicken and asiago baguette

May 27, 2008

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch each salt and pepper
1 cup homemade or store-bought basil pesto
2 French baguettes or Vienna loaves
1 cup roasted garlic aioli (see recipe below)
2 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups shaved Asiago cheese
1/2 cup slivered oil packed sundried tomatoes, drained

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally.

In a bowl, combine oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken and turn to coat evenly.

Place on a greased grill over medium-high heat; brush with some of the pesto.

Cook, for about five minutes, turning once or until no longer pink inside. Let cool.

Cut baguettes in half; then cut each half again horizontally. Spread cut sides with aioli. Place chicken on bottom halves of baguettes and spread with remaining pesto.

Top with spinach, cheese and sundried tomatoes. Cover with top halves of baguettes.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to eight hours.

 

Roasted garlic aioli

This is a garlicky mayonnaise sweet and delicious on hamburgers and sandwiches or used as a dip for roasted potatoes.

1 head roasted garlic
1 cup mayonnaise

Squeeze garlic into bowl and mash with fork. Add mayonnaise and stir to combine.

To roast garlic, simply cut a little off the top of the head of garlic to expose cloves and place cut side down on a piece of aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil.

Wrap and place in 400 F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until soft when squeezed. Cool slightly, then squeeze out garlic.

Tip: You can roast a full baking sheet of garlic heads all at once. Allow to cool. Place in airtight freezer bags or airtight containers and freeze up to one month. Let garlic come to room temperature before using or warm them in the microwave to soften.