Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Pecan Muhammara

Thank you to the American Pecan Council for sponsoring this post.

At the age of nine, my best friend Deirdre moved to Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod. I was jealous, in part because the Cape was a spectacular place to live. She also convinced me (as nine year olds do) that the town had a toll booth at its entrance where you’re handed the sandwich of your choice every time you pass through. “And it’s FREE,” she said. I was transfixed at the thought and wondered aloud what kind to choose. If I knew back then about these Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Pecan Muhammara, the decision would have been an easy one.

What is Muhammara?

What makes these sandwiches so special is really the muhammara. If this is a new-to-you dish, let me fill you in. Muhammara is a red pepper spread with Middle Eastern roots that’s delicious as a dip for pita chips or vegetables and an excellent way to liven up a sandwich. The core ingredients are red peppers, olive oil, bread crumbs, nuts, and chiles (traditionally, Syrian Aleppo pepper). If you’ve ever had romesco sauce, this is very much along those same lines.

America’s Native Nut

The muhammara here takes a non-traditional turn by using pecans instead of the more standard walnuts. Pecans are naturally sweet, which makes a nice balance to the heat of the chiles. Plus, I’m sort of smitten by the idea that pecans are the only major tree nut indigenous to the U.S. They’re also mighty good for you, which is why I scaled up the amount of pecans and trimmed back on bread crumbs. The result is a more nutritious muhammara that delivers fiber, protein, and “good” monounsaturated fats*. 

Easy to Make Muhammara

If this sounds too exotic for you (or too fussy), don’t worry. The entire batch of muhammara is done in one fell swoop in the food processor using ordinary ingredients. It relies on jarred roasted peppers and garden variety red chile flakes in lieu of Aleppo pepper. And while the recipe does call for pomegranate molasses, you can swap it out for balsamic vinegar and honey, which we all know you can pick up at any supermarket. 

Rotisserie Chicken: An Easy Sandwich Fix

The other shortcut that makes these sandwiches ideal for weeknight eating is that the recipe calls for store-bought rotisserie chicken. If you want to cook your own chicken, go for it (a couple of grilled or broiled chicken breasts will do the trick). But picking up a rotisserie one makes quick work of meal time. My recommendation is that you pull all the meat from the bones as soon as you get home from the market, since it’s easiest to do while the chicken is still warm. 

Once you’ve got your sandwiches assembled, pair them with a simple, healthy side. I like to put together a plate of fresh, crunchy vegetables, such as cucumbers, radishes, fennel, and carrots, all of which are excellent dipped into the leftover muhammara.

Be sure to check out these other easy and delicious sandwich recipes.

Summer Apricot Grilled Cheese

Lighter New England-Style Shrimp Rolls

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Classic Chicken Salad with Pecans

*One serving (28g) of pecans contains 18g unsaturated fat and only 2g of saturated fat.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Rotisserie Chicken Sandwiches with Spicy Pecan Muhammara

An exotic-sounding, though easy-to-make sandwich supper that features a traditional Middle Eastern spread called muhammara. Pecans add natural sweetness that makes a nice balance to the heat of the chiles. If you have vegetarians at home, substitute grilled vegetables for the chicken. After the sandwiches are assembled you will have leftover muhammara, which is excellent with pita chips and vegetables for dipping.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 sandwiches (plus leftover muhammara)

Calories 445 kcal

Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

• One 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers (7 ounces of peppers), drained
• 2/3 cup pecan halves
• ¼ cup panko or other unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tsp honey
• 8 slices crusty bread, such as whole-grain levain
• 8 ounces shredded rotisserie chicken (3 cups or so)
• Generous handful arugula

Instructions

1. Put the red peppers, pecans, panko, garlic, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes, cumin, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped, nearly to a puree, scraping down the sides as needed.
2. Lightly toast the bread. Spread a few tablespoons of the muhammara on each of the 4 slices of bread. Divide the chicken over the muhammara and top with a pile of arugula. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and cover with remaining bread.

Image credit: Alanna Taylor-Tobin / The Bojon Gourmet