We live far away from any restaurant, sit-down, drive-thru, or otherwise. The missing convenience and luxury of going out to eat are what inspired me to take charge of my at-home menu so that I could create some of those restaurant experiences in my kitchen. It’s become a passion project, and one thing I’m passionate about is a chicken parmesan sandwich. A good ol’ chicken parm on a fresh, warm toasty roll with melty cheese and perfectly crisp yet tender chicken is on today’s menu.

A chicken parm sandwich doesn’t require a culinary degree, but the star of the show, the chicken, should be cooked to perfection. I’ve got two pretty large chicken breasts and I’m going to cut them in half, lengthwise, like a fillet. This will get them to a more manageable size for my sandwich. For golden crisp chicken, I rely on a simply seasoned bread crumb and egg wash. I make sure to pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and then I get to dunking, first in the egg wash, then into my bread crumbs, seasoned with dried parsley, garlic powder, and some parmesan cheese. The chicken will find itself swimming in a nice, warm bath of vegetable oil, where it will become crispy on the outside and primed to be tender on the inside.

The chicken is finished in the oven, on low heat, so that it’s cooked all the way through. The end result is a wonderfully crisp and tender cut of beautiful chicken. I’m almost ready to build my sandwich. For earthy, hearty flavor, I’m going to sauté some spinach leaves with a little bit of garlic until they’re just wilted and flavorful. While those are wilting, and it doesn’t take long, I start to toast my bread, fresh and beautiful hoagie loaves are perfect for my chicken parm. I like to toast the bread because it will keep the sandwich nice and sturdy, and the toasty bread is ideal for dipping into the side dish of marinara that I’ll have on the side.

I start to build my sandwich with a layer of sautéd spinach, but there are two absolutely essential elements to a chicken parm sandwich: marinara and provolone cheese. Melted provolone and warm marinara, both on top of the chicken and served on the side, will achieve that comfort-food feeling that is essential to a recipe as classic as a chicken parmesan sandwich.

There you have it! If you’re looking for some weeknight dinner inspiration that isn’t just fast food, then consider a chicken parmesan sandwich. It’s a diner-style dish that has solid retro vibes but is always suitable for a modern audience. Some recipes never grow old, and a good chicken parmesan sandwich is Exhibit A!