Tuesday Tastings :: Curried Chicken Sandwich

You know those nights when you’re starving and want something warm and toasty… but don’t feel like going to the grocery store or cooking? My usual answer: BLT’s. Crispy bacon, butter lettuce and sliced, salted tomatoes layered with a bit of mayonnaise on toasted bread always hits the spot. As does this Curried Chicken & Avocado sandwich, which steals some of the BLT’s best qualities but subs in curry-crusted grilled chicken for the bacon and uses sweet and spicy mango chutney in place of tomatoes. I’ve got to give Adam the credit for this one: with distant memories of a curried chicken sandwich special he ordered years ago at Pastis, one night he decided to take unlikely ingredients (mango chutney, a sprinkle of arugula, cilantro) and layer them onto toasted french bread with smashed avocado, resulting in one of the most perfect bites ever. After all, it’s a rare sandwich that we’d serve for a dinner party, and with a pile of crispy sweet potato fries, it was the hit of the night. Keep reading for the recipe…

Curried Chicken & Avocado Sandwich

*serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken tenderloins (or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves), pounded thin
• curry powder
• 2 or 3 tablespoons mango chutney
• 1 small, ripe avocado
• sea salt
• a couple handfuls of arugula
• 10 stems cilantro, stems removed
• 4 slices crusty bread, like french or sourdough

Instructions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Heat a grill or an indoor grill pan to medium high.
2. Coat each side of the chicken in curry powder, then shake any excess off. Grill for about 3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove from heat to rest for 5 minutes, then slice each tenderloin crosswise into 3 pieces.
3. Halve the avocado, then de-seed and scoop out flesh. Sprinkle with salt, then mash roughly with a fork.
4. Brush each side of the bread with a tiny bit of olive oil, then toast under the broiler until golden brown, flipping once. (careful, this happens fast!)
5. On two of the bread slices, divide the mashed avocado and spread evenly. On the other two slices, spread a couple spoonfuls of mango chutney.Add a layer of arugula, then top with the chicken and cilantro. Top with the avocado slices, press firmly together, then slice in half and serve.

*photos by Camille, animated gif & layouts by Jenn