Cowboy Butter Chicken Sandwich

Let's Cook

1. 1Marinate the Chicken

   Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Lay one flat, press a palm on top, and slice horizontally through the side to make two thin cutlets — or cover with plastic and pound to an even half inch. Repeat with the second. Season both sides with salt.

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   Uneven cutlets are the main cause of dry chicken — the thin end overcooks while the thick end catches up. Pound the fat end, not the whole piece.

2. 2Grill the Chicken

   10 min

   Whisk the mayonnaise and spicy sauce in a bowl until the color is a uniform pale orange with no white streaks. Spoon about two tablespoons into a small separate bowl and refrigerate — that is your sandwich spread, and it must leave the bowl before raw chicken goes in. Add the cutlets to the rest, turning until every surface is coated and no dry patches show. Leave 10 minutes.

3. 3Prepare the Pickled Cucumber Salad

   10 min

   Trim the cucumber and slice it into thin coins, about the thickness of a coin. Toss with the red wine vinegar, most of the chopped herbs, and a pinch of salt. It's ready when the slices look slightly translucent at the edges and bend instead of snapping, roughly 10 minutes.

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   Salt pulls water out of the cucumbers, so liquid pooling in the bowl is normal. Drain it off before assembling or the toast goes limp.

4. 4Assemble the Sandwich

   5 min

   Heat a grill pan over medium-high for 3 minutes, until a flicked drop of water skitters. Lay the cutlets down and leave them alone for 4 to 5 minutes, until you see dark grill marks and the edges turn opaque and pale. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F. Rest 3 minutes.

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   Probe sideways into the thickest part of the cutlet, not down through it — a thin piece is easy to skewer straight past.

5. 5Step 5

   Toast the bread. Spread each slice with the reserved sauce, add a lettuce leaf, then sliced chicken. Drain the cucumbers, pile them on, and scatter the last herbs. Eat immediately.

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   Assemble at the table, not ahead. Toasted bread holds up maybe five minutes against vinegary cucumber before it collapses.