Honey-Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Photo from Cooking Light

Mr. Schalkonian made some killer salmon on the grill last night. I should have posted that. It was gooooood! Instead I ate every last bite. Tonight we enjoyed leftovers from a couple days ago. Good but not so much post worthy.

So instead, I will share with you a favorite summertime sandwich of ours, Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sammies. They are really, really really good! Also, for your amusement it came from the file called "Recipes from the Apartment." That means it's a classic!

We first made these sandwiches in our itty bitty love nest...I mean apartment for Chad and Leslie before a John Mayer/Ben Folds Concert in June 2007 (yes, I made that note in the recipe...I'm cool like that.)

It's second memorable appearance came when we moved into our house last year. We made these bbq chicken sammies for Eric and Lotte as the first meal with friends in our new house, a mere week after we moved. That's how much we love them. A lot! And they must love us to come over amidst piles of boxes and not so Schalky paint/wallpaper choices. Shows what really matters - good food and great friends! We served these with Sky Blue Potatoes, salad, chips, pickle spears and Handel's Turtle ice cream. It was the perfect evening!

These are pretty easy, don't let all the ingredients fool you. You can make the chicken ahead of time. Super yummy, especially with some good friends and lots of laughter. A nice cold brewsky or some sun tea go along quite nicely, as well. If you're into that kind of jazz.

Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches
From Cooking Light May 2005

This recipe yields slow-cooked barbecue flavor in less than an hour. The sandwiches need to be broiled at the last minute, but the rest of the menu can be made ahead of time.

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (For less spicy use 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce and add a few green chiles...I use the little cans.)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup canned tomato puree
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1 1/2-ounce) sandwich rolls
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
4 (1/8-inch-thick) slices red onion

Combine water, 1 teaspoon cumin, 4 sliced garlic cloves, and chicken in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Drain, and place chicken on a cutting board. Cut chicken across grain into thin slices; keep warm.

Remove 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 2 chipotle chiles from can; finely chop and set aside. Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Add 1 teaspoon cumin; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree; cook 4 minutes or until mixture thickens to a pastelike consistency, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 2 chopped chipotle chiles, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add sliced chicken to sauce; simmer for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Preheat broiler.

Split rolls in half; arrange in a single layer, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Remove top halves of rolls from baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture evenly among bottom halves of rolls, and top chicken mixture evenly with cheese. Broil chicken-topped rolls 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; top with onion and top roll halves. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 sandwiches



The broiled buns with melted jack compliment the spicy chicken perfectly! My mouth is seriously watering just thinking about these summertime yums!

Enjoy!
xoxo, Rachel