Oh, Sandwich, How Could I Ever Stay Mad At You?

One thing I really missed about not being able to eat bread was the almighty sandwich. Picking up a sandwich piled high with your favorite toppings (especially in the summer when farmer’s markets are overflowing with the season’s best fruits and vegetables) is one of my favorite lunches.

I had some red peppers, avocado, onions and a package of Katz Gluten Free Challah Rolls, these amazing rolls are so soft and lovely. The wheels started spinning… about 10 years ago, I owned a Minuteman Press franchise; you know a little mom and pop printing shop. One of my customers was a sandwich shop called Pacifico-to-Go, they had the most amazing sandwich with similar ingredients. I couldn’t remember the sauce they used on the sandwich, I am guessing an aioli of some kind, so I decided to play a little and make an allergen free alternative, hope you enjoy the results….

One of the things I try to share with my allergenistas is the desire to explore and experiment with food. It is so much fun to discover new flavor combinations and techniques. I’ll bet sprouts or a slaw would be lovely on this sandwich to add a little crunch, maybe turkey lunch meat instead of chicken or maple syrup instead of agave, I’d love to hear your modifications for making this your favorite lunchtime meal…

Chicken Sandwich ala Pacifico



1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup onion, diced
2 chicken breasts, cut in ½ and pounded to same thickness
Kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup agave nectar
1 cup chicken stock
1 red pepper, roasted, skinned and deseeded
½ avocado cut into strips


Preheat medium saute pan on medium for one minute.
Add olive oil and heat another minute.
While pan is heating, season chicken breast with Kosher salt and ground black pepper on both sides.
Add onion to pan and cook until onions are translucent in color.
Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes on first side. You want the chicken to be cooked 2/3rds thru on the bottom side before flipping, this helps retain the moisture.
Flip chicken and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.
Add white wine vinegar and reduce for 1 minute.
Add agave nectar and chicken stock, reduce until the sauce holds it shape when you run your finger thru it on a spoon. This is called nappe.
Place chicken breast on bun, top with roasted red pepper and avocado and drizzle sauce over sandwich.