Recipe: Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Chile Mayonnaise

ROSEMARY CHICKEN SANDWICHES WITH SPICY CHILE MAYONNAISE

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
FOR SERVING:
4 ciabatta rolls
Spicy Chile Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked
2 cups baby arugula

With meat mallet, pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/2-inch thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper; sprinkle with rosemary. Drizzle olive oil evenly over chicken and, using fingers, rub herb and seasonings into chicken. Refrigerate until needed.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Preheat broiler, gas or charcoal grill. Place chicken breasts under broiler or on grill and cook, turning once, until done, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cover with foil.

TO SERVE:
Finish sandwiches by lightly toasting each side of rolls.

Spread spicy 2 tablespoons chile mayonnaise on bottom half of rolls; top each with chicken breast half. Add two slices of bacon to each sandwich; divide arugula among sandwiches. Secure sandwiches with tops of buns and serve immediately.

SPICY CHILE MAYONNAISE

2 jalapeno chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place jalapenos and garlic cloves in small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and turn as necessary to brown evenly and chiles and garlic are softened. Set garlic aside to cool, then peel. Transfer chiles to small bowl of water and keep submerged for 20 minutes.

Place garlic, vinegar and honey in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse to combine. Remove chile from water, stem, seed and add to processor. Pulse to chop and then puree until mixture forms a rough paste. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper and pulse evenly to blend. Transfer to small bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Makes 4 servings
Source: adapted by Northwest Herald, McHenry County, IL , March 8, 2008 from Cowgirl Cuisine by Paula Disbrowe