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Chicken and Spinach Panini

By Linda Larsen, About.com

Pizza dough is topped with seasonings, baked, then grilled with a savory spinach and chicken filling in this delicious hot sandwich recipe.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz. can refrigerated pizza crust dough
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 9 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 4 slices Havarti cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll pizza dough and place in an ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Press down on dough until it reaches edges of pan. Push with your fingers to form dimples. Brush with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, marjoram leaves, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes until light brown and set. Cool completely.

In small saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp tender. Add sugar and vinegar, then reduce heat to low. Simmer this mixture for 3 to 5 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Place onion mixture in a medium bowl; cool completely. Add well drained spinach, mayonnaise and pepper, mix well, and refrigerate.

Flatten each chicken breast half by placing between two pieces of waxed paper. Gently pound chicken with a rolling pin or meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick. Remove paper and sprinkle chicken with thyme and salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat, then add chicken. Cook chicken for 8 minutes, turning once, or until chicken is browned and thoroughly cooked and juices run clear. Let chicken stand for 5 minutes, then cut into slices.

Cut cooled pizza crust into 4 rectangles. Remove rectangles from pan and spread the unseasoned side of each with 1/4 of the mayonnaise mixture. Top 2 rectangles, seasoned side down, with sliced chicken, cheese and remaining crust rectangles, seasoned side up, to make sandwiches.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Place smaller skillet on top of sandwiches to flatten them as they cook. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp, thoroughly heated and browned, turning once halfway through cooking time. Cut each sandwich in half to serve. Or cook sandwiches, two at a time, on pannini or dual-contact grill, about 2-4 minutes or until bread is crisp and cheese is melted. 4 servings

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