Another quick dinner idea

Today I ran into my friend Stephanie at Trader Joe's. She wanted to know what was in my cart as she was needing inspiration for her dinner. Unfortunately, I had just walked in the door so I only had a few things in the cart to share with her. I did, however, tell her what sorts of things I typically serve in the summer to make meal prep as quick as possible.

My summer meals tend to be easy things that I can slap on the grill (or George Foreman) and serve with a side of whatever is in the fridge. Ground meat is a staple protein in the summer, as are boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Tonight I went with the later.

Here is my dinner tonight, which is a total throwback to the 90's. I whipped up some Roasted Red Pepper Aioli a few weeks ago and my family has been immersed in the land of big hair and high waisted jeans since then. We have eaten a few recipes worth and it is a hit every time I serve it. BTW, the aioli is good as a dip with veggies or in most sandwiches or wraps. It was particularly good with a smokey chicken burger recipe that I made last week. Stay tuned for that recipe.

Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich (serves 2)

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied and pounded thin

1 large tomato, sliced

1 C spinach leaves, washed and dried

salt and pepper to taste

2 T Roasted Red Pepper Aioli (recipes follows)

2 buns, toasted or other bread of choice (I used TJ's Whole Wheat Tuscan Pane - thanks for the tip Stephanie)

Heat BBQ, George Foreman Grill or grill pan over high heat.

While the cooker is heating, liberally season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, add chicken and cook until done (4 - 7 minutes, depending).

While the chicken is cooking, toast your bun or bread and set aside.

When chicken is done, remove to plate to cool. Begin assembling sandwich by spreading 1 T of the aioli on the bun. Next, layer 1/2 C spinach and 1/2 of the tomato on the bread. Top with 1/2 of the cooked chicken and the top layer of bread.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli (makes approx 1 cup)

1 C good quality mayonnaise

2 large jarred roasted red peppers

1 large garlic clove

salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to food processor. Pulse until garlic and peppers are smooth and the mixture is well combined.