Every once in a weektime, I get a mad craving for sandwiches.
Since I'm a mostly-paleoish eater, these cravings are rare. But when they hit, they hit hard.
Once, Jordan drove me around town after a particularly grueling day of nordic skiing, in search of a sandwich shop that was open after 8pm. In this part of town, most restaurants are closed on Sunday, and if they're open, they close early. What gives, people? A GIRL NEEDS HER SAMMICHES!
So, another sandwich craving hit on Sunday. We were driving back from a gloriously glowy morning of Nordic Skate Skiing (WAIT?! DO I SEE A PATTERN HERE? What is it with this whole skiing and sandwiching? can someone start a scientific study on this?!).
Having played fool too many times to my impossible Sunday sandwich cravaging, Yord drive right home, parked into the driveway "we can make sandwiches at home." But NOOOO. We couldn't. Because not only did I need a sammich, stat...
I needed THE EXACT sandwich I'd made up in my head while trying to wrap my noggin around what I needed.
(Side note: do you ever do this? Like, get a craving and start rooting around for the exact-specific thing that it is your mouth wantsta eat? This is my lyfe. Tell me I'm not weird.)(I know I'm weird).
So off to the store like a fury of lightning. Which isn't even a thing.
But off I went.
I wanted a Cuban. But I also wanted a Reuben. But I also wanted something Asian. And thirty minutes later, I'd married them all together under one perfect home of ciabatta bread.
But calling it an Asian Cuban Reuben seemed like too much. Agree? Good, me too.
Regardless the nomeclature, this pretty pub-inspired baby is wickedly yummo.
Chinese 5-Spice Pulled Chicken. A sesame-lime slaw, wasabi mayo, and jalapeño kettle chips MELTED ONTO THE BUN with espresso-lavender white cheddar. I die.
We served it up with this killer 801 coffee pilsner from local Uinta brewery (I die thrice). And dayam Daniel. It was a good day.
Plus also, now I know: next time we go skiing, prepare to sammich.
Wasabi Chicken Cubans with Cheesy Jalapeño Chips
8-12 servings | 20 mins prep | 35 mins total
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb Rotisserie Chicken meat
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 Spice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
FOR THE SEASAME SLAW:
- 1/4 head red cabbage, finely sliced
- 2 Tbsp honey (I used Key Lime Honey)
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp rice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SANDWICHES:
- 8-12 mini ciabatta rolls, sliced in half
- 1 1/2 cups jalapeno kettle chips
- 1 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar
- 1 teaspoons espresso powder*
- 8-12 sliced dill pickles (I prefer Claussen)
- 1/3 cup wasabi mayo
*NOTE: I used Beehive Cheese's Barely Buzzed. If you're lucky enough to have this cheese sold in your backyard, too, feel free to swap that cheese in for both the cheddar and espresso powder.
In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, cooking for 30-60 seconds, or until aromatic. Add chicken, broth, 5 spice, vinegar and salt. Turn heat to medium. Cover and cook until broth is gone, about 20-30 minutes. Shred chicken with a fork before serving atop sandwiches.
In a large bowl, stir together cabbage, honey, sesame oil, vinegar and salt. Massage cabbage until tender, about 1-2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat oven to 400ºF. Place ciabatta rolls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Top the bottom of each roll with kettle chips. Mix together cheddar and espresso powder. Place a big sprinkling of cheese atop chips on the bottom of each roll. Bake until cheese is melty, about 12 mins.
As soon as rolls are done, remove from oven, top bottom of each sandwich with wasabi mayo, a pickle, shredded chicken and slaw. Serve and enjoy!