Pickle Chicken BLT

Pickle Chicken BLT

homemade

B

This sandwich was inspired by a recipe for chicken brined in common pickle juice. We already had marinated some chicken this way and fried it crispy, and the tenderness and subtle salty flavor seemed like a great choice for a sandwich. So this chicken breast was marinated in pickle juice (regular stuff, just the leftovers from a finished jar of Claussen dill pickles) for about a day and a half, then grilled with a light layer of cajun seasoning for a little extra spice. Also riding on this sesame seed kaiser roll: roasted garlic mustard from a gourmet store (we don't do mayo in this house), a couple slabs of bacon, romaine lettuce and a big, thick slice of heirloom tomato.

It's pretty good. The crispness of the lettuce and bacon on the soft bun makes for a nice bite with a mouthful of juicy chicken. You will taste the pickleness, but it's not as strong as you'd think. It lends a nice tenderizing effect that is at least as worthwhile as the taste. It's a little twist, something different, and sometimes that is all it takes to make a good sandwich.