Chicken-Potato Chip Club Sandwiches

It's my daughter-in-law, Alison's, birthday today....happy birthday to her!!

From the kitchen this week there's not much to tell, as most of the time we were trying to clean out the leftovers before my husband and Bryce went on an adventure with the rest of the in-town boys and several off the grandkids. It's the week of the annual horse pack-in trip in the mountains of Wyoming. Bryce and his wife will be spending the next couple of months with us until the apartment they're moving into is available. Sarah chose not to go on the trip, wanting to avoid injury to her knees/legs/ankles/feet. She's running the Boston Marathon in the fall and wants to be in top shape. She runs lots. We have been bonding over Downton Abbey and stitching.

I did make some salmon one night last week. This is some of the recently-caught fish and it was excellent. My husband just grilled it up with a little butter and salt & pepper. The asparagus came from the local farm stand and was amazingly disappointing. It was so fibrous and tough we couldn't chew it. 

Can you stand yet another chicken sandwich recipe? Since the guys are gone, and since my husband gets a little testy when chicken is served frequently when there's abundant, hard-won elk and deer (read RED MEAT) in abundance in the freezer. So, Sarah and I are having a chicken fest this week. Several nights of chicken will be happening while the carnivores are gone. I think this one was my favorite of the recent recipes I've tried. I ripped it out of a Food Network magazine, and it's really tasty. I like a good club sandwich...the bacon-y, tomato-y, goodness all tucked in between slices of good bread. The potato chips add a really nice crunchy element that's a little surprising and just adds to the flavor.

Chicken-Potato Chip Club Sandwiches

• 6 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
• Juice of 1 lemon (This actually seems like a little too much to me. I used maybe a tablespoon)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as dill, chives and/or parsley--I cut some chives and parsley off the plants in my herb pot)
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin removed--I used some roasted chicken breast I had in the freezer
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 12 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (as you can see, I left the crusts on the bread. This is some of the kind I usually make for eating here at home)
• 3 cups potato chips, plus more for serving
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• Lettuce leaves, for topping

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then break each strip in half. (You know know that pre-cooked Costco bacon? Just saying....)

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, herbs and celery in a large bowl; stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Toast the bread and spread with mayonnaise. Divide half of the chicken salad among 4 slices of toast. Top each with some potato chips, 1 piece of bacon, 1 tomato slice, some lettuce,  and another slice of toast. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 double-decker sandwiches. Gently press each sandwich together and cut in half. Makes 4 sandwiches.