Description
This Crunchy Chicken Romesco Sandwich delivers the ultimate summer flavor with crispy fried chicken cutlets, vibrant romesco sauce, and a refreshing gem lettuce and arugula salad, all layered on soft grilled focaccia bread. A perfect blend of textures and flavors ideal for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 4 pieces Chicken Breasts (sliced horizontally to create thin cutlets)
- 1 cup Flour (all-purpose)
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs for gluten-free option)
- 1 large Egg (or olive oil for vegan option)
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil (for frying and sauce)
Romesco Sauce
- 4 cloves Garlic (fresh)
- 1 jar Jarred Roasted Red Bell Peppers
- 1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes as substitute)
- 1/4 cup Almonds (or walnuts or other nuts)
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Paprika (smoked preferred)
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Salad
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise (vegan mayonnaise option available)
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1 cup Gem Lettuce Leaves & Arugula (finely chopped)
Bread and Finishing
- 4 slices Focaccia
- 1/4 cup Butter (or plant-based butter for vegan option)
- 2 tbsp Parsley (chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic (minced, for butter mix)
Instructions
- Preparation: Begin by assembling all ingredients and prepping your workstation.
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts horizontally creating four thin cutlets. Dredge each cutlet first in flour, then dip into a beaten egg wash, and finally coat evenly with panko breadcrumbs to achieve a crispy texture when fried.
- Fry the Chicken: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry each breaded chicken cutlet for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Make Romesco Sauce: In a blender, combine garlic cloves, jarred roasted red bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, paprika, and kosher salt. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Make Salad: In a mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated parmesan, and black pepper for seasoning. Fold in finely chopped gem lettuce and arugula carefully to maintain crispness.
- Prepare Focaccia: Mix softened butter with minced garlic and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Spread this mixture generously over both sides of each focaccia slice. Grill or toast the bread slices until golden and slightly crisp.
- Assemble the Sandwich: On one grilled focaccia slice, spread a generous layer of romesco sauce. Layer the crispy fried chicken cutlets on top, add a helping of the prepared salad, then cover with the other slice of focaccia to complete the sandwich.
- Wrap & Store: If not serving immediately, wrap the completed sandwiches tightly in parchment paper to maintain freshness until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs and ensure flour is gluten-free.
- To make a vegan version, replace egg with olive oil for breading, use vegan mayonnaise and plant-based butter, and substitute Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Smoked paprika enhances the flavor depth of the romesco sauce but regular paprika works as well.
- Adjust frying oil quantity to ensure the chicken is shallow fried evenly and does not absorb excess oil.
- Use fresh garlic and high-quality jarred roasted pepper for the best romesco sauce flavor.
