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'Wich of the Week: Soy-Ginger Chicken Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:18:11 -0700

Like grilled cheese or my daily turkey creation, a chicken sandwich is something I never get sick of. When cooked just right and constructed well, a chicken breast on a bun makes for a simple but delicious meal. To make this old standby slightly more exciting, all you need is an interesting marinade, and since I've been wanting to do a chicken 'wich for weeks, I decided to experiment with a soy-ginger glaze.

Aiming for a richer chicken sandwich than usual, I used thigh meat instead of breast. Because you marinate and sauté the chicken in a tangy soy-ginger mixture, it's so moist that you hardly need any other condiments, though I added a bit of mustard, plus lettuce, tomato, and onion for texture. To enhance the sweetness, I served mine on Dutch crunch rolls, though any roll will do. To get the recipe, read more.

Soy-Ginger Chicken Sandwich
Original Recipe

Ingredients

For the glaze
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

For the sandwiches
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 Dutch crunch (or other type) buns
8 pieces of butter lettuce
Honey mustard, to taste
Thinly sliced yellow onion, to taste
1/2 yellow tomato, sliced

Directions
Makes 4 sandwiches.

To make the marinade, combine the first nine ingredients (everything but the cilantro) in a shallow container or Ziploc bag and seal. Allow the thighs to marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in its marinade for 5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle cilantro on top of the chicken and cook for an additional minute per side.

Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
Split the Dutch crunch rolls in half horizontally. On each of the bottom pieces, lay two leaves of butter lettuce, topped by one piece of chicken.
Evenly divide the onions and tomatoes between the sandwiches and place them on top of the chicken.

Spread a thin layer of mustard on the underside of the top half of the roll, then press the roll, mustard side down, to enclose the rest of the sandwich.

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'Wich of the Week: Reds and Greens Chicken Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:00:06 -0700

This was one of those fridge-clean-out sandwiches that came together so brilliantly I wanted to make it again immediately. I started with some ingredients I needed to use up ASAP: precooked chicken patties from Trader Joe's, a bag of mixed Southern-style greens, and a yellow onion.

Then I thought, let's make things a little more interesting. Enter a jar of roasted piquillo peppers (regular red peppers will work just fine) and sliced white cheddar cheese. To balance out all that bite, I settled on cranberry-walnut bread from Acme, while sauteed onions also added sweetness. The resulting stack of reds and greens was delectably unfamiliar and comfortingly juicy. So make it yourself!

'Wich of the Week: Sunny Chicken Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:00:04 -0700

Sandwiches stand out for different reasons, and it often has nothing to do with gourmet ingredients or fancy sandwich shops. Sometimes, a sandwich tastes good because of the memories it evokes - hence, the proverbial PB&J like mom used to make. Other times, it's more about the sandwich experience than the sammie itself, as is the case with this week's 'wich.I recently organized a goodbye get-together for some friends who are moving cross country. Taking advantage of a sunny evening, we headed to the Alpine Inn in Portola Valley, CA, south of San Francisco. This 150-year-old roadhouse has an enormous beer garden, cheap suds, and totally no-frills food that's perfect for picnic tables.

The divey joint is mostly known for greasy burgers served on flattened French rolls. The chicken sandwich was prepared pretty much the same way, except with chicken. While the soft, toasted roll was a nice touch, the most notable thing about this sandwich was the warm Summer evening and good friends surrounding it.

What sentimental sandwich experiences have you had lately? Share them and find out how to make my sunny chicken sandwich when you read more.

