Green Goddess Chicken Sandwich

What's on the agenda for today? I have the house to myself, and there's late-afternoon baseball. The weekend is almost here, my couch is open and calling, the tv is free...all that's missing is a nice, hearty sandwich to dig into. (We all deserve a Lazy Day every once in awhile, don't we?...) 

This Green Goddess Chicken Sandwich was pretty fun to throw together, one of my more interesting concoctions. It's a random mix of farmers market buys...sunflower greens, herbs, and strawberries...but they come together to make an easy, tasty lunch.

Bread? Good. Meat? Good. Strawberries and Green Goddess dressing? Gooooood! (Said in my best Joey Tribbiani voice.)

My version of this San Francisco-original includes greek yogurt, avocado, nori (sheets of dried seaweed), tarragon, and sunflower greens. The creamy avocado and tangy yogurt replace the original recipe's mayonnaise and sour cream, and the nori is actually my substitute for anchovy paste. After reading up on anchovy alternatives, a couple of common suggestions included fish sauce and nori. Since it did have a distinct flavor without being overly pungent (and it was green!), I went with the seaweed.

Tarragon is my favorite herb to use in chicken salad. To accent that hint of anise flavor, I also ended up throwing in a couple of basil leaves.

To make up for my lack of other herbs, such as parsley and chives, I decided to use sunflower greens! They are crunchy, nutty sprouts that really do taste just like the seeds that we're all used to snacking on. I usually toss them into salads, but these greens are great in this sandwich, too. They're milder than bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts.

Everything goes into the blender, with some freshly squeezed lime juice (more green!), sea salt, and pepper...

...and after a minute of pureeing...homemade Green Goddess Dressing! The M&PT way :)

To finish the salad, pour the dressing over diced cooked chicken.

I used rotisserie chicken, which made lunch that much quicker and easier. Aside from the convenience, it also gave me the chance to get light and dark meat...some from the breast, some from the thigh. You could also use leftovers from a roasted chicken dinner, or even leftover grilled chicken.

For sandwich toppings, use whatever fresh vegetables that you have. I opted for more sunflower greens, crisp cucumbers, and strawberries.

Cherries, cranberries, even pineapple...they're all typical additions to chicken salad. That little bit of sweet and tart rounds out all of the salad's flavors, so strawberries actually make a lot of sense. (Strawberries and chicken salad can get along. This is my logic, and I'm stickin' to it!) In the sandwich, they're like little slices of tomato!

Pile everything onto your favorite sandwich bread.

Today, I used a whole grain with walnuts, oats, and sunflower seeds. Yum!

This sandwich is simple and light, but it's loaded with so many flavors! From the bold, herbaceous dressing to the bright surprise of the strawberries and sunflower greens, every bite will keep you coming back for more.

It'd work for a light lunch with some pita chips (Lazy Day not required), or you can pack it for a picnic! Liven up your sandwich rotation with this Green Goddess Chicken Sandwich :)



Green Goddess Chicken Sandwich (makes 4 sandwiches)

Print Recipe

Ingredients:
Green Goddess Dressing:
1 Avocado, pitted & peeled
3/4 cup Plain, Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1 2"x6" strip Nori (Dried Seaweed)
1/3 cup Sunflower Greens
1/4 cup Tarragon Leaves
2 large Basil Leaves
1 tsp Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Chicken Sandwich:
4 cups Diced Rotisserie Chicken
1 cup Green Goddess Dressing
Sliced Strawberries (Optional)
Sliced Cucumber (Optional)
Sunflower Greens (Optional)
8 slices Whole Grain Bread, toasted

1. In a blender, combine all of the Green Goddess Dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. To make the chicken salad, combine the diced chicken and Green Goddess dressing in a mixing bowl. Stir to coat the chicken well.
3. Divide the chicken salad between 4 of the toasted slices of bread. Layer each with sliced strawberries, cucumbers, and more sunflower greens. Lastly, top with the remaining slices of bread.
4. Serve immediately or pack for a picnic! Enjoy!