MA Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Pea Shoots

What You’ll Use

Pea shoots 

Lemon 

Baguette

Pesto chicken salad 

Place the pea shoots in a large bowl, squeeze with lemon, season with a pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Cut the remaining baguette into three lengths, split each in half, and toast until golden. To build the sandwiches, place the toasted baguette on plates, pile with the pesto chicken salad, and top with the dressed pea shoots. Grind with pepper and serve.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Step 1 

Break down the chicken: Remove and discard the skin. Separate the thighs, and shred or chop into bite-size pieces for the soup. Separate the breasts, and shred or chop for the salad. Separate the drumsticks and wings, pick over the bones, and shred all remaining meat for the sandwiches. 

Step 2 

To prep the soup, chop 2 cloves of garlic. In a pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mirepoix, season with salt, and sauté until softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, mushrooms, and a bay leaf, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mushrooms are silky, 10 minutes. Add the wild rice and the chicken thighs and simmer until the flavors have combined, 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. 

Step 3 

To prep the salad, transfer the chicken breast to an airtight container and refrigerate. To make the croutons, tear or dice one of the baguettes into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, toss the baguette with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Warm a frying pan over medium heat. Add the baguette and toast until golden, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and store in a cool place. 

Step 4

To prep the sandwiches, make the pesto chicken salad. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Thinly slice the cucumber. In a large bowl, combine the remaining chicken scraps, chickpeas, cucumber, and feta. Add the pesto, the juice of ½ lemon, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.