Open-Face BBQ Chicken Club with Guacamole and Provolone

Updated

By Domesticate Me

I know that burgers and hot dogs are traditional Fourth of July fare, but I'm thinking maybe we mix things up this weekend and throw some Open-Face BBQ Chicken Clubs with Guacamole and Provolone into the mix?

These are my new go-to summer sandwich, friends. I think I've become so focused on developing recipes that are "creative" or "out of the box" that I often forget the importance of sharing the basics. Classics like the chicken club are classic for a reason—they're undeniably bomb—and this open-face version with a few simple upgrades really takes this crowd-pleasing sando to the next level.

Check out photos of the Open-Face BBQ Chicken Club with Guacamole and Provolone:


First, you're going to grill a slice of really good, crusty bread until it's nice and toasty and spread it with a thick layer of zesty guac. Pile it high with crispy, chopped romaine hearts before adding a juicy piece of grilled chicken smothered in your favorite BBQ sauce and plenty of provolone. Cheese is key here, people, which is why I used 100% real, natural Sargento Slices that get perfectly melty and have awesome flavor with a hint of smokiness. Finish the whole thing off with thick slices of summer tomatoes and crispy bacon, and bing, bang, BOOM. Serious flavor fireworks worthy of your Fourth of July fiesta.

In addition to being a total taste treat, these sandos are also quick (I'm talking 30 minutes total with a cocktail lag), nearly impossible to screw up, and super versatile. Clearly I recommend serving them at your long weekend gatherings, but they're equally boss as an easy weeknight dinner, and you should feel free to adapt them to suit your personal tastes. Add another piece of bread for a less messy handheld meal, or lighten things up by ditching the bread in favor of a "club salad." Experiment with different BBQ sauces, or maybe drizzle the whole shebang with Dude Diet Ranch. You know I love it when you do you.

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
1½ ripe avocados
1 tablespoon lime juice
Kosher salt
Fresh Ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2/3 cup barbecue sauce of your choice
4 slices Sargento Provolone Natural Cheese Slices, sliced in half
4 slices of your favorite crusty bread (I used a crusty country boule, but sourdough or multigrain would also be amazing.)
2 cups chopped Romaine hearts
2 tomatoes, sliced into thick rounds

Directions:

  1. Let's start with the bacon. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the bacon on the rack, making sure to leave a little bit of space between each piece. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and crispy. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

  2. Meanwhile, whip up your guac. Scoop the avocado from their skin and place it in a bowl. Add the lime juice and a good pinch of salt and pepper and mash with a form until relatively smooth. Stir in the red onion and cilantro. Taste and season with a little extra salt and pepper if necessary. Cover that deliciousness tightly with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.

  3. Moving on to the chicken! Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken to roughly ½-inch thickness.

  4. Pre-heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the pounded chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 minutes on each side.

  5. Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill (or turn the heat on your grill pan down to medium-low). Brush the chicken with barbecue sauce and cook for 4 more minutes, turning the breasts every minute or so and brushing them with more barbecue sauce, until cooked through. Place two provolone halves on top of each breast and cook for 1 more minute until melted. Transfer to a plate.

  6. Place your bread on the grill for a minute or so on each side to get it nice and toasty.

  7. Now it's time to assemble these bad boys! Spread one side of each piece of bread with a thick layer of guacamole. Top each with a quarter of the romaine, a cheesy BBQ chicken breast, 2 slices of tomato and 2 slices of bacon. Serve immediately.

For the full post, visit Domesticate Me.

Compensation for this post was provided by Sargento Foods via AOL Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Sargento Foods or AOL.

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