Description
This Crunchy Chicken Romesco Sandwich is a perfect blend of textures and flavors, featuring crispy fried chicken cutlets, a vibrant homemade romesco sauce, fresh gem lettuce and arugula salad, all layered between grilled focaccia bread for the ultimate summer sandwich experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 4 pieces Chicken Breasts (sliced horizontally into thin cutlets)
- 1 cup Flour (all-purpose)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs for GF option)
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil (for frying)
Romesco Sauce
- 4 cloves Garlic (fresh)
- 1 jar Jarred Roasted Red Bell Peppers
- 1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Almonds
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Paprika (smoked paprika optional)
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Salad
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1 cup Gem Lettuce Leaves & Arugula (finely chopped)
- Freshly ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Bread and Finishing
- 4 slices Focaccia
- 1/4 cup Butter (softened, plant-based butter optional)
- 2 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic (minced, for herb butter)
Instructions
- Preparation: Begin by slicing the chicken breasts horizontally to create four thin cutlets each, ensuring even thickness for consistent cooking.
- Prepare the Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet first in flour, then dip into a beaten egg wash, and finally coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs to guarantee a crispy exterior after frying.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Carefully fry each coated chicken cutlet for approximately 4 minutes per side until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Make Romesco Sauce: In a blender, combine garlic, jarred roasted red bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, paprika, and salt. Blend all ingredients until you achieve a smooth, vibrant sauce.
- Drain the Chicken: Once fried, place the chicken cutlets on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil, ensuring each piece remains crisp.
- Make Salad: In a mixing bowl, blend sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently fold in the finely chopped gem lettuce and arugula to complete the fresh salad mix.
- Prepare Focaccia: Mix softened butter with minced garlic and chopped parsley. Spread this herb butter generously on both sides of the focaccia slices, then grill until the bread is golden and slightly crisp.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Spread a generous layer of romesco sauce on one half of the grilled focaccia. Top with the crispy chicken cutlets followed by the salad mixture. Place the other focaccia half on top to complete the sandwich.
- Wrap & Store: If not serving immediately, wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper to maintain freshness.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute regular panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- To make the sandwich vegan, replace chicken with plant-based alternatives, use olive oil instead of egg wash, vegan mayonnaise, dairy-free parmesan alternatives like nutritional yeast, and plant-based butter.
- Smoked paprika adds a deeper flavor to the romesco sauce but can be replaced with regular paprika.
- Use fresh garlic in the romesco sauce to maximize flavor intensity.
- If sun-dried tomatoes are unavailable, fresh tomatoes can be used as a substitute, though the sauce flavor will be milder.
- Grilling the focaccia with herb butter enhances the sandwich with a toasty texture and aromatic flavor.
- For extra crispiness, consider double-coating the chicken cutlets by repeating the egg and breadcrumb step.
- Serve the sandwich immediately after assembly for the best texture, or wrap tightly for later consumption.
