Time: 55 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 6 - 8

Make homemade focaccia bread using an Italian recipe and you'll have an Italian-style sandwich with roasted chicken and a spinach-and-marinated artichoke spread. Focaccia is an Italian flatbread considered the precursor to pizza. It's made as a flatbread with light toppings of salt, olive oil, herbs, garlic, olives, and cheese. While focaccia bread baked with tomatoes, rosemary, and cheese is distinctive in its own right and a must-have for any feast, it makes an excellent base for a hearty sandwich. Slice it and spread it with a delicious and flavorful spinach-and-artichoke spread, fill it with thin slices of roasted chicken marinated in balsamic vinaigrette, top it with mozzarella and fresh arugula, and your Italian sandwich is ready!

Ingredients:

Fresh focaccia

• 2 cups of warm water (40 - 43 °C)
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 packets of active dry yeast (14 g total)
• 4 cups flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 1 cup whole grain flour
• 1.5 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary, plus rosemary leaves for garnish
• 1 cup olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 8 thin slices of beef heart tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. l. grated parmesan

Spinach and Artichoke Spread

• 150g frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
• 0.5 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Jar of marinated artichokes (180 g), drained

Sandwich

• 0.5 cups sun-dried tomatoes in oil, cut into thin strips
• 450 g mozzarella, sliced ​​0.5 cm thick.
• 2 cups arugula
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 0.5 cup balsamic base, recipe included (or balsamic vinegar)
• Tomatoes, lettuce leaves and olives for serving

Balsamic base

• 4 cups balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp crushed pepper
• 8 basil leaves
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large shallot, coarsely chopped

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

chicken breasts, spinach, jardiniere, focaccia bread, balsamic vinegar, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, arugula, basil, thyme

We recommend

Preparation:

Step 1
• ChickenPour the balsamic mixture over the chicken and refrigerate to marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  
  Balsamic base.
  
  In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil, thyme, garlic, and shallot and stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool. Store the balsamic vinegar in the refrigerator; it's great for salad dressings, marinades, drizzling over steaks... whatever your imagination allows.
Step 2
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
  
  Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Then slice thinly on the diagonal.
Step 3
• Spinach and Artichoke SpreadPat the spinach dry with a kitchen towel. Then place it in the bowl of a food processor and add the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and zest. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt and add the artichokes to the mixture. Process the artichokes a couple of times to ensure they are not too chopped and remain in small pieces.
Step 4
• Assembling a sandwichCut a fresh focaccia in half on the side. Spread each half with spinach and artichoke spread. Place strips of sun-dried tomatoes on the bottom half of the bread, then slices of chicken breast, a layer of mozzarella, and arugula. Top with the other half of the focaccia, cut into bite-sized pieces, and enjoy!
  
  Easy recipe sandwich with ham and melon.
Step 5

• Homemade focaccia bread

  
  Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar, sprinkle in the yeast, and let it sit for 5-15 minutes to allow it to bloom.
  
  In a bowl, combine both types of flour, salt, and chopped rosemary. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the dissolved yeast, then add 0.5 cups of olive oil.
  
  Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough at medium speed with a mixer until smooth and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be quite loose.
  
  Transfer it to a clean, floured surface and knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes.
  
  Wipe out the bowl you used to mix the dough and grease it with olive oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 30–35 minutes, until it doubles in size.
  
  Grease a 22x32 cm baking pan with the remaining olive oil. Spread the dough in the pan and use your finger to make indentations in the surface. The more indentations you make, the more textured the bread will be.
Step 6
• Brush the dough with oil and sprinkle with rosemary. Top with tomato slices and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the dough again with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes to allow it to rise further.
  
  Preheat oven to 220°C and position the oven rack on the middle shelf. Bake the focaccia for 35–40 minutes, until crispy.

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