There’s something about the first chilly week of fall that has me craving a big, hearty sandwich, and this sun dried tomato chicken cutlet sandwich has become my answer every time. Think super thin, extra crispy chicken cutlets smothered in a creamy sun dried tomato sauce, topped with melty mozzarella, and broiled right on top of homemade focaccia. A sprinkle of fresh basil and it’s done.
The sauce is the real magic here. I used a sun dried tomato pomodoro paste from Italy that I was gifted for my birthday, sautéed with garlic, onion, and butter and stirred into heavy cream. If you can’t find it, classic tomato paste works too. My whole family was obsessed, and it’s become one of those recipes I come back to all season long.
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @twigandberrykitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twigandberrykitchen
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @Twigandberrykitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #TwigandBerryKitchen
Ingredients You’ll Need
(Full ingredient list with exact measurements is in the recipe card below.)
For the Focaccia
- Bread flour or all purpose flour
- Salt
- Instant yeast
- Lukewarm water
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Flaky sea salt
- Fresh rosemary (or any herb you love)
For the Chicken Cutlets
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- All purpose flour
- Eggs
- Breadcrumbs
- Parmesan
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Neutral oil for frying
For the Sauce and ASssembly
- Butter
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Sun dried tomato paste (or classic tomato paste)
- Heavy cream
- Fresh mozzarella
- Fresh basil
Equipment You’ll Need
- 9×13 pan or Detroit style pizza pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Meat mallet
- Cast iron or heavy skillet
- Wire cooling rack
- Sheet pan (for broiling)
How to make Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches
- Mix the focaccia dough and let it rest 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold, then cold proof overnight.
- Stretch into the pan and let it rise about 3 hours.
- Dimple, top with oil and flaky salt, and bake.
- Pound the chicken thin and bread it.
- Fry the cutlets until golden and crispy.
- Make the sun dried tomato cream sauce.
- Top cutlets with sauce and mozzarella, place on focaccia, and broil.
- Finish with fresh basil and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Tips for making this recipe
How to store
- Focaccia: Keep at room temperature, wrapped or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Cutlets: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400°F oven or air fryer to bring back the crunch.
- Sauce: Refrigerate for up to 4 days and gently rewarm on the stovetop with a splash of cream.
- Assembled sandwiches are best eaten fresh. Store the components separately and assemble just before serving.
FAQ’s
Can I use regular tomato paste instead of sun dried tomato paste? Yes! Classic tomato paste works great. Add a few chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes for extra flavor if you have them.
Can I make the focaccia the same day? Absolutely. After the stretch and folds, let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1½ hours instead of refrigerating it.
How long can focaccia dough cold proof? Up to 3 days in the fridge. The longer it rests, the more flavor it develops.
Can I bake or air fry the cutlets instead of frying? Yes. Spray both sides with oil and bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes or air fry at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
What other bread can I use? Ciabatta, sourdough, or a good hoagie roll all work if you don’t have time for focaccia.
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Cutlet Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 4 cups 512 g bread flour or all purpose flour
- 2 to 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp 8 g instant yeast
- 2 cups 455 g lukewarm water
- Butter for greasing
- 4 tbsp olive oil divided
- Flaky sea salt such as Maldon
- 1 to 2 tsp fresh rosemary or herb of choice
Chicken Cutlets
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Neutral oil for frying
Sauce + Assembly
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ small yellow onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 to 2 tbsp sun dried tomato paste or tomato paste
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
- Fresh basil for topping
Instructions
Make the Focaccia
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the lukewarm water and mix until all the flour is absorbed. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- With wet hands, stretch and fold the dough over itself a few times, rotating the bowl, to build gluten.
- Transfer to a bowl coated with 1 tbsp olive oil, cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. (For same day, rest at room temperature 1½ hours.)
- Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Turn the dough into the pan and gently stretch it toward the edges. Rest about 3 hours, until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over the dough. Oil your fingers and press all the way down into the dough to create dimples. Sprinkle with flaky salt and rosemary.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden on top and crisp underneath. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Make the Cutlets
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, then pound to about ¼ inch thick.
- Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs.
- Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Fry cutlets 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F). Drain on a rack.
Make the Sauce + Assemble
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, about 4 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the sun dried tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Set the oven to broil. Slice the focaccia into 6 pieces and split each horizontally. Place cutlets on the bottom halves on a sheet pan, spoon sauce over top, and add mozzarella.
- Broil 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with fresh basil and the focaccia top. Serve warm.
Notes
- Sub for the paste: Classic tomato paste works in place of sun dried tomato paste. Start with 1 tbsp and add more to taste.
- Salt level: I lean toward 3 tsp of salt in the focaccia for a well seasoned bread. Use 2 tsp if you prefer it milder.
- Storage: Focaccia keeps at room temperature up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Keywords
