Here’s a meal that Bartlet’s staff would really dig. West Wing Bread fills up a buttery French loaf with soft fajita veggies, creamy, spicy, zesty chicken, and melty cheese. The executive decision regarding this dish is to load up your plate and then come back for more! Expect talking to actually slow down (hard to imagine at the West Wing, we know) as people just focus on eating this West Wing Bread!
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf French bread, or two small loaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 (12-ounce) can shredded chicken breast, drained, or 12 ounces rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped, for topping
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Cut out a large rectangle through the top of the loaf to hollow out the middle. Scoop out the inside, but be careful not to cut through the bottom of the loaf.
Step 3 –Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil.
Step 4 –Add in the red bell pepper, the green bell pepper, the yellow bell pepper, and the onion and cook until the veggies are softened, aromatic, and the onions are beginning to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 5 –In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, the sea salt, the garlic, the cumin, the oregano, the chili powder, the paprika, and the ancho chile powder.
Step 6 –Stir 3/4 cup of the mozzarella and the chicken into the cream cheese mixture.
Step 7 –Spoon 1/2 of the vegetable mixture into the hollowed-out loaf.
Step 8 –Top the vegetable layer with 1/2 of the chicken mixture.
Step 9 –Repeat the layers in the loaf.
Step 10 –Top the loaf with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Step 11 –Place the loaf on a baking sheet.
Step 12 –Bake until the cheese is melted and begins to bubble, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 13 –Let the loaf rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 14 –Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
