Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Fontina Cheese

A garlic-herb marinade gives the chicken a flavorful jump start. You can serve an entire

quarter or cut each quarter into two wedges. Serve with vegetable chips.

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-ounce) loaf rosemary focaccia, cut in half horizontally
4 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
3 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced

Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound to 3/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine juice, mustard, oil, marjoram, thyme, 1 garlic clove, and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add remaining 4 garlic cloves, onion, sugar, fennel, crushed red pepper, and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Add roasted bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar and black pepper.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cool slightly; cut chicken into slices. Spread cut sides of bread evenly with mayonnaise. Arrange cheese on bottom half of bread. Arrange chicken and pepper mixture over cheese. Top with top half of bread; press lightly. Place stuffed loaf on grill rack; grill 3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts. Cut into quarters.

Yield: 4 servings

David Bonom
Cooking Light, JUNE 2004