By Christmas week. The Sunday after the wedding. Dustin and I had been married four days. Mama drove out to the apartment Saturday afternoon with a small wrapped Christmas gift and a small jar of her homemade canned tomatoes from the August project and a small handful of cookies she had baked Friday night. The household was on the small quiet pre-Christmas-day pattern: Christmas Eve dinner at Mama’s rental house with Cody driving down from Tulsa, Christmas Day brunch at Dustin’s parents’ in Owasso, the apartment quiet across the rest of the week.
Sunday I made toasted chicken salad sandwiches because Mama and I had eaten leftover bolognese-and-pork-loin across the week and the household had been wanting a small light dinner that did not announce itself. Poached chicken shredded with celery, scallions, fresh herbs, dill, mayo-and-yogurt dressing, on toasted brioche.
The procedure: poach a small whole chicken in seasoned broth for forty-five minutes, cool, shred. Combine with diced celery, sliced scallions, chopped parsley, chopped dill. Dressing: a half-cup of mayo and a quarter-cup of plain Greek yogurt whisked with a tablespoon of Dijon, a teaspoon of lemon juice, salt, pepper. Toss together. Refrigerate an hour to let the flavors meld. Serve on toasted brioche slices with a leaf of butter lettuce. Dustin had three sandwiches. Mama had one. I had two. The bird stretched into Wednesday-lunch territory.
The recipe is the small Sunday-anchor in a small year of recipe-anchors. The Sunday-publish has been the small constant since I was fourteen and a freshman at Sapulpa High. The constancy is the small discipline. The small discipline is what makes the small kitchen-life sustainable.
The cafe’s small weekday-rhythm continues. Mama runs the small breakfast-and-brunch rotation. Cody runs the small lunch-and-dinner rotation. The small staff is the small extended family the cafe has built across the years.
Toasted Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or finely chopped
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 8 slices sandwich bread (sourdough or whole wheat recommended)
- 4 leaves romaine or butter lettuce
- 4 slices tomato (optional)
- Butter or cooking spray, for toasting
Instructions
- Mix the salad. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Chill (optional). For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the chicken salad for at least 10 minutes before assembling. This step can be skipped if you’re short on time.
- Toast the bread. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice and toast in a skillet over medium heat for 1—2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Alternatively, use a toaster and skip the butter.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Divide the chicken salad evenly among four slices of toasted bread. Top each with a lettuce leaf and a tomato slice if using. Close with the remaining bread slices.
- Serve. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately. Pairs well with fresh fruit, chips, or a cold drink.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 560mg