At the heart of a great egg sandwich is a creamy egg filling and essential to this are soft boiled, not hard boiled eggs! The creamy yolks practically makes its own mayonnaise sauce and the soft-set egg whites almost melt in your mouth.

Egg sandwich thoughts

You wouldn’t think that someone would have so many opinions about a simple egg sandwich, but as I sat down to write this recipe, it turns out I do! Here’s my egg sandwich thought-dump, roughly in care-factor order:

1. No rubbery bits of whites – I don’t like little firm bits of egg whites in what should be a creamy egg filling. So I use soft boiled eggs with soft just-set egg whites, rather than hard boiled eggs which is more common in standard egg sandwiches.

2. Semi homemade mayo – Soft boiled eggs = creamy yolk = practically makes its own semi-homemade mayonnaise. It’s so good! Better flavour and more luxurious with less mayonnaise required.

3. No celery. I know that might be an unpopular opinion but crunchy bits in a creamy egg filling, no matter how small or finely sliced, just don’t appeal to me. Goes in the same bucket as #1.

4. Soft bread is best. Too much filling oozes out when you bite the sandwich if you use chewy, crusty artisan bread like sourdough.

So, if all that sounds good to you, then let me introduce to the egg sandwich of your dreams!

Creamy egg sandwich filling

Here’s an up-close-and-personal look at the filling. The left photo is just soft boiled eggs mashed up. You can see that it’s already pretty creamy, even before adding the mayonnaise! Then the photo on the right is the finished filling after adding the mayonnaise and mustard.

What you need for my egg sandwich

As already emphasised a number of times (reeks of passion, right??!), the key ingredient here is soft boiled rather than hard boiled eggs! With creamy yolks, you only need a mere dab of mayonnaise and smidge of mustard for a creamy, luxurious filling.

If you don’t have chives, substitute with finely minced green onion.

• Soft boiled eggs – The creamy yolk gives you a head start on the creamy sauce so we only need 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise for 6 eggs (4 sandwiches). So we’re sort of making a semi-homemade mayonnaise here!

• Mayonnaise – Whole egg mayo is creamier and less tangy than normal mayo. My favourite brand is S&W (Australia), followed by Hellman’s and Kewpie (equal second).

• Dijon mustard – For flavour and a touch of tang.

• Chives – For freshness and nice green bits in our filling.

• Salt – Just 1/8 teaspoon! Trust me on this. Egg is weirdly salt adverse. The opposite of potatoes which can take loads of salt!

Best bread for egg sandwiches

As for the bread, you can really use anything you want though for traditional tea-type sandwiches (like pictured), soft white sandwich bread is the go. My only tip is to avoid crusty, chewy artisan bread (like sourdough). Filling ooze issues. Stick with soft bread!

How to make egg sandwiches

And the making part:

1. Cook soft boiled eggs and peel (8 minutes in boiling water). For full directions see my boiled eggs recipe, but I’ve included abbreviated directions in the recipe card below.

2. Mash the eggs using a fork to get it started, then a potato masher. The finer you mash, the creamier your filling! Once well mashed, you’ll see your filling is already semi-creamy.

3. Filling – Stir in the mayo, mustard, chives, salt and pepper.

4. Spread butter on the bread.

5. Spread filling on bread, from edge to edge!

6. Crusts – If you’re going for quaint English tea sandwiches, trim the crusts off then cut to your desired shape. The sandwiches pictured in post have been cut into 3 rectangles (4 sandwiches cut into a total of 12 finger sandwiches).

   TIP: For extra neat edges, refrigerate the sandwiches for 1 hour before cutting. This will set the filling so you can cut more neatly. But be sure to serve at room temperature!

And there you have it! My egg sandwich. I know there are recipes out there with more bells and whistles, using fancier ingredients like creme fraiche, perhaps a smidge of curry powder, and other add-ins.

But to me, all that is unnecessary if you use soft boiled eggs. This is one of those recipes where the end result is so much more than the sum of its parts. I hope you give it a go! Let me know what you think if you do. And also, you know I always love hearing your thoughts on my thoughts on matters of food. Do you disagree with my position on soft boiled eggs? Do you think celery is mandatory? Fancier bread? Bring on the egg sandwich debate! 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Egg sandwich

Recipe video above. At the heart of a great egg sandwich is a creamy egg filling and essential to this are soft boiled, not hard boiled eggs! The creamy yolks practically makes its own mayonnaise sauce and the soft-set egg whites almost dissolve in your mouth.

If you're making to impress, refrigerate to firm the filling so you can cut neat edges.

Course Lunch, Sandwich

Cuisine Universal, Western

Keyword egg salad, egg sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Egg cooling time 10 minutes

Servings 4 full sandwiches

Calories 376cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Egg sandwich filling:

• 6 soft boiled eggs , at room temperature (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise (S&W brand best, Note 2)
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp finely chopped chives (sub green onion)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt (yes really, that's all!)

Sandwich:

• 8 slices soft white sandwich bread (Note 3)
• Soft salted butter , for spreading on bread

Instructions

• Mash egg: Place the eggs in a bowl and crush with a fork. Once mostly broken up, use a potato masher to mash them up really well. Smaller egg white bits = creamier filling.
• Filling: Add remaining filling ingredients and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired, but add with caution because it's bizarre how little salt eggs can take!
• Make sandwich: Butter the bread. Divide filling between 4 pieces of bread, spread evenly edge to edge. Trim crusts (optional), then cut as you wish. (Note 4 tips)
• Serve: Always serve at room temperature, for best flavour!

