Game Day Eats: Kickin' Chicken Philly

We're getting close to kick-off for the Super Bowl, so it's time for another game day idea. Of course, chicken wings are popular dish. So are sandwiches. So try out this recipe that combines the best of both worlds.

The very first recipe I posted on this blog was a copycat of one of my favorite sandwiches at a restaurant here called Two Guys Grille. Well, since then I've found a new favorite at Two Guys called the Kickin' Chicken Philly, so I decided to try my own version.

Now as you may know, as a native of the Philadelphia area, I'm something of a cheesesteak purist. The cheesesteaks/chicken cheesesteaks at Two Guys typically include green peppers, but green peppers are not a traditional ingredient in a cheesesteak (You can usually find a pepper steak on the menu at real cheesesteak places, but it's usually at the bottom of the menu. Bottom line is that green peppers are NOT a staple ingredient.), so I leave them out. The Two Guys sandwich also calls for jalapenos, and I've just never been the biggest fan, so I left them out. You, of course, are welcome to add back in the peppers as you wish.

Ingredients (per sandwich)
1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Chopped onion
Sliced mushrooms
Hot sauce/Buffalo wing sauce to taste
2 slices white American cheese
1 hoagie roll

Directions
Slice a chicken breast as thinly as you can. The thinner the better. Marinate the chicken in the hot/wing sauce.

On a hot griddle or frying pan, heat up a little olive oil. When it's hot, add the onions and cook a little. Push them out to the edge and add the chicken. Turn over the sliced chicken and add the mushrooms. Mix the chicken, mushrooms and onions together until the chicken and mushrooms are cooked. Top with cheese slices and continue to heat until the cheese starts to melt. Pile everything into a hoagie roll.

You can top your sandwich with what you'd like. In this case, I added some ketchup and tomato slices. If I'd had some lettuce, I would've added that, as well.

Black & Bleu Chicken Sandwiches, Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

We will start with something really simple... and what I made for dinner tonight.

You surely have had something delicious at a restaurant and thought, "Boy, it would be great if I could make this at home." I've been trying to do that a little more often to help save a little money and enjoy some good eats. Tonight's recipe is one of my favorites from Two Guys Grille here in North Carolina.

Because of cook time, start with the sweet potato "fries." Plan on one potato for each person at most. I used two, and had plenty for me, my wife, our 19-month-old son and a decent handful leftover. Pre-heat oven to 400. Rinse and dry the sweet potatoes and cut into strips (leave skin on). Mine are cut like decent sized steak fries. Put cut sweet potatoes in a big bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and mix. Sprinkle with salt or seasoning salt and cinnamon (trust me on this) and mix again. Spread cut potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done. Two Guys serves its sweet potato fries with cinnamon butter. It's pretty tasty. I just go with ketchup.


For each sandwich, pound a boneless, skinless chicken breast to an even thickness (about a 1/4 of an inch). Rub both sides with your favorite blackening season. I used Old Bay Blackened Seasoning. Grill until done. I did mine on a Foreman Grill, and when the chicken was cooked, I topped it with bleu cheese and closed the lid for a minute or so until it was all melty. Serve on a Kaiser toll. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, whatever you like. I also put a little Ken's Steakhouse Chunky Bleu Cheese dressing on mine. Throw in a side salad, and you have a tasty meal!