Classic roast chicken & crispy bacon club sandwich

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

3 slices Irwin’s Artisan Sourdough 50g roast chicken fillet slices 2 fresh plum tomatoes

6 crispy back bacon medallions Gem lettuce or cos lettuce

10g real mayonnaise

Pinch cayenne pepper

Twist rock salt & cracked black pepper

METHOD

Take three slices of the sourdough and toast until golden brown.

Season the skin on the breast/supreme of chicken with the rock salt and a twist of cracked black pepper.

Seal the chicken fillet in a lightly oiled hot thick-bottomed pan until it colours slightly.

Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cook in a moderate oven at 180°C for 12 minutes until the juices run clear and the centre reaches a temperature of 85°C. (It is recommended to test core temperature of the roast chicken breast with a thermometer.)

Remove from the oven and cool, then chill to 3°C for slicing.

Grill off the back bacon medallions on a lightly oiled grill sheet until crispy.

Wash the gem lettuce thoroughly in cold running water and pat dry.

Remove the core from the plum tomatoes with a small paring knife.

Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mayonnaise and stir until completely mixed.

To assemble, lay the first toasted slice of sourdough on a clean chopping board.

Add a thin layer of the cayenne-flavoured mayonnaise. Build up the layers with chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Season each layer with salt and pepper, lightly, to give a full-flavoured sandwich.

Top with second toasted slice of Irwin’s Artisan Sourdough.

Repeat the stacking process for the third layer. Top with final toasted third slice of sourdough. Secure the sandwich with large bamboo skewers and slice in half or in quarters.

Recipe supplied by Irwin’s Bakery. To celebrate the launch of its new Artisan range, the Portadown-based bakery has created a selection of delicious recipes to introduce Irwin’s Sourdough and Irwin’s Seeds & Grains. Produced using traditional methods on the ‘sole of the oven’, the hand-moulded, slow-cooked bread is perfect for a weekend brunch, satisfying side for a soup, or as the star ingredient of a sandwich. The Irwin’s Bakery Artisan range, which includes Irwin’s Sourdough (600g/£1.25-£1.50) and Irwin’s Seeds & Grains (600g/£1.25-£1.50), is available across NI in Tesco, Dunnes, Food Force Ireland, Mace, Nisa Spar and SuperValu