Frontier Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Make horseradish mayo

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, prepared horseradish, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and adjust horseradish to taste for more heat. Reserve in refrigerator.

Slice ciabatta rolls in half horizontally. Lightly butter cut faces with the unsalted butter. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and toast the cut faces until golden brown, about 1–2 minutes per side. Toasting adds flavor and prevents sogginess.

If using chicken breasts, pound to even thickness (~1/2 in) for even cooking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, toss chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes while you prepare vegetables (or marinate up to 2 hours refrigerated).

Preheat a grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or outdoor grill to medium-high. Grill or sear the chicken 4–6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) or juices run clear and exterior is slightly charred. For a fire-roasted flavor, finish over a brief hotter flame or broil 1–2 minutes to get char marks. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/4–1/2 inch strips.

Prepare vegetables while the chicken rests. Thinly slice red onion into half-moons and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch (1/8 tsp) salt and a light grind (1/16–1/8 tsp) of black pepper. Toss and allow to sit 5–10 minutes to mellow the onion.

If jarred roasted peppers are whole, slice into 1/4-inch strips and drain excess liquid. Warm briefly in a skillet for 30–45 seconds if desired to remove chill.

Halve and pit the avocado, scoop flesh into a bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon or lime if available to keep from browning.

If you prefer melted provolone, place provolone slices over hot chicken strips for 30–60 seconds so cheese softens.

Spread a generous layer (about 1–1.5 tbs) of horseradish mayo on both toasted cut sides of each ciabatta roll.

On the bottom half of each roll layer: a handful (~1/2 cup) of arugula, mashed avocado (about half per sandwich), a portion of fire-roasted chicken strips (about half the cooked chicken per sandwich), 2 slices provolone, 2–3 tbsp sweet & mild roasted peppers, and a few pickled red onion slices. Season lightly with salt and pepper if desired.

Top with the other ciabatta half, press gently, slice in half if desired, and serve immediately with a side of kettle-style chips and an optional lemon or lime wedge.

Leftovers: store components separately (chicken and veggies refrigerated up to 3 days, avocado best freshly made).