Sunny Chicken Sandwich
Inspired by the chicken sandwich at the Alpine Inn

Ingredients

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, butterflied and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 soft French roll
3 slices of tomato
3 slices of butter lettuce
Yellow mustard, to taste

Directions

Heat an outdoor grill or skillet to medium-hot. Grill chicken breast, turning once, until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes.
Slice the French roll in half horizontally, and spread yellow mustard on both sides.
Lay the grilled chicken on the bottom half of the roll, followed by the tomato slices and lettuce.
Reduce heat to low, and place the roll on the grill or skillet. Heat, turning once and flattening the sandwich with a spatula, for two minutes or until roll is lightly browned.
Cut in half and serve warm.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken and Roasted Pepper Sandwich

partysugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:30:05 -0700

Besides canned tuna packed in olive oil, roasted red peppers are my favorite pantry staple. I always have them on hand because they are wonderful in so many ways: plain on a quick antipasto plate, mixed with olives in a tapenade, or layered scrumptiously in a chicken and goat cheese sandwich. Tonight's middle of the week dinner highlights the sweet flavor of these peppers in a divine take on the classic chicken sandwich. To get this tasty recipe that comes together in no time, read more

Chicken and Roasted Pepper Sandwich
From Better, Homes, and Garden magazine

1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lb.)
4 1-inch-thick bias-cut slices Italian or French bread
1/4 cup semi-soft cheese with herbs or semi-soft goat cheese (chevre)
1 cup roasted red sweet peppers (about one 7-oz. jar), cut into strips
1/2 cup fresh watercress, basil, or baby spinach leaves

In a small dish whisk together the oil, vinegar, thyme, salt, and crushed red pepper. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade.
Place chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper; pound lightly with a meat mallet to make an even thickness about 1/2-inch thick; place in a plastic bag. Add the remaining marinade. Seal bag and marinate about 15 minutes at room temperature.
Lightly grease the rack of an indoor electric grill or lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill.
Brush cut sides of bread with reserved marinade; place bread, cut side down, on grill rack. If using a covered grill, close the lid. Grill until lightly toasted. (For a covered grill, allow 1 to 2 minutes; for an uncovered grill, allow 2 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling.) Remove bread from grill; set aside.
Place chicken on the grill rack. If using a covered grill, close the lid. Grill until chicken is tender and no longer pink. (For a covered grill, allow 3 to 4 minutes; for an uncovered grill, allow 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling.) Remove from grill and spread or sprinkle with cheese.
To serve, place one chicken breast on each grilled bread slice. Top with roasted pepper strips and watercress.

Serves 4.

Conventional Method: Prepare as above through Step 1. Toast bread slices in a skillet or grill pan or on a griddle over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove bread from pan or griddle. Place chicken in the skillet, grill pan, or on the griddle. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once. Remove from pan or griddle and spread or sprinkle with cheese. Serve as directed above.

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Raise Your Hand If You Like Freebies!

YumSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:00:51 -0700

Tomorrow, May 15, there are two fast-food freebies for you to catch. The first involves free chicken sandwiches, and the second involves free coffee.

First up, McDonald's is promoting their new Southern Style Chicken Biscuits and Sandwiches by giving them away at 14,000 of their US locations. If you purchase a medium or large beverage you can get a free chicken biscuit from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or a free chicken sandwich from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. They're expecting to give away over eight million sandwiches, so be sure to get yours!

If you're not a chicken or McD's fan, then head over to your local Dunkin' Donuts where you can score yourself a free iced coffee with no strings attached. It's a small 16 oz. iced coffee and is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

So tell me, are you going to hunt down one of these freebies?

'Wich of the Week: Cap'n Blue Cheese Chicken Sandwich

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:00:09 -0700

With double-meat sandwiches, it is important to tread carefully. So for this indulgent combination of marinated chicken and cured meat, I gathered exceptionally gourmet ingredients: Point Reyes blue cheese, capocolla (aka coppa) from Chris Cosentino's Boccalone deli, and organic chicken thighs. Since I was piling meat upon meat with creamy cheese, I made extra-small sandwiches using soft but firm dinner rolls.

