CHICKEN PARM PULL-APART SANDWICHES

Chicken Parm Pull-Apart Sandwiches image

These pull-apart sandwiches combine two of the most crave-worthy foods: chicken parmesan and garlic bread. The bread slices are slathered with an assertive garlic butter, breaded and fried chicken tenders, tomato sauce and melty mozzarella cheese. Simply bake, then pull apart!

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
6 cloves garlic, 4 thinly sliced and 2 finely grated
1 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 chicken tenders (8 ounces each)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 14-inch loaf semolina or other crusty Italian bread
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
6 slices low-moisture mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Meanwhile, flatten the chicken tenders using the base of your hand; season with salt and pepper. Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Dip the chicken in the flour, then in the egg, shaking off the excess, then in the breadcrumbs to coat. Heat 1/2 inch of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning, until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
Trim the ends off the bread loaf. Cut the bread on an angle into 12 slices, leaving the bottom of the loaf intact. (You can position chopsticks along the long sides of the bread to keep from cutting all the way through.) Transfer to the baking sheet.
Combine the butter, grated garlic, 2 tablespoons parsley and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread between the bread slices and on the ends of the loaf.
Fill every other bread slice with tomato sauce, starting with the first slice. Stuff each sauce-filled slice with a chicken tender and a mozzarella slice; spoon more tomato sauce around the chicken. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the loaf.
Bake until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted, 15 to 18 minutes. Pull apart or slice into individual sandwiches. Sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve with the remaining tomato sauce.