serves 4
Spartan chicken, also known as chicken Bardouniotiko, after a group of mountain villages near the famous ancient city of Sparta, is a rich but simple combination of slow-cooked onion, chicken, and feta cheese. Some renditions, including the one in this book, call for the addition of olives and tomatoes. It so happens that the combination also makes a great sandwich, albeit with a bit of poetic license added to the recipe.
FOR THE MARINADE
3 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil
1 tablespoon mild mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon kalamata olive paste
1 tablespoon Greek or other balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin Greek olive oil
2 large red onions, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon Greek or other balsamic vinegar
Whole-grain baguettes, ciabatta, or other good bread of choice, butterflied open
1 tablespoon mild mustard
1 small bunch arugula
1 cup (150 g) crumbled Greek feta
Make the marinade: In a large stainless steel bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, oregano, tomato paste, olive paste, vinegar, and pepper to taste.
Place the chicken breast halves on a clean cutting board and place a piece of plastic wrap on top. Using a meat pounder or mallet, pound the breasts lightly to flatten to a thickness of about ½ inch (1.5 cm). Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, toss or stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes until golden. Add the vinegar to the onions about halfway through the cooking time. The onions can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Preheat the broiler with a rack positioned 8 inches (20 cm) from the heat source. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan.
Place the chicken in the pan and broil, turning once, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven (keep the broiler on) and set aside, tented with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Put the bread on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Broil for a few seconds until lightly browned (or toast the bread in a skillet on the stovetop). Remove from the oven (keep the broiler on).
Spread a little of the mustard over the cut sides of the bread. Top with the arugula, then the chicken, onions, and feta. Place the sandwiches, open-faced, under the broiler for a few seconds, just until the feta begins to melt. Remove from the oven, close the sandwiches with their top halves, and serve.
NOTE: You can also cook the chicken breasts on the stovetop instead of broiling: In a sauté pan or nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden on all sides and cooked through, about 25 minutes.