Notes

1. Soft boiled eggs – Boil 10cm/4″ water, gently place eggs in, set timer for 8 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in sink or large bowl of cold water. Peel from base in water. (See boil eggs recipe for full directions & the why)

2. Mayonnaise – Whole egg mayo is creamier and less tangy than normal mayo. My recommended is S&W (Australia), followed by Hellman’s and Kewpie (equal second).

3. Bread – My preferred is Baker’s Delight standard white sandwich bread (thick cut which is thicker than standard slices) but any sandwich bread with work. (Australian chain bakery brand). Though if you use very chewy artisan bread with thick crusts, you may experience filling ooze issues when eating. The filling is creamy!!

4.Cutting – For extra neat cuts, refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting (this firms the filling). Pictured in post – each sandwich cut into 3 rectangle fingers. Other options diagonal (2 or 4 per sandwich) or squares.

5. Storage – 2 days in the fridge, but please eat at room temperature! You can’t taste the filling as much when fridge cold.

Nutrition per sandwich assuming 1 tbsp table butter spread per sandwich.

Nutrition

Calories: 376cal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 278mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 718IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3mg

Life’s too short for bland sandwiches!

Chicken sandwiches – gatherings, picnics, lunches!

Chicken Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich)

Chili dogs

Reuben Sandwich recipe

Steak Sandwich

Cuban Pork Sandwich (Cubanos) from Chef Movie

Sandwiches and Sliders

Life of Dozer

No egg sandwiches for Dozer! 💨💨

The post Egg sandwich appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Welcome to the chili dog of my dreams! A thick, molten beef chili sauce, slow cooked for hours, designed to function more like a sauce so it smothers rather than running everywhere. As for the grilled hot dog? Skip the cheap footy franks. Smoked sausages are the way to go. Think – kranksy, bratwurst, half-smokes!

A cracking recipe for summer BBQ’s, game-day, and just when you need something seriously moreish.

THE chili sauce for hot dogs….

This is a chili dog that is inspired by the famous Half-Smoke Chili Dogs at Ben’s Chili Bowl in Washington DC. It’s an institution famous for their chili which is served in various formats – in a bowl, burgers, and chili dogs.

The chili sauce used for the hot dogs is different to the chili served in bowls. It’s noticeably thicker and smoother, and doesn’t have beans in it. Essentially, it’s like a thick sauce that stays on the hot dog better than regular chili so you can eat it with your hands.

I’ve always wanted to replicate the Ben’s chili sauce. I’ve had a few attempts over the years – surely I just need to slow cook for longer, longer! Nope, it just didn’t have that same “molten” texture.

The answer came to me when I was making lentil soup: a partial blitz. Releases flavour, thickens the sauce, and makes it smoother too. This changed my chili-dog-game forever. Will it change yours too??

Ingredients in chili dog

Alrighty, first up, what you need to make the chili sauce for hot dogs!

Ingredients in chili sauce

The ingredients are no different to my classic chili con carne except the ratios of the spices are a little different (more!). And there are no beans in this chili sauce so it’s smoother and sits in/on the hot dog better.

• Beef mince / ground beef – While this recipe will work with lean beef, it will not have as much beefy flavour. Because most of the good beefy flavour we love is in the fat!

• Beef bouillon cube (stock cube) – Better than salt! Adds more flavour.

• Onion & garlic – Essential flavour bases.

• Tomato paste and crushed tomato – For thickening and flavour of the sauce. By the time all the spices are added in and it’s been slow cooked, you don’t really taste the tomato at all.

• Capsicum/bell pepper – A traditional inclusion in chili.

Homemade chili powder for sauce

There’s no store-bought chili powder mix in my chili sauce. I prefer to make my own from scratch because the flavour of chili powder varies from brand to brand. Making your own ensures consistency of flavour for everyone!

Plus, chili powder spice mix, while common in the US, is not easily found in Australia.

No unusual players here. All pantry essentials (here’s my essential spices list, in case you missed it!), the same spices I use in my chilli con carne. However, I use slightly more spices to give the sauce a stronger flavour because less sauce has to go further when it’s used in a hot dog bun compared to serving a big bowl of chili. Am I making sense?? Not sure I’m explaining that well!

Spiciness – There’s a decent amount of cayenne pepper in this to give the chili sauce a spicy kick, as is traditional. Feel free to dial it back. You can just add it right at the end, bit by bit, tasting as you go.

Chili dog

For the best hot dog of your life, skip the everyday cheap hot dogs and go for a good German or other European smoked sausage (Austrian, Polish). You’re welcome!

Smoked sausages – better than hot dogs! Chili dogs are typically made with economical thin hot dogs. Think – uniform pink colour that are 30 – 40% fillers. Tasty enough, when smothered in a homemade chili sauce. But you can really dial-up your hot dog game by using good European smoked sausages – like kranksy’s, bockwurst, bratwurst, “continental franks”. Just ask Ben’s Chili Bowl. Their famous chili dogs use sausages called “half-smokes” which are a type of smoked sausage.

