Chicken thighs are slowly cooked with Italian-style sauce and herbs, then served on crusty bread slices with olives and two savory cheeses.
Italian-Herbed Chicken and Mozzarella Melts
Chicken thighs are slowly cooked with Italian-style sauce and herbs, then served on crusty bread slices with olives and two savory cheeses.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
- 2 medium green sweet peppers thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
- 1 cup bottled spaghetti sauce
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 4 ounces
- ¼ cup snipped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 slices whole grain Italian bread
- 8 slices Apple slices
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook about 2 minutes or until light brown on both sides, turning once.
- Place sweet peppers in prepared slow cooker. Top with chicken. Sprinkle with rosemary. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken.
- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 1/2 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside. Using a slotted spoon transfer peppers and chicken to a medium bowl, reserving cooking juices. Using two forks pull chicken apart into coarse shreds. Add olives to chicken. In a small bowl combine mozzarella cheese, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
- Place bread on prepared baking sheet. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn over bread slices. Top each slice with some of the chicken mixture; drizzle each with about 1 tablespoon of the cooking juices. Sprinkle each with cheese mixture. Broil 1 to 2 minutes more or until toasted and cheese is melted. If desired, serve with apple.
