Fig Jam and Pear Grilled Cheese with Chicken and Arugula Pecan Salad

This isn’t your average grilled cheese. We’re layering sweet sautéed pears, nutty gouda and sharp cheddar onto crispy sourdough, with a spread of fig jam for extra depth. Add juicy chicken cutlets and you’ve got a satisfying meal that comes together in just 20 minutes.

On the side, a bright lemony arugula salad with dried cranberries and pecans cuts through the richness. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that feels special.

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Ingredients

2 ounce ArugulaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PecansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup White Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit PearView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Fig JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 slice Sourdough BreadView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon HoneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 slice Gouda CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Quarter, core and thinly slice the pear. Halve, peel and finely chop half the shallot (use whole shallot for 4 servings). Quarter the lemon.
2. Heat a drizzle of cooking oil and 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings) in a large pan over medium heat. Add pear, chopped shallot, honey, juice from one lemon wedge, ½ teaspoon sugar (1 teaspoon for 4) and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until pear has softened, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a small bowl. Stir in juice from one lemon wedge. Wash out the pan.
3. Evenly layer half the sourdough slices with gouda and as much pear as you like. Top with cheddar. Spread remaining sourdough slices with fig jam. Close sandwiches, jam sides down, to form sandwiches.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan over medium heat. Once hot, add sandwiches and push around until butter is absorbed. (For 4 servings, work in batches or use a second pan, using 1 tablespoon butter per batch.) Cook until bread is golden brown and cheese slightly melted, 4-6 minutes. Add another 1 tablespoon butter to pan, flip sandwiches and push around again until butter is absorbed. Cook until bread is golden brown and cheese fully melted, 4-6 minutes.
5. While sandwiches toast, in a large bowl, whisk together juice from one lemon wedge, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. (For 4 servings, use juice from two wedges, 4 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.) Add arugula, pecans and dried cranberries. Toss to thoroughly coat.
6. Halve sandwiches diagonally. Divide sandwiches and salad between plates. Serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different cheese instead of gouda?

Yes, you can substitute gouda with another semi-soft cheese like havarti or provolone.

What can I use instead of fig jam?

You can use any fruit jam or preserve, such as apricot or raspberry, for a similar sweet-savory contrast.

How do I make this recipe gluten-free?

Simply use gluten-free bread in place of sourdough and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.