Why European smoked sausages are better – More meat, less fillers, they’re seasoned with flavour, and fatter so you get more sausage! They are smoked so they are technically cooked but most are usually grilled or pan fried before serving. Makes them even tastier.

Find them easily these days:

• Kranksy’s – a deli staple at large supermarkets (Coles, Woolies – see here online, Harris Farms). Get the smoked ones, if you can, but even un-smoked are 20x better than the “footy franks”

• Sausages in packets labelled “Continental Franks” or “Weiners”.

• German deli – If you are lucky enough to have a German deli in your area, it’s worth a visit because you’ll have an even better selection – and it’s hard to go wrong! Also, other European delis. The Polish and Austrians do wickedly good smoked sausages too.

• Where I go – Brot & Wurst in Narrabeen, Sydney, which is near my home. My favourite for chili dogs are Bockwurst (pictured above). But all the smoked sausages of theirs I’ve tried (probably most) are great!

• Hot dog buns – Look for soft, pillowy buns for the hot dogs to nestle in.

• Yellow mustard – Optional, I guess! For me, a chili dog isn’t a chili dog without a squirt of mustard. I use American mustard – 100% artificial yellow colour, 100% hot dog authentic.

• White onion – Optional! This is a direct copycat of the way the chili dogs are served at Ben’s Chili Bowl. A little sprinkle of finely chopped white onion brings a hint of freshness in amongst all that moorish, spicy, saucy goodness. I like to use white onion because it’s not as sharp as brown onion. Red onion will also work from a flavour perspective.

• Cheese – A sprinkle of shredded cheese on a chili dog is fairly common practice but melting is not. But, like good ole’ crispy shell beef tacos, melted cheese wins over un-melted cheese any day. So if you have the option to melt, why would you not?? (Bonus: Cheese melting oven time warms up the bun so you don’t have to do it beforehand plus gives all the flavours a chance to meld together into one cohesive chili-dog-of-your-dreams!)

How to make chili dogs

As I mentioned earlier, the one thing that’s a little unique about the chili sauce I make for chili dogs is that it’s thicker, smoother and more “molten” than the usual recipes you see which have larger, chunkier beef bits in a runnier sauce. This is because mine is designed to be like the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl chili sauce which is like a thick sauce that stays in the hot dog rather than slopping out everywhere when I take a (big!) bite!

The trick to achieve this? A little blitz. Releases flavour and thickens the sauce.

1. The chili sauce

1. Cook chili sauce – The chili sauce starts off like your everyday chili con carne. Sauté onion, garlic and capsicum. Cook the beef until it’s browned, then stir the tomato paste for a minute to cook out the sour raw flavour.

2. Add everything else – Add all the spices, canned tomato, beef stock cubes (bouillon cubes), salt and water and give it a good stir then bring it to a simmer.

3. Slow cook 3 hours – Simmer on a really low heat with the lid partially on. A cracked lid allows the sauce to reduce and thicken. Make sure the heat is really low and give it a stir every now and then to ensure the base doesn’t catch. Remember – we’re making a sauce that is thicker than typical chili con carne.

   It can also be cooked in the oven (160°C / 325°F for 3 hours) or slow cooker (low for 6 to 8 hours) – directions included in the recipe.

   After 3 hours of slow cooking, the beef should be very tender. Yep, you’ll need to have a spoonful to check!

4. Blitz to thicken and smooth – Remove 1 1/2 cups of the chili into a container so the head of a stick blender will be submerged under the chili. Then blitz until smooth – it should only take around 15 seconds on high. This will release flavour and also thicken the sauce.

5. Stir in – Return the pureed chili sauce into the pot and stir well. As you stir, you should find that the slow-cooked beef bits start to fall-apart into really fine pieces of beef to make a smooth-ish, almost molten-like sauce.

   If your beef doesn’t do this, it will just need a bit of help from a potato masher. Just mash the beef straight in the pot until it becomes a fairly fine texture, like pictured.

6. Thick sauce – This is what your sauce should look like! Dollop-able but it mounds. Now you get to heap it on your hot dog!

2. Assembling chili dogs

Grill, stuff, smother, bake!

1. Pan fry or grill your hot dogs / smoked sausages until browned and warmed through. Don’t worry if the skin splits! Visually it doesn’t matter because it will be completely hidden by sauce.

2. Mustard & onion – Add a squiggle of mustard then sprinkle with onion.

3. Chili sauce – Smother with a good amount of chili sauce. Appreciate how it’s thick and stays on/in the hot dog instead of running everywhere!

4. Bake for 10 minutes – Top with cheese then bake for 10 minutes just to melt the cheese. Pull out of oven and start getting excited about sinking your teeth into these chili dogs!!!

When to make chili dogs

A backyard grill out, a gathering with friends. Game day, dinner tonight, and, well, just anytime because you can’t get darn-good chili dogs in your area. That would be ME!!

In all seriousness though. A good smoked sausage, pan fried or grilled then tucked into a soft bun is delicious as is.

Smother it with a thick layer of big-flavoured beef chili sauce, and you’re well on your way to food heaven.

Add a blanket of molten, gooey cheese and that, my friends, THAT is what food dreams are made of.

