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To help combat the temptations of eating out during the week, I am always on the hunt for new dinner recipes that are quick and easy yet substantial and palate pleasing. A “gourmet” sandwich is a simple and satisfying meal that can come together in a matter of minutes if planned properly. This Roasted Chicken Sandwich features two homemade sauces – Fennel Mustard and Roasted Garlic Aioli. Try preparing these sauces over the weekend and storing them in your refrigerator for later use. Combine these homemade touches with a few store bought elements (did someone say $5 roasted chicken?) for a easy weeknight meal with a delicious “gourmet” feel. Continue reading for the recipes.
Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Fennel Mustard
Ingredients
- 1 3 – 4 lb. roasted chicken
- 1 whole grain loaf of bread
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fennel Mustard (recipe below)
- Roasted Garlic Aioli (recipe below)
- 2 – 3 cups arugula
- 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat broiler on high.
- Pull white and dark meat from chicken and set aside.
- Slice the whole grain loaf lengthwise. Lay the halves on a baking sheet cut sides up, drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and toast under the broiler til the edges turn a golden brown.
- Start constructing your sandwich by slathering the bottom half of the loaf with Roasted Garlic Aioli. Then, spread the Fennel Mustard on the top half of the loaf. Continue by placing a layer of pulled, roasted chicken on the aioli slathered half. Top the chicken with a layer of tomato slices (seasoned with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper) and a couple of handfuls of arugula. Finish by placing the mustard covered half on top and slicing crosswise into individual sandwiches.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!
Fennel Mustard
Adapted from Thomas Keller’s ad hoc at home.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cups fennel, chopped (about 3 – 4 bulbs)*
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the chopped fennel and cook until softened, stirring occasionally (about 25 minutes). The fennel should not start browning and when pierced with a fork, the fennel should still have a little resistance. Add the vinegar and cook until the fennel is tender (an additional 15 minutes). Transfer cooked fennel to a blender or food processor. Add the water and mustard powder and puree (feel free to add a little more water if the mixture isn’t coming together). Transfer puree to a bowl and let cool. Stir in the whole-grain mustard and season with salt.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
* Chopping fennel can be a bit tricky. I have found the easiest way to chop fennel is by trimming the root end and peeling off the outer layers (save the small, inner pieces for another use). Cut those layers in half so you have flat pieces of fennel (see image). Cut the flat pieces into sticks and then chop.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!
Roasted Garlic Aioli
Adapted from the Food Network.
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large egg yolks***
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 ½ cups canola oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Slice off the top quarter or third of each head of garlic, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Place each head of garlic on its own square of tin foil, cut side up. Drizzle each bulb with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Close the foil up around the garlic and roast until soft and golden brown (about 45 minutes). Let cool. Squeeze the soft, roasted cloves out of their skin into a small bowl and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the egg yolks, dry mustard, water, a large pinch of sea salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Pulse a few times to combine and break up the yolks. While the machine is running, slowly stream in the canola oil until the aioli comes together. Finally, pulse in the roasted garlic and lemon juice**. Taste the aioli and make adjustments. You might need to add more lemon juice, salt or pepper. If you find that the aioli is too thick, simply pulse in some water until you reach the right consistency.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
** The amount of roasted garlic added depends on your taste. Start by adding half of the roasted cloves (from one head) and taste. If you find that the aioli is not as garlicy as you like, add more! I added about ¾ of the roasted cloves.
*** To reduce the risk of Salmonella, make sure your eggs are fresh, Grade A or AA, clean and properly refrigerated. If you are nervous about using raw egg, you can simply blend the roasted garlic gloves with 2 cups of store bought mayonnaise.
Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!
I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Jan says
Hi
What a fantastic site you have here!! I’m loving everything and your pictures are fantastic!
Gitte says
Looks very delicious and the roasted garlic….amazing.
Stella says
Hmm…yummy! And that photo is so delectable, Brandon. Nice…;)!
Brandon Matzek says
@Jan @Gitte @Stella Thank you for the kind words! I’ll have say that there were no leftovers with this dinner!
May Ling Wu says
These looks amazing. I would love to take a bite of one of these right now. YUM!
Jenna says
Awesome pictures and site. Keep it up!
Nicole @ The Dirty Oven says
What is it with the great combination of fennel and mustard. This looks to die for. I missed lunch today so I want to jump in my computer now and gobble them up. I am inspired to pack this up for tailgateing this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Angela says
I love the idea of that mustard–must try it! Great idea.
dudeilovefood says
Man that looks delicious. I’m making this for lunch today, Thanks !
Sprinkled with Flour says
What a great idea to prepare the sauces ahead of time and store them for use during the week. This would definitely take an average sandwich to the next level. Thanks for sharing:)
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
This does look fantastic. I think I lean toward the garlic aioli…but then again. Ugh…you’re right; I need both. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Tracy Wood says
Hey, your fennel mustard caught my eye in my foodbuzz mailbox! I’d love to know more about it…. Texture, color, etc…. Thanks for the great idea.
Brandon Matzek says
@The Mom Chef You could always just use dijon mustard; however, the fennel mustard works really well with the chicken.
@Tracy Wood You can see a bit of the mustard in the second picture (on the left). The mustard is a pale yellow and has a coarse texture. The flavor is super interesting – spicy and sharp, yet slightly sweet and fresh.
Tiffany says
I love this post! I only recently discovered fennel, I imagine fennel mustard is wonderful, can’t wait to try it!
Coffeebeans says
I love this recipe!
I can almost smell that sandwich…And the pictures are so clear!
Bravo!