Club House Recipe

Prepare and pound chicken

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are uneven thickness, place each between plastic wrap and gently pound to about 1/2 inch thickness for even cooking (about 1 minute per breast).

Season chicken

In a small bowl, mix salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and evenly season with the spice mix.

Grill or pan-sear chicken

Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, place the chicken breasts and cook 4-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until an instant-read thermometer reads 74°C (165°F) at the thickest point. Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes, then slice each breast into 4 even slices.

Cook bacon

While chicken cooks or before, in a separate skillet over medium heat, cook bacon slices until crisp, about 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Toast and butter bread

Butter one side of each bread slice lightly with the unsalted butter. In a clean skillet over medium heat or on a griddle, toast the bread butter-side-down until golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm. You'll have 8 toasted slices.

Prepare vegetables and spread

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds. Rinse and pat dry the lettuce leaves. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and dijon mustard (if using).

Assemble first layer

Place one toasted bread slice butter-side up on a work surface. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayo mixture evenly over the bread. Layer 2 slices of cheese (or 1 if preferred) across the bread, then arrange half of the sliced grilled chicken (about 4 slices) over the cheese. Top with 2 slices of tomato and 2 leaves of lettuce. Place a second slice of toasted bread on top, butter-side up, to form the middle layer.

Assemble second layer

Spread 1 tablespoon mayo mixture on the middle bread slice. Arrange the remaining 4 bacon strips across the bread, then add the remaining chicken slices. Top with the remaining tomato slices and lettuce leaves. Spread 1 tablespoon mayo on the final slice of toasted bread and place it mayo-side-down on top to finish the sandwich stack.

Secure and cut

Press the sandwich gently to compress the layers. Insert long toothpicks through each quarter to hold the double-decker together. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sandwich diagonally into 4 triangular quarters (cut through to create four double-decker pieces). Wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Serve

Arrange quarters on a platter. Serve immediately while warm, with optional sides such as pickle spears, fries, or chips.