For the Love of Goat Cheese

I love Goat cheese - of course I love most every cheese known to man but I have a special affinity for the usual creamy, crumbly cheese that has so many different variations. (Did I mention I just found out that Gouda is a firm variety?)

My husband was not as sure about the sometimes strong cheese until we went out to dinner one night at nice restaurant and had a salad course that included a small piece of fried goat cheese on the greens. After that, the man who always wants a salad with dinner started asking for crumbled goat cheese to accompany his "roughage" to mix it up a little up from his usual.

Now with the door open to goat cheese, I could explore other recipe options that might include it. Different salad ideas abounded as did the pairing of goat cheese and chicken. Many of those recipes involved the stuffing of the chicken with the goat cheese. But personally, one of my least favorite cooking tasks is stuffing something unless it's for a special occasion. I was really looking for something quick and easy that would make a good weeknight meal to add to the menu.

Then, one day lunching at one of my favorite places Baker's Crust and reviewing their menu I noticed their veggie and goat cheese sandwich and thought, why not a chicken and goat cheese sandwich? The husband is quite a fan of chicken and a sandwich would be an easy way to get to good things together.

So, for the past few years, chicken and goat cheese sandwiches are on the menu once a month or as was the case the night before last, became a desperation dinner when I realized I didn't have what I needed for what was supposed to be Monday night!

I change this recipe all the time to suit what type of goat cheese is available (or what hubby may have purchased) , the dressing I have on hand and the type of bread. One word of note, I tried chicken cutlets once instead of regular chicken breasts and it was not as successful:

2 skinless chicken breasts
40z soft goat cheese (either crumbled or in the log)
Bread
Favorite Oil and Vinegar dressing ( I like Newman's Own)

For the chicken breasts, if I remember to plan ahead I marinate them over night in whatever dressing I have selected. Then I cook them either inside on the George Foreman (yep, I still have mine) or give them to the grill master to cook outside. If no marinating time, we will baste the chicken with the dressing and be sure to drizzle a little extra on the cooked chicken once it is on the sandwich.

Once the chicken is cooked, I slice it into strips. If I am using the log goat cheese, I carefully slice that as well. I preheat the oven to 375 and start assembling the sandwiches. On the occasion I use the big French loaf, I will make one huge sandwich and cut into pieces when it is done. Monday night I had wheat sub rolls leftover so I made individual sandwiches and saved the leftover chicken for a future dish. No matter what bread you use, slice the bread lengthwise into two halves. Drizzle your chosen dressing on both insides of the bread. Then add the cooked chicken to once side (enough to cover the side) and the goat cheese to the other. Feel free to drizzle a little over the cheese and chicken when done. Pop into the oven (still open-faced) and cook until bread begins to crisp and cheese melts. Remove, put the halves together and enjoy!

I have added spinach to this after cooking, roasted red pepper and arugula. the type of goat cheese also affects the final product. Monday night was red pepper and basil goat cheese which got an enthusiastic thumbs up form hubby! And since he's gone tonight and there is leftover chicken AND cheese, I think I may make another sandwich!