Chicken Bruschetta Sandwiches

You are going to love this one! This is such a fresh, delecious sandwich- perfect for summer! (Or any season for that matter.) I sped things along by cooking my chicken in the crockpot on low for a few hours drenched in Italian Dressing. I can usually make two meals out of it when I do that- I sliced up half for this and chopped the other half for some chicken salad the next day. It is a great way to make the meat stretch a little bit. But you can use a whole chicken breast if you like. I just loved the flavor and that it just feels lighter- this isn't one of those sandwiches that just sits there, heavy in your stomach. I made a few changes to make this a lighter sandwich. So good and so easy!

Lyd's Tip: For a lighter sandwich, leave the lid off (not "Lyd" :). I had a room-mate in college that showed me that trick and I thought it was a great idea. That piece for "filler" bread just contains added calories that you don't really need. It is like unveiling a bunch of flavor and the actual "sandwich" under that bread... you might just find you like it and the way you feel later. It doesn't have to have two pieces of bread to qualify as a sandwich, does it? :)

Chicken Bruschetta Sandwiches (Adapted from Simple and Delicious)
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (I just chopped up what I had)
1/2 cup minced fresh basil (I didn't have fresh on hand so I used about 1-2 tsp of dried)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (I used a green onion)
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing, divided (I also cut some fat by leaving this out because I slow-cooked the chicken in it. I found that it I let the tomato mixture sit for a bit, it created enough moisture.)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
4 slices Italian bread (1 inch thick), toasted (I used whole wheat bread, but to give it a bit of flavor, I toasted it with a bit of butter and garlic salt. The flavors meshed really well.)
4 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, onion and 1/2 cup dressing; set aside. Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness.
Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with remaining dressing. Layer each slice of toast with a chicken breast, cheese slice and tomato mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 517 calories, 27 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 1,233 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 35 g protein.