I really hope you try these chili dogs one day. For us Aussies, chili dogs are hard to come by and when we do find them, all too often they are terribly disappointing. I promise this won’t disappoint! – Nagi x

PS As long as you give the cheap footy franks a miss!

Watch how to make it

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Chili dogs

Recipe video above. A pan-fried or BBQ sausage smothered in chili sauce in a hot dog bun. Cracker of a recipe for summer BBQ's, gatherings with friends and game-day!

My chili sauce is a copy-cat of the famous Ben's Chili Bowl half-smoke chili dogs in Washington DC. Love how their boldly spiced chili sauce is thick and almost "smooth", so it stays in the hot dog better. I replicated this by blitzing the chili a bit. Releases flavour, thickens the sauce. Win!

Also, skip the cheap hot dog "footy franks". Do what Ben's does – use a good smoked sausage.

Course BBQ, Main

Cuisine American, Tex-Mex

Keyword chili dogs, chili sauce for hot dogs

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6 – 8 hot dogs

Calories 761cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Homemade chili powder (Note 1):

• 3 tsp smoked paprika (sub plain paprika)
• 3 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper , adjust to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Chili sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1/2 onion , finely chopped
• 1/2 red capsicum / bell pepper , finely chopped
• 500 g/1 lb ground beef / beef mince
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 400g / 14 oz canned crushed tomato
• 2 beef cubes (I like Oxo, easy to crumble, Note 2)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt , plus more to taste

Chili dogs:

• 6 good smoked sausages (kransky, bratwurst, half-smoke) or hot dogs of choice (Note 3)
• 6 hot dog buns
• 1/2 white onion , finely chopped
• Yellow mustard (I use Heinz American mustard)
• 2 cups Colby or Monterey Jack , shredded (or other cheese of choice)
• Plain crinkle cut potato chips , optional side for serving (traditional!)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Chili sauce:

• Sauté aromatics – Heat oil over medium high in a heavy based pot. Cook the onion, garlic and capsicum for 3 minutes.
• Brown beef – Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see raw meat. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
• Sauce – Add the spices, tomato, water, crumbled beef cube and salt. Stir well.
• Slow cook 3 hours – Bring the chili to a simmer then turn down to low, on a small burner. Put the lid partially on (to allow for sauce reduction). Simmer for 3 hours on low (goal: small bubble every now and then), stirring just to ensure the base doesn’t catch. OR put it in a 160°C/325°F oven for 3 hours (lid partially cracked).
• Slow cooker (Note 4) – Reduce water to 3/4 cup. After chili comes to a simmer on the stove, transfer everything to a slow cooker then cook on low for 6 to 8 hours on low.
• Thicken sauce – Remove 1 1/2 cups of the chili into a container so the head of a stick blender will be submerged under the chili. Then blitz until smooth (~ 15 seconds). Add the pureed sauce back in the pot and stir well.
• Sauce goal – As you stir, the remaining beef bits should become quite fine (rather than bolognese type chunks) because the beef is so tender. If the beef bits are not as small as desired, use a potato masher in the pot – it won't take long. The chili sauce should be a thick sauce that mounds up a bit when you scoop it, not runny. (Note 5) Keep sauce warm.
• Optional rest overnight – Allow the sauce to cool then refrigerate overnight. As with most slow-cooked stewy things, the flavour improves! Reheat on the stove before proceeding.

Chili dogs:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
• Grill/pan-fry – Preheat a pan with 1/2 tbsp oil (or the BBQ) on medium / medium high. Brown the stages all over until they are heated through (they are already cooked inside, it's just about heating/colour).
• Assemble – Place hot dog buns on a tray. Stuff with a sausage, top with a squiggle of mustard and a sprinkle of onion. Spoon over a generous amount of warm chili sauce, top with cheese.
• Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Traditionally with a mound of plain crinkle cut potato chips and an ice cold beer!

Notes

Servings note: Recipe realistically makes enough chili sauce for 8 hot dogs. But I just don’t know how big your buns will be so prefer to err on the side of caution. Nobody wants to run out of chili sauce!

---

1. Spice notes:

• This blend of spices includes a homemade chili powder which I prefer to do because the flavour of store-bought chili powder mixes (in the US) vary from brand to brand.
• Garlic powder and onion powder can be substituted with more of the other.
• Cayenne pepper provides the spiciness (chili sauce is SUPPOSED to be a bit spicy!). This amount won’t blow your head off but if you’re concerned, hold some (or all) of it back and add right at the end, little by little.
• Mustard powder – sub 1 tsp dijon mustard

2. Beef bouillon cubes / stock cubes have more flavour than plain salt. 

3. Smoked sausages are my preference over economical hot dogs / “footy franks” – high proportion of fillers! Idea swiped from Ben’s Chili Bowl, they use half-smokes (famous Washington smoked sausages).

I use: smoked kransky’s, bratwurst, bockwurst, “smoked wiener” or “continental franks”. Available at German and other European shops, and large supermarkets (Australia). Even the common un-smoked kransky sold at most supermarket deli’s is way better than the cheap hot dogs! Love my local German small-goods shop, Brot & Wurst (Narrabeen, Sydney), their Bockwurst is my favourite for chili dogs.

