Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Aioli

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Mortar and pestle (or chef's knife for garlic paste)
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk
• •Sharp knife for slicing

Instructions

1. 1

   Pound the garlic

   Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a mortar with half a teaspoon of fine sea salt. Pound and grind until you have a smooth paste. The salt acts as an abrasive, breaking down the garlic fibers. If you do not have a mortar, mince the garlic finely on a cutting board, sprinkle with salt, and crush it into a paste with the flat of your knife.

   The finer you work the garlic, the smoother your aioli. Raw garlic can be sharp, so a true paste mellows everything.
2. 2

   Build the emulsion

   Transfer the garlic paste to a medium bowl. Add the egg yolk and whisk until combined. Begin adding the olive oil in a very thin stream, whisking constantly. The first few tablespoons are critical. Go slowly. The mixture should thicken and become creamy before you add more oil. Once the emulsion takes hold, you can add the oil more quickly.

   If the aioli breaks and looks oily and thin, start over with a fresh yolk in a clean bowl. Whisk the broken aioli into the new yolk slowly, and it will come together.
3. 3

   Season the aioli

   When all the oil is incorporated and the aioli holds soft peaks, whisk in the lemon juice. The sauce will loosen slightly and brighten. Taste and add more salt if needed. The aioli should taste of garlic and good olive oil with a gentle acidity that lifts everything.

4. 4

   Prepare the bread

   Slice your bread if using a loaf, or halve the baguette lengthwise. Toast it lightly under the broiler or in a dry skillet until the cut sides are golden and slightly crisp, about two minutes. You want warmth and texture, not croutons. Watch carefully. Bread goes from golden to burnt faster than you expect.

5. 5

   Slice the chicken

   If your leftover chicken is in large pieces, slice it against the grain into pieces about a quarter inch thick. If it was pulled or shredded when you stored it, simply bring it to room temperature. Cold chicken straight from the refrigerator mutes flavor. Let it sit out for ten minutes while you prepare everything else.

6. 6

   Assemble with intention

   Spread a generous layer of aioli on both pieces of bread. Be generous here, as the aioli is the sauce for the whole sandwich. Layer the chicken on the bottom slice. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add tomato slices if you have a perfect one. Pile the arugula on top, letting it tumble naturally. Close with the top slice of bread.

   Do not flatten or press the sandwich. Let it be tall and unruly. The arugula should spill out at the edges.
7. 7

   Serve immediately

   Cut the sandwich in half on a diagonal and serve on a simple plate or wooden board. This sandwich does not wait well. The bread softens, the arugula wilts. Make it when you are ready to eat it.

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your olive oil matters enormously in aioli. Use something you would happily drizzle on bread. If you would not eat it by the spoonful, it does not belong in this sauce.
• •Pasture-raised chicken has a depth of flavor that factory birds simply cannot match. The extra cost shows up on the plate. Seek out a farmer at your market who can tell you how the birds were raised.
• •If tomatoes are not in season, leave them out entirely. A pale, mealy tomato adds nothing. The sandwich is complete without them. Wait for August.
• •This sandwich travels well for picnics if you pack the aioli and arugula separately and assemble on site. The bread stays crisp, the greens stay alive.

Advance Preparation

• •Aioli can be made up to three days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. It thickens as it chills, so let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes before using.
• •Roast your chicken on Sunday for sandwiches throughout the week. The meat keeps well for four days, stored in its juices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 345g)