Recipe: Apricot, Blue Cheese & Chicken Sandwiches

Left wing, chicken wing, it don't make no difference to me. – Woody Guthrie

No, I didn't cut off my crust.

Sandwiches. It’s easy to fall into a rut with this particular food item, especially when packing lunches. Tuna, roast beef, chicken… mix with the same ingredients over and over, spread, cut and serve.

I’m not saying that “sandwich as usual” isn’t delicious, but every once in a while it’s nice to change it up and add an unusual twist.

A few days ago I made an excellent beer-yeast sandwich loaf (here) that called for a little something special. I also had a little cooked chicken breast hanging around in the refrigerator. That's all it took to turn my mind toward this recipe.

You can change up an ordinary sandwich very easily by throwing in a twist here and there. For example, mix in a little surprise with your mayonnaise, like dried herbs or cayenne pepper. It will make quite a difference. In this recipe I threw in three…

This filling was amazing. So was the bread. Check the link to the bread
recipe in the text.

I began this sandwich filling by thinking about chicken pasta salad. If you want new ideas, think laterally. What else uses the main ingredient you have on hand? Then take it from there.

The sandwiches turned out exceedingly well. I suggest that if these snuck (sneaked?) onto a sandwich plate at a potluck or picnic you will certainly get oohs and aahs.

They’re not far out of chicken salad’s “comfort zone” – just a little, and just enough.

When one thinks of fowl (chicken or turkey) cranberries spring to mind. But that’s not the only fruit that works well. I used apricots.

Dried apricots add a little sweetness, walnuts add crunch and blue cheese (yes, blue cheese) adds a creamy richness. The blue cheese is barely there. It will probably even take people a while to recognize what’s “different.”

I hope you try this sandwich filling. It’s definitely a keeper!

Apricot, Blue Cheese & Chicken Sandwich

Prep: 10 min  |  Yield: 4 sandwiches (16 quarters)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp soft blue cheese (like Roquefort)

1/4 cup finely chopped walnut

1/4 cup dried apricot, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup celery, diced

lettuce leaves

salt and pepper

8 thick slices of good sandwich bread

Combine the mayonnaise and blue cheese in a bowl and mix well until smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients (down to the lettuce) and toss well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If the mixture is too dry, add more mayonnaise. Don’t add more blue cheese. It’s only there as a “hint” of flavour.

Divide the sandwich filling into four. Spread the filling on half of the bread slices. Top with lettuce and the other slice of bread. Cut and serve.

Then sit back and wait for people to ask for the recipe!

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