4 split chicken breasts (or 8 small, individual chicken breasts)
8 oz swiss cheese
6 scallions
1 garlic clove chopped finely
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 cup water reserved from boiling chicken
Salt and Pepper
Boil chicken breasts in a large pot until cooked through (I normally don't time this and just check them occasionally with a knife). While the chicken cools, quickly grill the scallions and chop. Stir the chicken, scallions, garlic, water, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and swiss cheese until combined. If the chicken has cooled down dramatically, place the mixture over low heat on the stove/grill in order to melt the cheese. Spoon onto toasted bread to serve.
The Verdict
This was my first attempt at recreating a sandwich my family would order out from the Holiday Inn in our hometown. I guess you could actually consider it a type of warm chicken salad served as a sandwich. Overall, it turned out ok. In my memories, I remember the filling of the sandwich having a much creamier texture than mine. I wouldn't call my version dry, but it definitely wasn't what I was aiming for. By using some of the water reserved from boiling the chicken, I was hoping to thin out the chicken mixture since just adding cheese directly to it would certainly have made it too thick, but I'll absolutely have to look into other possible methods of making it creamier. Maybe add some buttermilk or heavy whipping cream and let simmer? Still, I am pleased with how the scallions and smoked paprika added some additional flavor while not being too overpowering. Adding chopped celery could also be a nice touch in my next version. And if you couldn't tell, this recipe was meant to have a large amount or leftovers, so who knows how the flavors could meld in the fridge for a day or two. If there's a big difference, I'll make an update to this post.
You need to use a better bread. I'd say use sourdough and butter that bread up kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich.
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