Chicken Cheesesteak at Home: Seared Thigh, Sweet Onions and Melted White American on a Sesame Roll

On 12 October Arby's started selling three chicken cheesesteaks, following up its beef Angus Cheesesteak. Tasting Table described the lineup as a classic with caramelised onions and cheese on a toasted sesame roll, a Deluxe version that adds lettuce and tomato, and a spicy one with a glaze. The Takeout's review put the prices at $7.49, $8.49 and $7.99, and found the plain version the best of the three.

The idea is neat, because a cheesesteak is really three things: well-browned meat, soft sweet onions and a cheese that melts into everything else. Chicken does all three jobs happily, provided you slice it thin and do not cook it into rubber.

The sandwich itself has a debated history. Wikipedia's account credits Pat and Harry Olivieri with serving chopped steak on an Italian roll in the early 1930s, though the story is disputed, and says cheese came later, with American or provolone first and Cheez Whiz arriving at Pat's in the late 1950s. A chicken cheesesteak is simply the variation that swaps the beef. Arby's cooks its chicken sous vide after searing it. This version does the same job faster, by slicing the chicken thin and searing it hard.

Ingredients

Serves 4. Total time 50 minutes, including 15 minutes of marinating.

• 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts also work), trimmed
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large onions (about 400 g), halved and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the onions
• 8 slices (about 200 g) white American cheese, or mild provolone
• 4 sesame seed rolls, each about 18 cm, split but left hinged
• 1 tablespoon softened butter, for the rolls

Method

1. Freeze the chicken for 20 minutes so it firms up, then slice it as thinly as you can against the grain, into strips no thicker than 3 mm.
2. Toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Leave it for 15 minutes.
3. Melt the tablespoon of butter in a wide, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip them into a bowl.
4. Wipe the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and heat it over high heat until it shimmers.
5. Cook the chicken in two batches, spreading it out and leaving it alone for 90 seconds before stirring, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until browned and cooked through. The thickest pieces should reach 74 C.
6. Return all the chicken and the onions to the pan, and chop through the pile with two spatulas for 30 seconds so the two mingle. Divide into four heaps and lay two slices of cheese over each. Cover with a lid or a tray for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted.
7. While the cheese melts, spread the softened butter inside the rolls and toast them cut side down in a second pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Slide a spatula under each heap and tip it into a roll. Serve at once.

Tips, swaps and storage

Thighs stay juicier than breasts, which dry out fast, so if you use breasts, pull them from the heat the moment they are opaque. Cutting the chicken thin is the whole trick: thick strips take longer, and by then the outside is tough.