Club Chicken Recipe

Prep chicken

Pat the 4 chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are uneven thickness, butterfly or pound to an even thickness about 1/2" to promote even cooking.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat an oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat until hot. Add a thin film of oil or nonstick spray.

Sear chicken breasts 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven (or transfer chicken to a baking sheet) and roast 12–15 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Cooking time depends on thickness.

Remove chicken from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Slice each breast thinly on a diagonal for serving.

While chicken roasts, make the ranch. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 3 tbsp buttermilk until smooth.

Add 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust consistency with an additional tablespoon of buttermilk if needed; thin to desired drizzling consistency.

If using, stir in 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives. Reserve about 2 tbsp of the ranch for drizzling when plating, and use the remainder to toss with the warm sliced chicken if you prefer a creamier filling.

If toasting bread or buns, melt 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat and toast cut sides 1–2 minutes until golden. Keep warm.

Chop or slice the 1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, if not already chopped. If they are dry-packed, rehydrate in hot water 10 minutes then drain and chop.

If not using pre-cooked bacon bits, cook 4 strips of bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels, then crumble to yield about 1/2 cup bacon bits.

On each piece of toasted bread or bun bottom (or on a plate if serving open-faced), place a leaf of green leaf lettuce. Arrange sliced roasted chicken on top of the lettuce. If you reserved ranch to toss, toss the warm sliced chicken with 2–3 tbsp ranch before placing; otherwise drizzle 1–2 tbsp over the chicken.

Scatter 2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes and about 2 tbsp bacon bits over each sandwich (divide the 1/2 cup amounts evenly across 4 servings). Top with approximately 1/4 cup shredded cheddar per sandwich (divide the 1 cup evenly).

If desired, place the top bun, or serve open-faced. Drizzle the reserved ranch (about 2 tbsp) over the top and sprinkle with additional chives if using.

Serve hot. Leftover ranch keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; leftover sliced chicken stored separately will keep 3–4 days.