What if I don’t have leftover roast chicken?

You can still make this chicken mayonnaise sandwich if you don’t have leftover roast chicken. It works equally well with leftover turkey (ideal for Christmas and/or Thanksgiving leftovers). Or use rotisserie chicken and shred into pieces. Otherwise, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan. Pop 2 chicken breasts on a sheet of foil, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil and roast for about 20-25 minutes - or until cooked through. The exact time will depend on the size and shape of your chicken breasts. Shred with a fork then leave to cool before continuing with the recipe. You can also roast off chicken thighs but bear in mind these will take slightly longer and won’t need to be wrapped in foil.

What other toppings can I add to this roast chicken, bacon sandwich?

This is my version of the ultimate chicken mayonnaise sandwich. I love the combination of garlicky pesto, crispy bacon, creamy chicken mayonnaise, salty prosciutto and peppery rocket. All topped off with buttery avocado, crunchy crisps and cheesy Parmesan. However, if you don’t have all the ingredients to hand, you can use some of the substitutions and variations. I would definitely recommend keeping the crisps. The salty crunch is a total game-changer.

How should I store any leftovers of the sandwich?

If you have leftovers of the chicken mayonnaise mix, just transfer it to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftover sandwich, I just wrap it tightly in clingfilm and keep in the fridge for a day or so. It doesn’t taste quite as good as when fresh(as you lose some texture) but it’s still delicious.

Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich with Bacon, Pesto & Crisps

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This next-level chicken mayonnaise sandwich is the perfect thing to make with leftover roast chicken. Imagine crusty bread filled with garlicky basil pesto, crispy bacon, creamy chicken mayonnaise, prosciutto and avocado. So good. Topped off with a sprinkling of Parmesan and salted crisps, it’s one of the best sandwiches ever.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Category: Sandwiches
Method: Grill
Cuisine: Global

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken mayo:

About 300g cooked chicken, shredded
2-3 tbsp full-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 spring onion, chopped
Small bunch of chives, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the sandwich:

4-6 bacon rashers
1 loaf of fresh crusty bread
2-3 heaping tbsp fresh basil pesto
6 slices of prosciutto
1 large ripe avocado, halved, de-stoned, peeled and thinly sliced
Freshly grated Parmesan
2 handfuls of full-prepared ready-to-eat rocket
Drizzle of balsamic glaze
Ready salted crisps

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Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Lay the bacon rashers, well spaced apart, onto a wire rack set over a baking tray. Reduce the grill to medium and pop in the bacon. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side - or until crisped up to your liking. The exact timing will depend on your bacon, so watch closely to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Meanwhile, add the shredded chicken into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, spring onion and chives. Season to taste then mix well to combine. Adjust the seasoning, as required.
Remove the ends from the loaf of bread (save for croutons or just toast), then slice in half lengthwise so you have two flat sides in front of you. Hollow out some of the inside of one slice (this is optional but highly recommended). This will allow you to add even more filling. Spread both slices generously with basil pesto. On the flat slice, layer on the slices of prosciutto, curling them to create height. You don’t want them to be flat.
Spoon over the chicken mayonnaise mix and gently spread in an even layer. Top with a couple of rashers of crispy bacon, followed by the avocado. Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings, then add a handful of rocket. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, to taste. Add a generous handful of crisps on top.
Top with the hollowed out piece of bread. Press down gently - you don’t want to crush the crisps too much.
Using a sharp serrated knife, slice in half and enjoy

Notes

To store: If you have leftovers of the chicken mayonnaise mix, just transfer to an airtight container and place in fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftover sandwich, I just wrap tightly in clingfilm and keep in the fridge for a day or so. It doesn’t taste quite as good as when fresh(as you lose some texture) but it’s still delicious.

Make ahead: like most sandwiches, this chicken mayonnaise sandwich is best served fresh. You can make the chicken mayonnaise filling in advance and keep it covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you need to, you can prepare the chicken and mayonnaise sandwich in advance up until the point where you add the crisps. Cover tightly and chill in the fridge for a few hours. Just before serving, remove the top and add the crisps. Then press down gently to bring it together. If you add the crisps before chilling, they will go soggy and lose their texture.

Chicken: this is the perfect recipe to use up leftover roast chicken. It is also one of my favourite Christmas leftovers recipes. Just swap the chicken for leftover turkey. It is also great to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.

Best bread: make sure you use a fairly robust loaf of bread as it needs to hold the generous filling. I really recommend hollowing out one side as it means you can even more of the chicken mayonnaise mixture.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/roast-chicken-bacon-sandwich/