Cajun Chicken Sandwiches

Cajun chicken sandwiches deliver weeknight heat without much fuss. Boneless chicken breasts get a heavy dust of Cajun seasoning (the recipe is loose here, use your favorite blend or a mix of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and thyme), then pan-fried in canola oil until the spices crust dark and the meat is cooked through. The trick to the sandwich is the chipotle pepper purée on one side of the bun, mustard or mayo on the other. The combination is sweet smoke from the chipotle against the sharp condiment, with the spice-crusted chicken bridging the two.

Load up the bun with whatever else you’ve got: shredded lettuce, tomato slices, pickled jalapeños, melty pepper jack, raw red onion. The base recipe is intentionally minimal so you can build the sandwich however your fridge allows.

Pro Tips

• Pound the chicken breasts to even thickness before seasoning. Uneven cuts cook unevenly and the thin end dries out before the thick end is done.
• Make the chipotle purée from a can of chipotle in adobo blitzed smooth in a food processor. Refrigerate the leftover for weeks. It’s a workhorse condiment.
• Toast the buns. Cut side down in the chicken pan after the chicken comes out, just until golden. Soft untoasted buns turn soggy under the chicken.
• Rest the chicken three or four minutes before slicing. The juices redistribute and you get a moister sandwich.

Variations

• Brine the chicken in buttermilk for an hour before seasoning for the most tender result.
• Add a slaw of shredded cabbage and lime crema to balance the chipotle heat.
• Use blackened seasoning instead of Cajun for a more intense crust.