Your picnic just got a major upgrade. Chicken gets a gentle braise in wine and aromatics before getting sliced and piled onto fresh baguettes with hearty Swiss chard and a super-delicious shallot jam.
Shortcut alert: You can make everything days ahead of time, and just assemble these sammies right before you get on the road. Boursin cheese is a fantastic shortcut; flavorful and creamy, it holds everything together beautifully. If you can’t find it, use softened goat cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 3½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
- 2 cups dry rosé wine
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups shallots, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
- 2 large bunches Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves cut into ½-inch-wide strips
- 2 (5.2 ounces) containers Boursin cheese
- 2 fresh-baked baguettes
Instructions
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Add 2 tablespoons garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds. Add wine, rosemary and broth to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool; slice chicken and set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and thyme; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until shallots are golden,
about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add sugar and cook, stirring, until bubbling and caramelized. Stir in vinegar; cook until thickened. Let cool.
Add remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add chard and stir to coat. Cook until tender, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.
To assemble sandwiches, cut baguettes in half lengthwise; spread cut sides of bread with desired amount of Boursin cheese. Layer bottom halves of baguettes with sliced chicken and greens as desired; dollop with desired amount of shallot jam. Top with remaining baguette halves. Cut crosswise into halves or quarters. If desired, wrap sandwiches with parchment paper, and secure with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place in Ziploc plastic bags, and keep cool until ready to serve.
