Pimento Cheese Chicken Melts
Skillet chicken melts topped with quick pimento cheese, pickles, and a broiled finish.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 15 · Total: 25 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (168 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
I was chasing that dive-bar sandwich vibe, but in a skillet, with pimento cheese doing the heavy lifting.
Story
Pull into any roadside joint from Memphis to Macon and you will spot some kind of melt on the board. This one is all gas, no fuss, chicken cutlets smashed flat, a quick pimento cheese stirred up in a bowl, then a broiler finish that gets it bubbling like a champ. Toss a couple pickle coins on top and you have got a plate that tastes like neon signs and cold sweet tea.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb chicken cutlets (or thin-sliced chicken breast)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/4 cup chopped pimentos, drained
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp pickle brine (optional)
- Sliced dill pickles, for serving
- Toasted buns or Texas toast, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the broiler, and set a rack about 6 inches from the heat.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Sear chicken in a large oven-safe skillet with oil, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Stir mayonnaise, cheddar, pimentos, Dijon, and pickle brine to make a quick pimento cheese.
- Spoon pimento cheese over the chicken, then broil 1 to 2 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.
- Serve with pickles on toasted buns or Texas toast, and add slaw or chips if you are going full diner.
Chef Tips
- Use pre-shredded cheddar to keep it weeknight fast.
- Pickle brine makes the pimento topping tangier, start with a little.
- If your skillet is not broiler-safe, move chicken to a sheet pan before topping.
- Leftover pimento cheese is excellent on crackers or breakfast sandwiches.
Cook's Notes
- **Chicken:** Cutlets cook fast and stay juicy, but you can butterfly breasts too.
- **Broiler:** Watch closely, the topping browns quick.
- **Heat:** Add a pinch of cayenne to the pimento mix if you want it louder.
- **Serving:** Buns for sandwich mode, Texas toast for knife-and-fork mode.