French Onion Sandwich

The Recipe's Story

Each summer there is a county fair in my husbands home town that he looks forward to attending. The main reason is the burgers that have about a cup of caramelized onions on them. They are delicious but high in calories. It is fair food after all. I wanted to find a way to make a healthy replicate of the burgers our family enjoys...just a bit more weight friendly.

I thought a chicken sandwich with an onion dip would be a good alternative. I looked up an onion dip and made a few exchanges to cup down on calories. I used a plain Greek yogurt base as opposed to sour cream and mayonnaise. I also exchanges a half pound beef patty for grilled chicken. The vise of this sandwich is the hearty sourdough baguette bread. I suppose you could use some whole wheat toast but it does not have the same chew or hold up to the onion dip. All in all this sandwich is a great fair food alternative and wonderful lunch. Just make sure you have a napkin handy for all the creamy goodness that is sure to dribble.

This sandwich is quick, simple and one I will make time and time again. The chicken offers high low calorie protein. Choosing to bake, grill or even pan fry with olive oil are great choices for cooking the chicken. Onions are a good vitamin C source. The Greek yogurt is what makes this sandwich a good choices. Greek yogurt is an excellent sources of calcium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. It also is high in probiotics which help your digestive track and high in protein to keep you feeling full longer.

French Onion Sandwich

1 medium sweet onion, sliced thinly
1/2 lb. chicken breast
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 and 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbs. dried minced onions
1 demi sourdough baguette
1 clove garlic, peeled

1. In a large skillet heat 1/2 tsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add  the sliced onions and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the dried onions and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In a small mixing bowl stir together the yogurt and onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper and the dried oregano. In a large skillet heat 1/2 tsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook through, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and allow the chicken to cool slightly.

4. Cut the baguette lengthwise and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Grill the bread under the broiler until golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and rub both sides with the peeled garlic clove.

5.  To assemble the sandwich first spread the yogurt mixture onto one side of the baguette. Then, slice the chicken into thin pieces and arrange over the yogurt mixture side of bread. Last, top the sandwich with the other slice of bread and cut the sandwich in half.

Servings: 2
Calories: 317 without bread (3 oz. serving of baguette was 243 calories for a total of 561 calories)