Quick Chicken Dinners

I am going to try to post two different recipes for some great weeknight chicken meals. I know we all have a ton of chicken recipes, but it never hurts to have a few more. The first one is a great Chicken Cheesesteak recipe from Everyday Food on marthastewart.com (with just a few tweaks of my own). We have been making this recipe for several years now and it still one of our favorite quick weeknight dinners. 


Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwiches
For the chicken:
6 tablespoons kosher salt or 3 tablespoons table salt
3 tablespoons sugar
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
For the sandwiches:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, mixed colors (I usually use a red and yellow)
1 large red onion
salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
4 hoagie type sandwich rolls, split lenghtwise
Mayo (optional)

1. For the chicken: Dissolve the salt and sugar in 1 1/5 quarts of water in a large resealable bag or plastic container. Add chicken and soak for 30 minutes. Remove from brine, pat dry and sprinkle with pepper. Meanwhile adjust rack to upper middle rack and heat the oven's broiler. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and place chicken on top. Cook for 8 -15 minutes until cooked through (watch your chicken it will just depend on how thick your chicken is and how hot your broiler is as to how fast the chicken will cook). Once cooked transfer to plate and set aside. If there is a lot of liquid on the baking sheet make sure to pour it off before proceeding with the vegetables.
2. For vegetables: On baking sheet, toss together peppers, onion, garlic, and tablespoon oil season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender with some brown spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken to broiled vegetables; toss, and spread in a single layer.
3.Top chicken and vegetables with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scoop out most of the doughy center from both halves of rolls; discard. Spread rolls with mayonnaise; fill with chicken and vegetables. Serve immediately.
* Extra notes if you don't have time to soak the chicken you can skip that part your chicken will just be a little drier. If you need to double the recipe just double the chicken but do not double  the brine (what the chicken is soaking in it is enough to handle that amount of chicken.) In our family we like the stronger provolone that you get from the deli counter and often it is cheaper than buying the package.

 Ella helping me whip up some brown butter and vanilla bean rice krispie treats.