Touch of Greece livens up a chicken sandwich

Sometimes you feel like something quick and easy when it comes to whipping up lunch or dinner. Sandwiches certainly fit the bill, though you don’t have to miss out on the flavour or culinary experimentation.

The fresh taste of lemon elevates this Greek-Style Chicken Sandwich to a whole new level. The taste sensation continues with crisp red pepper and fresh cilantro, elevating this well beyond ho-hum. You can add more colour and crunch by tucking in chopped cucumbers and tomatoes.

Moving beyond bread, this sandwich can be served on pita pockets or tortillas. In fact, there are numerous ways you can change things up to make it your own. Have fun.

Greek-style Chicken Sandwich

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast meat

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or basil

1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. 0% fat plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise

1/2 cup light crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

12 thin slices dense pumpernickel rye bread or whole grain bread

6 leaves lettuce

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion, red pepper and cilantro.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon rind, juice, yogurt and mayonnaise. Stir in feta, if using and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture and stir to combine. Divide among 6 of the bread slices and top with lettuce and remaining bread. Cut in half to serve.

3. To quickly cook chicken, bring 2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth and 1 cup of water to simmer. Add three skinless chicken breasts (bone in) and poach for about 15 minutes. Use a digital food thermometer to check that chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Let cool until easy to handle and using fingers remove meat from bones. Tear meat into shreds or chop finely for the recipe. You can also use leftover roast chicken or turkey for this sandwich.