With summer nearly upon us and summer weather already here, there's something to be said for having al fresco dining options that don't take a lot of time to assemble on hand. One of my favorite is a buttermilk-pickle marinated chicken sandwich that's both quick to cook and versatile for serving. Have pitas on hand? Make it a wrap. Toasted brioche? Perfect. Open-faced sourdough? Yum. You get the idea.
Likewise, you can top this however you'd like. My favorite involves adding a spoon of the coleslaw I'm serving on the plate and a big 'ol juicy slice of tomato. Then I eat it over my plate or over the lawn so I don't have a lot of cleanup. What I'm saying is this is a delicious and messy sandwich!
In addition to the aforementioned slaw, I like to have a handful of kettle chips and a pickle on my plate in addition to this fantastic sandwich. Beyond that, I might add a glass of iced tea, lemonade, or a chilled cider or beer. Keep it simple and embrace the summer attitude of food like this.
Quick Skillet Chicken Sandwiches
- 4 small chicken breasts - about 4-5 oz. each
- 1 c. dill pickle juice
- 1 c. buttermilk
- 2 tsp. Penzeys Smoky 4/S Special Seasoned Sea Salt or similar seasoning salt
- 2 T. cooking fat - I used bacon fat
The night before you want to make your sandwiches, place your chicken breasts into a shallow container with a lid. Combine the pickle juice and buttermilk and pour over the chicken. Lid the container and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken breasts from the marinade - discard the marinade. Sprinkle the chicken generously with the seasoning salt and let the breasts rest on a plate while you heat your cooking fat over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken when the skillet is hot and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet and cover it, reducing the heat to medium-low. Let the chicken cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken reads 165°F when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
Remove to a plate and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before assembling sandwiches.
* Assemble sandwiches however you'd like. My favorite is to butter brioche rolls and toast them in the skillet before the chicken and serve the sandwiches topped with a dollop of creamy coleslaw and sliced tomato on the bun.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus marinating time