4. Slow cooker note – While this recipe will work fine in a slow cooker, you just don’t get the same caramelisation around the edges on the surface of the chili like you do with stove and oven cooking, which adds to flavour. I’d say it’s 95% as good in a slow cooker! Oven and stove are just as good.

5. Sauce – If your sauce isn’t as thick as mine, just leave it on the stove on low, stirring regularly, until it reduces and thickens.

Nutrition

Calories: 761cal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1458mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1442IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 432mg | Iron: 6mg

Life of Dozer

I find it quite amusing that he can spend hours in the pool or at the beach and his furry golden head remains fluffy and dry while the rest of him is saturated.

Then I realised I do the same thing. Sometimes a girl just doesn’t want to ruin her hair, y’a know? 😂

The post Chili dogs appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Chicken Banh Mi is the much-loved chicken variety of the classic Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich. It has all the familiar flavours of Banh Mi – pate, mayo, fresh herbs and pickled vegetables – but instead of mystery pink meat slices, it’s made with chicken! Fabulously effortless.

Chicken Banh Mi

Banh Mi is a meat filled French baguette sandwich stuffed with Asian flavours. Born from the time of France’s occupation of Vietnam, I imagine the French just couldn’t cope without crusty bread so they introduced baguettes to the Vietnamese and the Vietnamese filled it with their meats and herbs and voila! The now-world-famous Banh Mi was born.

While Vietnamese locals love the classic mystery-meat-pork-cold-cuts version, there are all sorts of other varieties across Vietnam and around the world these days. Grilled meats, beef, chicken, meatballs, egg, sausage, BBQ pork, fish, egg, to name a few.

Today, I’m sharing a shredded chicken version which is very popular among Sydney locals who remain suspicious of the mystery pink cold-cut slices!!

One tip: Stuff generously. The photo is above is how it looks when squished. Look how full it is before I picked it up. ⬇️ The motto here – don’t skimp on fillings!!!

Ingredients in chicken banh mi

Any sandwich is the sum of its parts, and it holds extra true for Banh Mi. Each ingredient in isolation is not extraordinary. The combination sounds odd, for for Banh Mi first timers. But one bite is all it will take to get you jumping onto the Banh Mi train!

The baguette

Use a standard crusty white baguette, not a fancy artisan one like sourdough as they are too chewy. The best baguettes used by the most popular Banh Mi vendors in Vietnam have delicate crispy crusts and fluffy soft insides.

If your baguette is not as crusty as you’d like, just pop it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up. (I do this because it’s just not a proper Banh Mi unless the crust is crispy!)

Stuff inside

• Chicken – I just use a store bought roast chicken for convenience. You could also make your own. Either use a plain brined roast chicken (so the flesh will be seasoned) or poach chicken breast then use a bit of extra Maggi Seasoning.

  The amount of chicken you use will depend on the size of your baguette. You can really be as generous as you want. I’m pretty generous!

  Grilled lemongrass chicken – There’s also varieties of chicken Banh Mi made with grilled marinated chicken. If that’s what you’re after, use the chicken in this Lemongrass chicken recipe, cut it into slices and use in place of the shredded chicken. Skip the Maggi seasoning, you won’t need it.

• Green onion – You need 2 to 3 pieces that are about as long as your bread roll for each Banh Mi.

• Cucumber – You will need 2 thin slices (cut lengthwise) for each Banh Mi. 1 cucumber should be enough.

• Fresh chilli – Either birds eye chilli (popular ones here in Australia) or Thai red chilli. Anything red and fiery. It’s all part of a great Banh Mi!

Quick pickled vegetables

This is one of the things that makes Banh Mi so special – the crunch of pickled carrot and daikon. It’s so good!! Don’t even think about skipping this. If you can’t find daikon (white radish), just double up on carrot.

• Carrot and daikon (white radish) – These are the two pickled vegetables most commonly used in Banh Mi. They are cut into thin batons so you get a terrific crunch (albeit pickled-softened-crunch!) when you bite in them.

  Don’t be tempted to shortcut cutting the vegetables by using a box grater. I tried (the lazy cook in me couldn’t resist) – and it just wasn’t the same. A big vinegary pile of coleslaw-like mush. I missed the crunch!

• Rice wine vinegar – This is the vinegar used for the pickled vegetables, an Asian vinegar made from rice. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.

• Salt and sugar – For pickling. These pickled vegetables are a bit sweet and bit salty, nice balance between the two.

Spreads and sauces

“It’s not a Banh Mi without pate!” she declares vehemently.

• Maggi Seasoning – This is basically like a soy sauce but with more flavour. No, not MSG!

  While some Banh Mi vendors make their own secret sauce, this is the most common sauce used straight out of the bottle. Find it in the Asian or sauce aisle at large grocery stores here in Australia.

• Pate – Chicken pate is on theme here though you can use any pate you want. While you’re most welcome to go ahead and indulge in expensive pate, there’s actually no need. With so much other stuff going on in this sandwich, no one’s going to know if you used a budget pate or a premium one!

• Mayonnaise – Whole egg mayonnaise or Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise please. I don’t use other types of mayonnaise (too vinegary or too sweet).

How to make a chicken banh mi

Making any type of Banh Mi is just about the order in which you layer. Rich and creamy on the bottom, topped with meaty then finished with fresh.

