Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Everyday Yumminess: An Awesome Summer Sandwich

Grilled Chicken, Avocado, and Tomato Wraps are one of those meals where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts... but those parts are pretty great, too. It's also probably one of the best places to use step-by-step photos, as you will see. The original is here, and (aside from quantities) the only things we've really changed over the years is the cheese (we never tried it with Monterey Jack as the recipe instructs, but I'm pretty sure our way is better so I don't intend to...) and to eventually start using nice thick Greek yogurt rather than having to have the fridge space and forethought to strain regular yogurt... The sauce comes together from that yogurt, blanched Swiss Chard, garlic, and a bit of olive oil.
The rest of the sandwich is just assembly. You slice up some tomatoes, avocado, and grilled chicken:
We started out using extra-sharp white cheddar for the cheese, but at some point decided to incorporate a bit of Port Salut as well. This was brilliant, so we've never gone back...
The last two ingredients are Sriracha and lemon juice.
That's it. Grab a package of lavash (we always used the Trader Joe's lavash, but I used Lavash from Costco this time which was actually a nicer (smaller) size) and you're in business.
The first step is to distribute cheese across half of one sheet of lavash:Lay a second sheet on top so that half of it is covering the cheese, then top with tomatoes and season with salt and pepper (see where these pictures come in handy?):
Top with avocado slices, a bit of lemon juice, and Sriracha. (I like to use even more Sriracha than is pictured, but that part is all a matter of personal preference...)
Fold the second half of the cheese-covered lavash over the avocado and tomato layer:
Top with the chard-and-yogurt mixture:
Add a layer of sliced grilled chicken breasts:
(Add a bit more Sriracha if you're having regrets about not using enough on your avocado layer:)
Fold the remaining unused half-sheet over, and your sandwich is all assembled.
Wrap (tightly) in plastic wrap and allow to set up in the fridge for 1-4 hours...
When you're ready to go, heat a grill and lightly brush your sandwich on both sides with a bit of olive oil.
Drop the heat on the grill relatively low, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until the cheese gets melty and the bread gets toasty. (The flipping process is non-trivial, but you get the hang of it after a while...)
Slice in half crosswise, then slice each half diagonally...
... and you have yourself one of the two sandwiches that I tend to refer to as "The World's Greatest Sandwich."
I highly recommend this for summer afternoons. Each wrap serves two pretty easily, so it's a quick, easy, affordable meal to throw together for friends, as well. One bonus (which I know people like my brother appreciate) is that you can pretty much throw this together from ingredients you grab on one trip to Trader Joe's, so there's no need to drive all over tarnation looking for groceries. Try it out next time the avocados and tomatoes are looking too good to pass up... The grilled bread is really what takes this to another level, and you can see how this same method could be used with any assortment of ingredients if you were so inclined.

1 comment:

Midge said...

yum yum yum, that looks good, and pretty easy!