Rehabbed Cheddar BLT...and a confession

I have something to admit. Something awful. Like third grade mandatory confession to the priest shameful.

I came home from a demo shoot on Sunday afternoon. There was no food in the house. So we ordered a pizza for dinner. NBD.

It was Monday when things went awry. I was walking home from a photography class. It was cold. And I was hungry. I hadn't had time to go grocery shopping. So I did the unthinkable. It looked so good. I walked into a KFC. Really, all I wanted was a biscuit. But you get drawn into buying all this chicken and mashed potatoes, and all these other goodies, too.

I ordered a bucket with 8 pieces of chicken. The guy behind the counter said "The 10-pieces is a dollar less."

I asked, "Why would it be a dollar less?"

He said he had no idea. But I'm a sucker for a good deal. So I bought a giant bucket of greasy, hormone and whatever else fake stuff-filled chicken. It was delicious.

And then I woke up Tuesday morning. Guess who felt like a boob? Me. A greasy, bloated, boob.

I didn't look at that chicken all day. But we had so much chicken in our fridge.

SO MUCH UNHEALTHY, NASTY, LEFTOVER CHICKEN.

I didn't know what to do with it. But I really didn't want to waste it. Actually, I did. I wanted to throw it away and forget about the previous night. But my one night stand with KFC turned into a two day affair.

This rehabbed cheddar blt panini from Cooking Light would have been a healthy option, if it weren't for the fact that I used KFC chicken instead of a chicken breast. And you know what? It was delicious. And the spinach ALMOST made up for the fact that I used KFC chicken heated up in bacon grease.

Oh my god.


Just look at this recipe. Use regular chicken. Don't go to KFC ever again. Then go to the gym.

Here's what you need:

• 3 bacon slices
• 2 6oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, halved lengthwise. 
• 4 c baby spinach leaves
• 2 t. balsamic vinegar
• 3oz reduced-fat white cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 c)
• 2 T 1/3-less fat cream cheese
• 4 2oz French bread rolls, halved lengthwise
• tomato slices
• cooking spray

Here's what you do:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and crumble (or chop). Add chicken to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan. Add baby spinach to pan; cook 30 seconds or until spinach begins to wilt, stirring constantly. Stir in balsamic vinegar.

Combine cheddar cheese and cream cheese in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 30 seconds or until melted; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in bacon. Spread cheese mixture evenly over cut sides of rolls. Divide tomatoes evenly over bottom halves of rolls; top with chicken and spinach mixture. Top sandwiches with top halves of rolls. Return pan to medium heat. Coat both sides of sandwiches with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan. Place a cast-iron skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Cook sandwiches 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.

 

 

 

 

 FYI...I used the black forest bacon from trader joes...it was delicious...slightly sweet. After you're done at the gym, go buy some.