Take that, Double Down.

I didn’t intend to cook a take on the KFC Double Down sandwich the other night, but about midway through I realized I was.

One of the things I love most about cooking is that you can improvise as you go, as long as you know the basic techniques. This recipe is far from technique-intensive, but I was pleased with the outcome, especially as a weeknight meal.

This is a meal for two (unless you’re really hungry), and ends up being two pan-fried chicken breasts with melted cheese and salami in the middle.

What you need for two people:

• Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/8 cup diced salami (I recommend Hormel Natural Choice uncured salami)
• 1/8 cup diced cheese of your choice (I recommend pepperjack; mozzarella would also be good)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• peanut oil

What to do:

• Mix the diced salami, cheese, onion and garlic in a bowl and set aside.
• Pound out two chicken breasts in between two sheets of wax paper until they are about 1/2-inch thick each.
• Place the salami and cheese mixture in between the two chicken breasts, making sure to leave enough room around the edges for a good seal. Pinch the edges of the two chicken breasts together.
• Season the outside of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then spread the flour on the outside to evenly coat. Shake off any excess.
• Fill a fry pan with 3/4-inch deep of peanut oil and heat to 350 degrees (I recommend Alton Brown’s technique: Place a kernel of popcorn in the oil. When it pops, the oil is 350 degrees).
• Place the chicken in the oil and fry on one side for 8 minutes. Then flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Rest the chicken on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Slice in half and serve (1 half per person).

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2. Quick chicken tacos with salsa verde
3. Real ‘popcorn’ chicken
4. Panko-breaded chicken breast with honey-mustard sauce
5. Saturday Night Improv: Chorizo-stuffed chicken breast