I first saw pulled chicken sandwiches in a spiral bound cookbook that we received at school. Its pages were printed on a home computer. The “book” is long since lost, but I can remember a few things about it:
It has fun cartoon drawings, including a very friendly chicken in a chef’s hat that was on this chicken sandwiches’ page.The recipes were old fashioned—the kind of thing you’d find in a cookbook written in Ohio in the 1950s.99% of the recipes involved a “cream of” soup (I distinctly remember this because the idea of cream of mushroom soup freaked me out).The themes “creamy,” “cheesy,” and “chicken” carried throughout.
Of the 50+ recipes in the book, the pulled chicken sandwiches are the one I remember loving most. What kid wouldn’t? They feature my (then) meat of choice (chicken), in a creamy sauce, with cheese, on bread. SCORE. In the spirit of creating wholesome spins on classic comfort food, I gave these nostalgic sandwiches a revisit. What we have now is simple, hits-the-spot comfort food at its finest!
How to Make Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
The recipe’s original ingredients were shredded chicken, cream of chicken or mushroom soup, and (I kid you not) Stovetop stuffing mix and Ritz crackers or potato chips. You mix everything together, heat it up, and your filling is ready to serve. Friends, we can do better than a can of this and a box of that. Today’s from-scratch recipe has nods to the original shredded chicken sandwich I loved but is made with simple ingredients you can pronounce.
The Ingredients
Chicken. A lean source of protein, picky-eater approved, and easy to pile high onto a bun. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Thighs will be more moist, but white meat usually goes over better with the kiddos.
Milk + Butter + Flour + Chicken Broth + Poultry Seasoning. Who needs canned soup? With these simple ingredients, you can make your own creamy base on the stove.Greek Yogurt. A healthy, low-calorie way to make the chicken filling even creamier.
CHEESE! Swiss cheese is classic for pulled chicken sandwiches. I also love shredded sharp white cheddar. I found a small handful does the trick but you can make these sandwiches as cheesy as you please.
Whole Grain Bread. Instead of Stovetop shredded chicken sandwiches, which use boxed stuffing cubes to thicken the filling, I made my own by tearing up a few pieces of whole wheat toast. It’s easy, better tasting, and better for you.Buns. The classic way to serve a shredded chicken sandwich is on soft hamburger buns.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate leftover filling for up to 4 days. Assemble the sandwiches just before serving.To Reheat. Rewarm the filling over the stove or gently in the microwave with a splash of water, broth, or milk as needed to thin it back out.To Freeze. Leftover filling can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Sauce Pan. Stainless steel saucepans in this 10-piece set have two layers of steel for maximum durability and heat distribution.Mixing Bowls. These stackable glass mixing bowls have 10 different sizes for optimal use and are dishwasher-safe.Magnetic Measuring Spoons. Their magnetic feature keeps your drawers more organized.
Whether you make these cheesy shredded chicken sandwiches for the kids in your home or kids at heart, they promise to please!
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