Grilled Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwich

Rebecca's all-time favorite sandwich is the Vietnamese Bánh Mì. Our take on this Vietnamese-French fusion classic uses unctuous grilled chicken, tangy pickled vegetables, heaps of cilantro and jalapeno, and a robust mayo sauce. Despite the long ingredient list and exotic heritage, Grilled Chicken Bánh Mì Sandwiches are straightforward to make and can win over even the pickiest of eaters.  

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What is your favorite sandwich? Where did you eat your favorite Bánh Mì sandwich?  

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

  Pickled Vegetables:

• 4 small radishes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

   Pickling liquid:

• 2 teaspoon pickling salt
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 6 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 4 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoon peeled, grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

   Mayo Sauce:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced

   Grilled Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

   Sandwich:

• 4 small (6-8 inch) baguettes cut in half (we used a homemade white sourdough)
• 1 large bunch of cilantro, loosely chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, cut into thin rounds
• 1 cucumber, cut into thin rounds

Steps:

1. To pickle your vegetables: Whisk the pickling liquid ingredients (salt, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, ginger, garlic and sugar) together in a large bowl.  Add the thinly sliced vegetables to the pickling liquid and allow the vegetables to sit in the pickling liquid for at least 1 hour.  Note, that the liquid will cause some browning of the vegetables, this is expected.
2. For the mayonnaise; whisk all the ingredients together until mixture is smooth
3. For the grilled chicken: Slice each breast in half horizontally. To do this, rest the chicken breasts on a cutting board, midway through the breast and run your knife parallel to the cutting board through each breast. This creates thinner pieces of chicken that absorb more marinade flavor and grill more quickly. Place the sliced chicken breasts in a zip-top bag.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken marinade (soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, oil, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, and salt). Pour over the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag. Gently rotate and massage the bag to ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight). 
5. Preheat grill on high for 15 minutes, and clean thoroughly. Grill sliced chicken breasts on high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, with the grill lid down during cooking. You are looking for nice grill marks and cooked through chicken. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin strips.
6. For Sandwich Prep: Traditionally, you would scoop out some of the middle of one or both slices of bread, we leave this step up to your personal preference.  Spread both sides of the bread with mayonnaise, top with drained pickled vegetables, jalapenos, cucumbers, lots of fresh cilantro, and grilled chicken.  Serve immediately.