Basil Chicken Sandwiches

February. The month of love and also the month of Curtis's declining health, which is a coincidence the calendar did not plan but which feels thematically appropriate because love is most visible when it's most needed and Curtis needs more now than he has in years. His blood pressure spiked last week. The doctor adjusted his medication. His mobility is declining — the cane does more work now, carrying more of his weight, and I watch him climb the stairs from his apartment to my kitchen and the climb takes longer every month and I hate the stairs and love the climb because the climb means he's trying, still trying, still choosing to come to my table, and the choosing is the most Curtis thing in the world.

I rearranged the kitchen to make it easier for him: his chair is closer to the table now, the path from the stairs to the chair is clear of obstacles, I keep his coffee mug at arm's reach. The accommodations are small. The love is large. The accommodations are how love speaks when the body is failing: through logistics, through furniture placement, through the particular architecture of a daughter's kitchen designed to hold a father's diminishing body.

Made his favorites again — fried catfish, the cornmeal crust, the cast iron. He ate at the table, in his chair, and he looked at me across the table and said, "You take care of me." I said, "You took care of me first." He said, "That was easy. You were small." He smiled. I smiled. The care flows both directions now. It always did. It was just harder to see when I was small and he was big and Mama was alive and the kitchen was hers. Now the kitchen is mine and he is smaller and the care is visible because it has to be. The care is the food. The care is the chair. The care is the stairs he climbs and the daughter who watches him climb them.

The catfish is his favorite, and I will keep making it for as long as he can climb those stairs — but on the days when his appetite is smaller and I want something I can put together quickly without him waiting too long at the table, this basil chicken sandwich is what I reach for. It’s still made with my hands and my attention, still set in front of him in his chair at the table that I rearranged to hold him better. The food changes; the care behind it never does. If you’re feeding someone you love through something hard, this one is for you.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz each), pounded to even thickness
1/2 cup mayonnaise, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 ciabatta rolls or sandwich buns, split and lightly toasted
4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 cup arugula or baby spinach

Instructions

Make the basil mayo. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise, the sliced basil, and the lemon juice. Set aside. This will be your spread for the finished sandwiches.
Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning evenly over both sides of each breast.
Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook without moving it for 6–7 minutes, until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook another 5–6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Melt the cheese. During the last minute of cooking, lay a slice of cheese over each breast. Cover the pan loosely with a lid or foil and let the cheese melt, about 1 minute.
Rest the chicken. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 3–5 minutes before slicing or leaving whole for the sandwiches.
Assemble. Spread the remaining plain mayonnaise on the bottom halves of the toasted rolls and the basil mayo on the top halves. Layer arugula, tomato slices, and the cheesy chicken breast on each bottom roll. Close with the top half and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Basil Chicken Sandwiches — When the Kitchen Becomes an Act of Love