Chicken Cheesesteaks with Onions and Mushrooms

Golden brown, perfectly seasoned chicken, caramelized onions and tender mushrooms, stuffed into toasted bread and smothered with two cheeses. Now THAT's a cheesesteak you won't soon forget!

As amazing as "steak" cheesesteaks are, chicken cheesesteaks are the BOMB. In this recipe (that I happen to make quite often!), I sear the chicken until it's golden brown and awesome, and then I season it with Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, onion, and garlic. That's it, but the flavors soar. The onions are cooked until caramelized, and the mushrooms are pan-fried until tender. Imagine all those components, stuffed into soft rolls and covered with melted cheese! I know, right? Magic.

About the cheese: I LOVE using two different types of cheese in these cheesesteaks. I use cheddar for its sharpness and mozzarella for it's gooeyness. The best of both worlds.

Which mushrooms to use? I prefer cremini - also called baby portobellos. I think they have a LOT more flavor than button mushrooms, and they're not so "wild" (meaning, they don't overpower the sandwich with wild mushroom flavor). That said, you can also use button mushrooms, or any variety you prefer. As a time-saver, opt for the pre-sliced mushrooms (button, cremini and portobello are all sold that way).

You might notice that I bake the sandwiches just before serving. I do this for two reasons: to melt the cheese and to toast the bread. It's such a simple step, but it truly changes the sandwich. Since the onions and mushrooms are cooked first, and served in separate little bowls, I reheat them in ramekins alongside the sandwiches. Everything comes to the table hot and ready, and perfectly delicious.

I like to serve the fried onions and mushrooms on the side; that way everyone can choose what they want to add to their cheesesteaks. If you want to load up the cheesesteaks with everything and serve them all the same way, just add the onions and mushrooms to the chicken and then top everything with the two cheeses. Also, I cook the onions, and then the mushrooms, and then the chicken; in that order; in the same skillet. I think this builds flavor, so by the time the chicken hits the pan, there's an incredible amount of goodness going on. If you want to speed up the process, cook the onions and mushrooms together. You can also cook the chicken in a separate skillet at the same time the onions and mushrooms are going.

Chicken Cheese Steaks with Onions and Mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 hoagie or sandwich rolls
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the onions from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside (cover with foil to keep warm).
Heat the last tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stuff the chicken into the rolls and arrange the rolls side-by-side in a baking dish. Top with both cheeses. If desired, arrange the onions and mushrooms in the same baking dish, in oven-proof bowls or ramekins.
Bake for 5 minutes, until the rolls are toasted and the cheese melts.

Serves 4