Somewhere between salami and pancetta in terms of flavor, the capocolla adds a bacon-y bite, so the resulting cap-and-cheese-laden creation is reminiscent of a bacon cheeseburger without the beef. Using chicken thighs and a nutty, salty marinade adds to the heartiness, while the sautéed mushrooms and tomato help temper the richness. To get the recipe for this double-meat delicacy, read more.

Cap'n Blue Cheese Chicken Sandwich
Original recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 pieces of thinly sliced capocolla, or coppa
2-ounce block of blue cheese, sliced
2 small roma tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
1 cup button mushrooms, ends trimmed and caps sliced
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
4 soft but sturdy white dinner rolls

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients to make the marinade. Toss the chicken thighs in the mixture so that they are evenly coated; cover and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken thighs, with the marinade, in a casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Heat one tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and sautée until medium-brown and soft, 10-12 minutes.

To make each sandwich, slice the dinner roll horizontally, stopping just at one edge to create a hinge. On the bottom half, place one chicken thigh, followed by two pieces of capocolla, two slices of blue cheese, and two tomato slices.
Divide the mushrooms evenly among sandwiches, and place atop the tomato. Cover mushrooms with top half of roll and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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Healthy Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches

partysugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 07:55:55 -0700

Sandwiches are a great on the go meal, but they also make an excellent easy option for a small, informal dinner party. It's easy to make one huge sandwich on an entire loaf of bread and then cut it into individual portions. The recipe is healthy because the only condiment that dresses the sandwich is balsamic vinegar. Stuffed with onions, bell pepper, and thinly sliced provolone cheese, this sandwich is as appetizing to the eye as it is to the stomach. Pair with a side salad or homemade potato chips, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy! Get the recipe now, read more

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches
From Cooking Light magazine

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 medium)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
2 (8-ounce) loaves focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally
4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned.
Add 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy.
Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.
Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.
Arrange chicken mixture evenly over bottom halves of bread; top with bell pepper mixture. Arrange cheese over pepper mixture, and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with top halves of bread.
Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; let stand 5 minutes.
Cut each sandwich into 6 wedges.

Serves 6.

NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 433(24% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 4.2g,mono 5.4g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 34g; CHOLESTEROL 68mg; CALCIUM 170mg; SODIUM 709mg; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 3.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49g

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'Wich of the Week: Grilled Chicken, Onion, and Apples

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:00:04 -0700

I have a serious weakness for savory-sweet combos, including sandwiches featuring apples. Since I've been craving baguette sandwiches lately, I decided to indulge my two sandwich fixations at a friend's recent barbecue (hence the paper plates).

These sandwiches are as easy as making kabobs, throwing them on the grill, and simply showcasing the ingredients on a fresh baguette. I coated the chicken with some poultry rub I found in my friend's pantry, but you could just as easily use salt and pepper, and if you don't own a grill, you can bake the skewers in the oven.

The important thing is charring the chicken just right and cooking the apples until they are warm but still juicy. Though some of the guests were puzzled at first by the combination of onions and apples, everyone loved the tender and tart results. To get the easy recipe, read more.

Grilled Chicken, Apple, and Onion Sandwiches
Original Recipe

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons prepared poultry spice rub
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion
1 large green apple (Granny Smith or similar)
4 wooden skewers
1 sweet baguette
Honey mustard, to taste

Directions

Prepare chicken: Cut each breast into 8 large chunks, to get a total of 16 chicken pieces. Coat each piece evenly with spice rub, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Soak skewers in water for at least one hour.
Preheat grill to 375°F (a medium-hot fire) or preheat oven to 425°F.
Slice onion into 16 large, wedge-shaped chunks that are big enough to be skewered.
Core apple and cut into 12 slices.
Remove chicken from fridge and coat evenly with olive oil.
On each skewer, spear 4 pieces of chicken, 3 slices of apple, and 4 pieces of onion, alternating ingredients.
Place skewers on the grill, and cook until chicken is just cooked through and slightly charred, turning often, about 8 minutes. Or, arrange skewers on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the baguette into four quarters, then slice each quarter in half horizontally.
To make each sandwich, spread a bit of mustard onto the bottom half of baguette, then arrange the ingredients from one kabob on the bread. Top with remaining baguette half.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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'Wich of the Week: Old-School Club

YumSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:15:08 -0700

Club sandwiches are so ubiquitous that I usually take them for granted. I order them very occasionally, maybe from hotel room service or when I'm looking for a "healthy" option at a diner. But every time I eat a good one - when the bread is only lightly browned and there's just enough mayo to balance out the crispy bacon - I realize that the club sandwich deserves more credit.