1. Split the baguette in half but don’t cut it all the way through.

2. Butter – Spread butter on the lid of the baguette.

3. Pate and mayo – Spread pate then mayonnaise on the base of the baguette. Don’t skimp – the most popular Banh Mi joints in Vietnam are always the ones that are most generous with the pate!!

4. Chicken and sauce – Top with shredded chicken then drizzle with Maggi Seasoning, the secret Banh Mi sauce!

5. Vegetables & herbs – Stuff in a generous amount of pickled carrot and daikon, layer 2 slices of cucumber then stuff with 2 to 3 green onion stems and a few sprigs of coriander.

6. Chilli – Lastly, sprinkle with as much fresh chilli as you dare, then devour!

   Go hard with the chilli! Little pops of fresh chilli buried amongst the freshness of pickled vegetables is a signature characteristic of Banh Mi so don’t be shy with the chilli! In fact, try it the other way. Be brave, go hard, then if it’s too much for you, just pick ’em out!!

And there you have it. The chicken version of the infamous Banh Mi, filled with flavours like you’ll never experience in a Western sandwich! That combination of the fresh herbs and pickled vegetables with the smear of rich creamy pate and mayonnaise is stellar. It works with many proteins, but using chicken is an easy option if you just use a store bought roast chicken like I do.

If you’re new the world of Banh Mi, this is a good one to start with. Hope you give it a go! – Nagi x

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Chicken banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich)

Recipe video above. This is the chicken version of Vietnamese Banh Mi that's so popular in Australia! All the familiar flavours of Banh Mi – pate, mayo, fresh herbs and pickled vegetables – but with shredded chicken instead of mystery pink cold cuts.

Don't skip the pickled vegetables. They totally make it.

For lemongrass grilled chicken, use the chicken in this recipe in place of the shredded chicken, and skip the Maggi seasoning.

Course Sandwich

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword Banh Mi recipe, chicken banh mi, Vietnamese sandwich

Prep Time 15 minutes

Pickling 2 hours

Servings 4

Calories 624cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Pickled vegetables:

• 2 medium carrots , peeled cut into 2-3mm / 1/10″ batons (Note 1)
• 1/2 large white radish (daikon), peeled, cut the same as carrots (Note 1)
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)

Banh Mi:

• 4 crusty white rolls ~ 20cm/8" (Note 2)
• 2 – 3 tbsp salted butter
• 120g/ 4 oz chicken pate (or other pate of choice)
• 4 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise or Kewpie
• 4 cups (400g/ 14oz) shredded chicken (1 small store bought or homemade brined roast chicken, or poached breast)
• 2 – 3 green onion stems , cut to bread roll length (3 pieces per Banh Mi)
• 1 cucumber , thinly sliced lengthwise (2 slices per Banh Mi)
• 1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) coriander/cilantro sprigs
• 1/4 tsp Maggi seasoning per Banh Mi (Note 3)
• 2 – 3 birds eye or Thai red chilli , finely sliced

Instructions

Pickled vegetables:

• Pickle – In a large bowl, dissolve the salt and sugar in the hot water. Stir in vinegar. Add carrots and daikon – they should just about be covered.
• 2 hours – Leave for 2 hours until slightly floppy. Drain well then use per recipe.

Banh Mi:

• Split the bread roll in half but don't cut all the way through.
• Butter – Spread the lid with butter.
• Pate then mayo – Spread the base with 1 to 2 tablespoons pate (be generous!), then 1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise.
• Chicken & Maggi – Pile on shredded chicken, drizzle with 1/4 tsp Maggi seasoning (you can always add more later).
• Fresh stuff! Stuff with pickled vegetables, 2 slices of cucumber, 3 slices of green onion and coriander. Finally, sprinkle with as much chilli as you dare. Jam the lid down and devour!

Notes

1. Carrot and daikon – it’s hard to quantity the amounts but basically you want the same quantity of each, and enough so it is just covered by the pickling liquid. Can’t find white radish? Double up on carrot!

2. Rolls not crusty? Pop them in the oven to crisp up. It’s not Banh Mi if the rolls aren’t crusty!

3. Maggi seasoning – Like soy sauce but with more flavour. No MSG! It’s the classic Banh Mi sauce, though some vendors create their own special sauces. Find it in the Asian aisle or sauce aisle of large grocery stores.

Substitute with a 50/50 combo of soy sauce + Worcestershire sauce.

4. STORAGE: Best assembled and eaten fresh. If you want to take it for lunch, assemble but leave out the Maggi Seasoning and add that just before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 624cal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1474mg | Potassium: 905mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 11640IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 5mg

I love a good sandwich.

And there’s more coming soon!

Chicken sandwiches – gatherings, picnics, lunches!

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Life of Dozer

He was squinting in the sun….

Now I’m squinting in the sun….

The post Chicken Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Never underestimate the power of great chicken sandwiches! Excellent platter for gatherings, picnics and work lunches. My secrets? Fresh dill, a handful of walnuts and shred the chicken really finely using a stand-mixer or electric beater. Yes, really.

Chicken sandwiches

If you’ve ever wondered why those chicken sandwiches from “that gourmet deli” are so coveted and command such high prices, the answer lies not just in the secret mix of ingredients for the filling but also in the texture of the chicken.

