Bistro Chicken Salad Sandwiches

With the warmer days of springtime, my thoughts always turn to picnics! It’s a great time to pack up some basic provisions, cold drinks, and a couple of friends and enjoy an afternoon outside. I like having a few, simple sandwich recipes that are good, reliable staples for picnics. After a recent trip to Maine and a delicious lunch at a small café, I came home inspired to create the tantalizing chicken salad sandwich we enjoyed for lunch. It’s perfect for picnics…packed with flavor and bursting with freshness.

It has just a few ingredients and is quick to prepare. If you’re in a time crunch, you could substitute a rotisserie chicken from your local store for the grilled chicken breasts called for in the recipe. I think the key to making a great chicken salad is to keep everything nicely “chunked” vs shredded and to make sure all your ingredients are roughly the same size…apples diced about the same size as the chicken and so forth.

When I ordered the inspiration for this recipe at the café in Maine, I chose this particular sandwich on the menu because it was served on a croissant. Then I was told they were out of croissants for the day. They offered me a choice of other breads, and I chose focaccia. And I’m so glad I did, because it was absolutely delicious on focaccia bread! But a buttery croissant would be great too!

Some other items that would taste great with this sandwich for a picnic might be: cubes of a good cheddar, some buttery crackers, grapes, and lemon bars for dessert. Happy picnicking!