Oh my, these are good sandwiches! Basically, Spiedies (pronounced speedies) are marinated and grilled chicken served in a sandwich roll with a drizzle of lemony-garlicky sauce. Now I know they don’t look like much but they are really delicious and a cinch to make! The chicken is flavorful but it’s the sauce that makes the sandwich. Toasting the inside of each sandwich roll on the grill adds flavor to the roll and a crunchy texture to the sandwich. Yumm!

Chicken Spiedies
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

These grilled sandwiches are upstate New York’s best-kept secret. To help the marinade flavors penetrate the chicken, we pricked the raw meat all over with a fork before marinating. We next cut the chicken into small cubes to expose more surface area to the marinade. Adding lemon zest to the marinade boosted flavor. A bit of mayonnaise whisked into the dressing gave it body and helped it cling to the chicken. You will need six 12-inch metal skewers here. To prevent sticking, preheat the grill, covered, for 15 minutes (5 minutes if using charcoal) and scrape and oil the cooking grates before grilling.

Serves 6.

1/2 cup olive oil  
2 garlic cloves , minced 
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil  
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  
2 teaspoons grated zest  plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon 
1 teaspoon salt  
1/2 teaspoon pepper  
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
3 tablespoons mayonnaise  
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar  
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts  (about 1 1/2 pounds) 
6 (6-inch) sub rolls , slit partially open lengthwise 

MAKE SAUCES: Combine oil, garlic, basil, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons oil mixture to separate bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice; refrigerate. (Sauces can be refrigerated, covered, for 2 days.)

PREP CHICKEN: Following photos 1 to 3, prick chicken breasts all over with fork, cut into 1¼-inch chunks, and transfer to bowl with remaining oil mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

GRILL CHICKEN: Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto six 12-inch metal skewers. Grill chicken over hot fire, covered and turning frequently, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to sub rolls or bread, remove skewers, and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture. Serve.

Tags: Chicken, Grilling/BBQ, sandwich, spiedies