“It’s so soft and just melts in your mouth!“, friends have observed.

The secret? Shredding the chicken super, super finely, until it’s basically crumbly, using a stand-mixer. This makes the chicken sandwich filling soft and creamy because you don’t have chewy chunks of chicken in it.

No stand-mixer? No worries! Use a hand-held beater or a little patience and your hands.

Mayonnaise plus sour cream

And the second secret of course is the sauce! You want it to have plenty of creamy sauce but not be too oily and weighed down with mayonnaise. My trick is to use both mayonnaise (for flavour and richness) and sour cream (for creamy goodness with less oil).

Ingredients in Chicken Sandwich Filling

Here’s what goes in my chicken sandwiches. And before you say it, let me acknowledge that I left out the most obvious ingredient for sandwiches – BREAD! 😂

1. Chicken – I use store bought chicken for ease. Bonus: The flesh is seasoned all the way through.

   Homemade roast chicken – If you’re a better person than me, make your own brined roast chicken (the brine will infuse the flesh with salt like store bought rotisserie chicken).

   Chicken breast – I prefer to use a whole chicken so you get a good blend of white meat (breast, lean) and dark meat (thigh, leg, wings – juicier and more flavour). But if you prefer to use just chicken breast, use my Foolproof Poached Chicken Breast (guarantees juicy breast) and toss the shredded chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt before mixing the sauce through.

2. The bread (which I forgot to picture!) – The traditional bread is soft white sandwich bread. For fellow Australians – hot tip: Bakers Delight. The white sandwich bread, standard slice, is best for finger sandwiches. Soft but not sooooo soft that the filling squishes the bread.

   And of course, the bread of choice is not set in stone so feel free to use whatever bread you want!

3. Mayonnaise – I always use whole egg mayonnaise which is creamier, smoother and has better flavour than mayonnaise that is not labelled “whole egg”. The reason is because whole-egg mayonnaise has more egg in it.

   My favourite mayonnaise brand is S&W, followed by Kewpie. Hellman’s is good too albeit a little sweeter. I find other brands (especially non whole-egg mayonnaise) too sweet and/or too vinegary and/or lacking in (good) flavour. I live in Sydney, Australia, and you can get all these brands at everyday large grocery stores.

4. Sour cream – Secret ingredient! Using this means we can have plenty of tasty sauce in our chicken sandwich filling without it being overly greasy from using just mayonnaise. Yogurt can also be used but sour cream is my preference because it’s creamier.

5. Walnuts – The classic nut addition in “gourmet deli-style” chicken sandwiches. I think part of the appeal, other than the hint of nutty flavour, is that it adds a bit of much needed texture in the otherwise very creamy filling.

   Best substitute – cashews, macadamia nuts or pecans. Else, leave it out.

6. Fresh dill – Another ingredient that makes this “gourmet deli-style”! Lovely hint of fresh flavour. No other herb will provide the same flavour so if you don’t have it / like it, just leave it out. (Parsley can be used for a bit of green colour but won’t add flavour).

7. Pickles – For the most subtle touch of tang in the filling. Use your favourite pickles. You could even substitute with capers.

8. Celery and green onion – Adds background freshness in the filling and the celery also adds texture. While green onion could be substituted with red onion or eschalots (French onions / US: shallots), don’t skip the celery! It really makes a difference.

9. Onion, garlic, salt, pepper – The seasonings for the sauce. I use onion and garlic powder rather than fresh because they have a smooth earthy flavour which is what I’m after for the sauce.

10. Lemon juice – For a touch of freshness in the sauce. Substitute with vinegar.

11. Dijon mustard – More flavour!

How to make deli-style chicken sandwiches

Nothing ground-breaking here. The only trick is shredding the chicken as finely as you can. The finer it’s shredded, the creamier the chicken filling which is what sets deli-style chicken sandwiches apart from the rest!

As I mentioned earlier, a stand-mixer will make short work of this. Hand-held beater also works. Else, your hands and some patience!

1. Remove flesh off the chicken and remove the skin. (No prizes for guessing where all the chicken skin goes around here. You’ll see in the recipe video!)

2. Shred the chicken as finely as you can. It takes about 1 minute on medium speed using a stand-mixer using the paddle attachment (not whisk, it gets all caught up in the wires). A hand-held beater will also work but will take a bit longer. Else, use your hands.

3. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Use a whisk, if needed.

4. Pour sauce over the chicken with remaining Filling ingredients (walnuts, celery, green onion, pickle, dill) and mix until combined.

   At this stage, you should sneak in a taste test and marvel at how soft and creamy the chicken sandwich filling is!

5. Butter the bread. This not only provides extra flavour but a protection barrier so the sauce of the chicken filling doesn’t soak into the bread.

6. Spread the filling on the bread, from edge to edge.

7. Cut off crusts – I typically don’t cut the crust off sandwiches but for chicken sandwiches, I do if I’m making them for other people. Partly so they look neat – think High-Tea finger sandwich style – and also because then you get the full effect of the soft creamy chicken filling with just soft white bread. No tough crust getting in the way of the eating experience!

   PS You know full well the crusts get eaten right? Plenty of chicken filling makes its way to the crust!

