Anna Pump's BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Excellent......

Barbeque Sauced Chicken Sandwiches

Anna Pump's recipe from "Summer on a Plate"

Yields 4 sandwiches *

Anna's notes and comments: "Adding 2 extra rolls can stretch the servings from 4 to 6*. "

And; "This has to be the ultimate make-ahead, one-dish meal; the recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd. When our children were teenagers, we often had 4 to 6 hungry ones around the house at lunchtime. Now it's an even bigger hit with our teenage grandchildren. The only things that have changed are the title, and the meat. Thirty years ago they were called Sloppy Joes and were made with ground beef."

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 cup chili sauce

1 cup water

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breast, cut into 2 x 1-inch strips

4 large garden lettuce leaves

4 large kaiser rolls or English muffins, split and toasted

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Method:

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir often so it does not brown. Stir in the ketchup, chili sauce, water vinegar, Worcestershire, sugar, and salt, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken strips, stir to combine, cover and simmer for another 12 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.To serve, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom of each roll, spoon chicken over the lettuce and garnish with chives. Top with the other half of the roll.

*My Notes: Anna must make very generously sized sandwiches! I used 2 large chicken breast halves; total weight 1 lb. 3 oz. and that was enough for 3 very, very generous portions.

Any sturdy roll could be substituted for the English Muffins.I sauteed the onions several minutes longer than 5 minutes (I like them to be soft in a sauce).

I also allowed the BBQ sauce to simmer and reduce a bit, as I like BBQ a bit on the thick side.I didn't bother with the chives.

I served them on homemade Moomie's Buns with Shallots (recipe is listed under 'Breads'.)

I made a two bean salad of fresh green beans and garbanzo beans with minced onion and sliced celery with a mildly seasoned homemade vinaigrette ~ it was a perfect accompaniment.

Beware: These are truly a "Knife and Fork' sandwiches.

A very good recipe, one that I'll make again.