The Whitney Recipe

Prep and assemble components

Pat chicken breasts dry. If breasts are large (thicker than 1 inch), butterfly or pound to an even 3/4" thickness for even cooking. Season both sides of the chicken with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and rub with 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil.

Warm ciabatta

Slice ciabatta rolls in half lengthwise. Lightly brush cut sides with the optional butter (1 tbs) or a little olive oil. Toast cut sides on a hot grill or in a skillet until golden, about 1–2 minutes. Keep warm.

Finish sandwich assembly

Spread ~3 oz whipped goat cheese on the bottom half of each toasted ciabatta. Top each with a generous handful (about 1 cup) of arugula. Place the sliced grilled chicken on top of the goat cheese, spoon 2–3 tbs charred peach relish over the chicken, then drizzle about 2 tbs lemon-basil aioli per sandwich over the relish. Close with the top ciabatta half and press gently. Cut in half and serve immediately.

In a blender or food processor combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Puree until smooth and bright green, scraping down the sides once. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lemon or salt as needed. Refrigerate until assembly. Makes about 1 cup; use ~2 tbs per sandwich.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush peach halves lightly with 1 tsp olive oil. Place peaches cut-side down on the hot grill and char until deeply marked and slightly softened, 2–4 minutes per side depending on heat. Remove and cool slightly.

When cool enough to handle, dice charred peach flesh into roughly 1/2" pieces (you should have about 1 to 1 1/4 cups). In a bowl combine the diced peaches, 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and taste — adjust acid or honey to balance sweetness and brightness. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature to marry flavors.

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C). Lightly oil the grate or pan.

Grill the prepared chicken breasts 4–6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) with the lid closed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 160°F (71°C). Remove from grill and rest 5 minutes (carryover will reach ~165°F). While resting, you can briefly grill the sliced lemon for a minute to add smoky aroma to the sandwich if desired.

Slice the rested chicken crosswise into 1/4"–1/2" slices for easy sandwich assembly.