The club is actually one of the oldest original American sandwiches, invented sometime around the 1890s. Originally, club sandwiches were single decker and usually made with chicken instead of turkey. So for this 'Wich of the Week, I went in search of an authentic old-school club and found the object of my affection at St. Francis Fountain, an 80-year-old diner and soda fountain in San Francisco. For more details and my recipe, read more.

It was a beautiful day, so I got to sit outside and enjoy my somewhat heavy lunch: a deliciously overstuffed club, a chocolate malt, and a salad for good measure. The best thing about a single-decker club is that by getting rid of the third piece of bread, you can go heavy on the other ingredients to create a much moister sandwich. St. Francis Fountain's club had the ideal ratio of crunchy bacon to juicy chicken; the shredded lettuce added a great texture, and the bread was perfectly toasted and just lightly buttered.

My only gripe is that there was a bit more mayo than I would have liked, so I've reduced the amount in my recipe below. How do you like your club? Do you think this classic sandwich is overrated or underappreciated? Tell me in the comments.

Old-School Club Sandwich
Inspired by the chicken club at St. Francis Fountain

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, grilled or roasted and thinly sliced
8 slices of thick-cut bacon, fried crisp and drained
1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
6 slices of tomato, medium thickness
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
4 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted until just lightly browned

Directions

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on two pieces of the toast.
Divide the chicken slices between the two sandwiches and lay atop the mayo.
Place four slices of bacon on each sandwich, followed by three tomato slices.
Balance a handful of the shredded iceberg lettuce on top of the tomatoes.
Spread a thin layer of mayo on the other two pieces of toast, and press the mayo side down to assemble.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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'Wich of the Week: Tandoori Chicken Naanwich

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:00:09 -0700

When I saw naan, a traditional Indian flatbread, for sale at my local Trader Joe's, I immediately thought "naanwich!" and figured it was high time I experimented with one of my favorite Indian takeout orders, tandoori chicken.

Creating this full-flavored spice rack of a dish is as easy as making a yogurt-based marinade and popping some chicken thighs into the oven. Just slather some storebought chutney on the warm naan, and you've got a new sandwich invention I'm calling the Tandoori Chicken Naanwich. For extra flavor and texture, I added red onions, which bake with the chicken, as well as spinach, another crucial ingredient in my favorite Indian dishes. To get my recipe and more photos, read more.

Tandoori Chicken Naanwich
Chicken recipe modified from Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 to 4 cloves)
1/4 cup grated onion (1 small onion)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, excess fat removed
2 red onions, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
8 pieces of naan
1/2 cup storebought mango chutney
1 cup spinach leaves, tightly packed

Directions

Place yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, onion, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper, cardamom, coriander, and cloves in a large bowl; combine. Add chicken, and coat with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Place onions on a large pan; top with marinated chicken. Roast about 40 minutes, until chicken is dark red, slightly charred, and juices run clear when meat is pierced. Set aside.
Lower the oven temperature to 250°F and wrap the naan bread in aluminum foil. Place the foil packet in the oven until naan is warm but not toasted, 5 to 10 minutes.
To make each sandwich, spoon 2 tablespoons of chutney on one slice of naan, then top with 1/4 cup of spinach. Add onion slices to taste, followed by 1/4 of the chicken. Top it off with another naan slice, cut sandwich in half, and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

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