Open Faced Chicken Sandwich with Creamed Spinach

I'm not sure if you are like me at all, but I am always looking for inspiration when it comes to cooking.  Whether that be some good, fresh ingredients I found at a Farmer's Market, great sale on some produce/protein at the grocery store or of course, Pinterest.  

For me, Pinterest is a great starting point when it comes to my cooking adventures.  I might see something that I think, "ohhh - if I add ____, that would really be good!"  Or of course, one of my favorite decision makers is, "my husband will never eat that.  But if I add bacon ....".  

So now that you know the basis of where my inspiration lives this may help to understand why suddenly I am dead set on figuring out how to create a new dish.  This is exactly how this recipe was born.

I originally had in mind to make some open faced burgers for dinner.  So I pulled out my Food Network magazines and reached for the burger issue.  There is a Rachel Ray recipe for open faced burgers with creamed spinach on top.  I thought that would be delicious.  I then asked my husband, "any requests for dinner tonight?"  His response was that he wanted a fried chicken sandwich.  With a fried chicken sandwich not necessarily on my eating plan I knew I had to find some sort of compromise.  So I started thinking ... what could I do that would be able to incorporate both my husband's wish of a fried chicken sandwich and mine of a open faced burger with creamed spinach.   

I decided a marriage was in order.  It was time to marry the fried chicken sandwich and the creamed spinach ideas.  It was truly a marriage made in heaven.  I couldn't believe how amazing this dish came out and that my family would all love it.  If I had known this I would have decided upon this marriage many years ago.  

Getting down to what we need:

Creamed Spinach

• Frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1/2 block of light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of nutmeg
• Sliced tomatoes for garnish

Other Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts split in half
• 2 eggs for egg wash
• 2-3 cups of crushed corn flakes
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs 
• Garlic Salt
• Canola Oil (for frying the chicken)
• Garlic seasoned Texas Toast 
• 
  

I will say, I knew I needed to make it a little deconstructed for my kids.  So I took one boneless, skinless breast and cut into 1" pieces to create home made chicken nuggets. 

I sprinkled all the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, then dipped the pieces into the egg wash.  Next, into the corn flakes/bread crumb mixture.  I added Garlic Salt to the coating mix for flavor.  Because ... well, who can't have a little garlic? 

Pour in your Canola oil and allow to come to hot temp.  Place in your coated chicken nugget pieces over med-high heat and allow to cook through.

Just for quality purposes I had to cut into one nugget to try.  One word: delicious.  I absolutely love making homemade chicken nuggets for my kids.  I refuse to buy the frozen ones in the stores because I don't know what is really in there.  This way I know I'm using fresh chicken and as a Mom, that's important to me. 

Cook the rest of the chicken breast filet in the same way as you did the nuggets.  While those are resting put some Texas Toast into the oven.  To make that just take some slices and then melt with butter and garlic on top and get it nice and toasted. 

Now we need to make up our creamed spinach.  YUM.

Take a sauce pot and add in your cream cheese.  Allow to melt almost completely.  Add in your half and half and mix well.  Sprinkle in your salt, pepper and dash of nutmeg, then add in the thawed chopped spinach.  

Over low heat simmer your creamed spinach until heated through.

Now we just simply plate it up.  

Place a piece of the Garlic Texas Toast down on the plate.  Top with one of your chicken breasts, then pour some of your yummy creamed spinach across the top.  For garnish I used sliced tomatoes.  

And there you have it.  My kids ate chicken nuggets with tomatoes and apple slices.  My youngest will eat spinach but she just doesn't trust the creamed spinach yet.  Give it time.

I hope this gives you inspiration.  But either way .. it's a tasty meal that I promise you'll enjoy! 

Cheers!

~Jacqui