This week, we’re sharing the recipe for the Samantha (chicken Caesar sandwich) from Sammy’s in Adair Park. The sandwich can also easily become a salad.
Co-owner and chef Sam Pinner developed the Samantha to satisfy multiple requirements for Sammy’s menu. The restaurant needed a sandwich that could easily convert to a gluten-free salad (simply nix the bread and croutons). And rather than waste leftover pickle juice, Pinner uses it as chicken brine.
Pinner purchases imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy as a key ingredient for the Caesar salad. While you can purchase grated Parmesan, grating it yourself yields fresher, tangier cheese. He also recommends sourcing the ciabatta bread for the sandwich from Alon’s Bakery.
One more pro tip from Pinner: season the Caesar dressing liberally.
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Ingredients
Salad
- 1 boneless skinless chicken thigh per sandwich
- 1 loaf ciabatta per sandwich
- 2 handfuls chopped romaine lettuce per sandwich
- 1 heaping Tbsp of Caesar dressing per sandwich
- 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan per sandwich
- Leftover kosher dill pickle juice from a large jar
- 5 croutons per sandwich
- 1 tsp lemon juice per sandwich
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Caesar dressing (yields 1 pint)
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp anchovies
- 1 Tbsp garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp Tabasco
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- Splash of water, if needed
Directions
- Marinate the chicken: Trim fat and any remaining bone fragments from chicken thigh(s). Marinate in leftover pickle juice from a jar of kosher dill pickles.
- Make the dressing: Chop garlic and anchovies together until a paste forms. Add remaining dressing ingredients and mix until well combined.
- If the mixture is thicker than the inside of a Snickers bar, add a splash of water to thin it out. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Cook the chicken: Remove chicken from marinade. Place in baking dish, brush with oil, and season with a mix made of equal parts black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- Bake at 325°Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°Fahrenheit.
- Remove chicken from oven, let cool, and cut into bite-sized chunks.
- Assemble the salad: Add chopped romaine, a handful of chicken pieces, a heaping tablespoon of dressing, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a few croutons, a good sprinkling of grated Parmesan, a few cracks of black pepper, and a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed.
- Chef’s note: it usually needs more of everything.
- Toast ciabatta until crispy on top and soft and warm in the center.
- Cut open ciabatta, stuff with salad inside and serve.