Don’t let those back to school commercials fool you summer is not over! It’s still grilling season and if you need further proof just take one bite of this grilled chicken sandwich. Chicken marsala is one of my favorite Italian dishes so I made a variation that was backyard bbq friendly and doesn’t required the use of a fork.
Chicken marinade ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
2 tbsp Marsala wine
2 boneless chicken breast, halved lengthwise
Marsala onions ingredients:
2 vidalia onions, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced baby portobello
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chicken stock
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp balsamic
Salt and black pepper
Herb mayo:
1 cup mayo
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Assembly:
4 brioche buns
Mozzarella cheese, sliced
Baby arugula
Marinade directions:
In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients accept chicken. Next place chicken breast in a large ziplock bag. Pour marinade into ziplock bag. Carefully squeeze out as much air as possible. Seal ziplock and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Herb Mayo directions:
Mix ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Marsala onions directions:
In a large pan melt butter over medium heat until it starts to foam. Add onions to pan stirring them every few minutes while they cook. Continue cooking onions a for 25-30 minutes. Once onions have reached a brown caramelized color add chicken stock followed by marsala wine and brown sugar. Cook until half the liquid has evaporated. Adjust the heat as needed. Next add garlic, thyme, mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking and stirring until mushrooms are fully cooked. Remove from pan heat.
Assembly:
About 20 minutes before you’re ready to grill remove chicken breast from refrigerator to sit at room temperature. Light charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat(around 400°). Brush grill grates with olive oil or grape seed oil. Remove chicken breast from marinade. Grill chicken on both sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. About 4-5 minutes on each side. Top each chicken breast with two slices off mozzarella close the lid and cook for 1 minute to melt cheese. Transfer chicken to plate. Now it’s time to make our sandwiches.
Lightly toast brioche buns. Spread herb mayo on both side on each bun. Add chicken breast and top with marsala onions and arugula. Eat up!