8. Cut in half on the diagonal, or into rectangles, then line them upon a platter!

   TIP: If you want really neat edges, refrigerate the assembled sandwiches for at least 2 hours before slicing. This will make the filling firm up and makes it easier to cut neatly. I did not do this for the sandwiches pictured in this post. You know that patience is not my greatest virtue!

I love a good sandwich, and these Chicken Sandwiches rate very, very highly in my books. As a bonus, the filling keeps well for 3 days and the assembled sandwiches, while best made fresh, are still 90% as good the next day (the bread softens with time). In fact, the sandwiches in this post were my dinner and breakfast for 2 consecutive days – and I was very happy about it!

And as I mentioned in the opening, I’m sharing this recipe with holiday gatherings in mind. Take it to your office Christmas party. A picnic with friends. A day out at the beach.

Or, you could go really crazy and have them for lunch! 😱 Live life on the edge! – Nagi x

PS If you do make these for a gathering, tell me below if they were the first food to go! #NotCommpetitiveAtAll 🤭

Watch how to make it

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Chicken sandwiches

Recipe video above. The secret to the best chicken sandwiches like the ones you get from gourmet deli? Shred the chicken as finely as you can (stand-mixer is best!). Use mayo + sour cream so the sauce isn't too greasy. Plus a handful of walnuts!

Great platter food for gatherings, picnics and lunch boxes.

Makes 10 deli-style sandwiches, 8 very generously filled sandwiches, or 15 normal lunchbox sandwiches (Note 6).

Course Finger Food, Lunch, Party Food, picnic

Cuisine Western

Keyword chicken sandwich

Prep Time 15 minutes

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Filling:

• 500g/ 1 lb cooked chicken meat from 1 large store bought roast chicken (Note 1)
• 1 celery stem , sliced 3mm/0.1″ thick then into 0.5cm/0.2″ pieces
• 1 green onion stem , finely sliced
• 3/4 cup walnuts , roughly chopped (Note 2)
• 3 tbsp finely chopped cornichon/dill pickle
• 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped dill (Note 3)

Sauce:

• 2/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise (S&W best in Aus, Note 4)
• 2/3 cup sour cream (sub full fat yogurt)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (sub white wine or cider vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (or more garlic powder)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (or more onion powder)
• 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Sandwiches:

• Salted butter , for spreading on bread
• 20 slices white sandwich bread, day-old, (or more slices for less filling) (Note 5)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Shred the chicken as finely as you can. The best method is using a stand-mixer. Just put the meat in the bowl with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until it's really finely shredded (~ 1 minute). Else use a handheld beater or your hands.
• Mix the Sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth – use a whisk if needed.
• Pour Sauce over the chicken. Add remaining Filling ingredients. Stir until combined.
• Spread bread with butter. Spread with Filling (see below for amount).
• Remove crusts if desired (for the authentic "gourmet" experience!) and cut in half. (Tip: For really neat cuts, refrigerate sandwiches before slicing so Filling firms up).
• Serve on platters littered with green fluffage, if desired!

Filling quantities (Note 6)

• Chicken filling per sandwich:

  – Deli standard (recommended): 100g / 1/2 cup (makes 10 sandwiches)

  – Very generous: 130g / 1/2 cup (makes 8)

  – Everyday lunchbox: 80g (1/3 cup) (makes 15).

Notes

1. Chicken – It’s ok! You can use store bought roast chicken! Bonus: The flesh is seasoned all the way through. Make your own – use this Brined Roast Chicken.

If using homemade plain cooked chicken, toss 1 teaspoon extra salt through the shredded chicken. Use my Foolproof Poached Chicken Breast recipe. Cool, then roughly shred into large pieces with hands before blitzing in stand-mixer.

No scales? 500g/1 lb chicken once finely shredded is just shy of 4 cups, lightly packed (ie don’t jam it in to measure). 

2. Walnuts is the classic nut addition for “gourmet deli-style” chicken sandwiches and adds a touch of special. Love how it softens and melds into the filling. Best subs: cashews, macadamia nuts or pecans. Else, leave it out.

3. Dill is also another secret ingredient that makes these “gourmet deli-style”. No other herb will provide the same flavour so if you don’t have it / like it, just leave it out. (Parsley can be used for a bit of green colour but won’t add flavour).

4. Mayo – S&W is best in Australia. Kewpie is the next best, followed by Hellman’s. I find others too sweet, too vinegary – who me, fussy?

5. Bread – Hot tip for Aussies: Bakers Delight white sandwich bread sliced standard thickness (not extra thick) is best for softness but not so crazy soft it gets squished! Best to get it the day before so it’s not quite as soft, makes it easier to spread the chicken on it.

6. Filling amount – It’s a rich filling, don’t need to go crazy with it.

• 1/2 cup (100g) per sandwich is generous and makes a filling sandwich, even for someone with a “robust” appetite like myself! Makes 10.
• Normal lunchbox size sandwich – 1/3 cup (80g) is sufficient, makes 15.
• Mega sandwich – pile on as much as you want!

7. Storage – Keeps for 3 days in the fridge, assembled or filling only. Filling flavour gets even better overnight!

Life of Dozer

Stand up paddle boarding with Dozer. (He stood. I didn’t!)

The post Chicken sandwiches – gatherings, picnics, lunches! appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.