An open-face sandwich melt is a quick and easy meal that I think works any time of day. For breakfast or brunch, scrambled eggs with veggies and melted brie on a croissant. For lunch, tuna and melted sharp cheddar on whole wheat bakery buns. For dinner, sausage and pepper hoagies with melted queso manchego. They're simple to make and look great on the plate.
This recipe is all about ooey gooey cheddar cheese melted over golden and tender chunks of chicken, crispy bacon and mayonnaise-smeared ciabatta buns. Ya. You know, I'm not sure I need to say a lot more about how good these are. Nope, I really don't think I do. Just add a salad if the guilt is too much.
Here's how I made it:
makes 4 open-face melts
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 strips of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
100 g/3.5 oz medium cheddar, sliced
1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 ciabatta buns, sliced in half
a handful of pea shoots for garnish
While my oven broiler warmed on low setting, I cooked the chicken and bacon pieces a large non-stick skillet over over medium-high heat until the chicken was golden brown and the bacon crispy, then drained off the liquid fat. I spread the ciabatta buns with the mayonnaise and lay them on a baking sheet. The chicken and bacon was spooned onto the buns, and the sliced cheddar was perched on top. I popped the open-face sandwiches under the broiler for a minute or two, just until the cheese was melted and beginning to bubble. The pea shoots were placed on top to serve.
