Chicken Mayo Sandwich (Lunch Box and Tea-Time)
چکن مایو سینڈوچ (لنچ باکس اور چائے کے لیے)
No Pakistani tea party, birthday or iftar spread is complete without a plate of chicken sandwiches: soft white bread, creamy chicken filling, crusts trimmed and cut into neat triangles. They're also one of the most loved school lunches. Poaching the chicken in a little seasoned water keeps it tender, and a spoon of yogurt makes the mayo filling lighter. The filling keeps for two days, so school mornings take two minutes.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 20 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Put the chicken in a with the water, half the salt, garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes until cooked through. Leave it to cool in the liquid for 10 minutes; this keeps it moist.
Lift out the chicken and shred it finely with two forks or your fingers. (Keep the stock for soup or rice.)
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, ground pepper and the rest of the salt. Add the chicken, cabbage, capsicum and corn and mix well. Taste and adjust.
Butter the bread lightly. Spread the filling thickly on 4 slices, top with the others, trim the crusts and cut into triangles or fingers.
Kitchen notes
Chop the vegetables very finely so the filling spreads evenly and children don't pick them out.
For lunch boxes, a thin layer of butter on the bread stops the filling soaking in. In hot weather, pack with an ice pack.
For a party, make them up to 3 hours ahead, stack on a tray and cover with a damp, clean tea towel so the bread stays soft.
The tea-party sandwich
In Pakistan, chicken sandwiches are a fixture of tea parties, birthdays, Quran khwanis and iftar tables, usually alongside chicken patties, samosas and cake. Bakeries sell them in neat triangles wrapped in cling film. Homemade ones are fresher and less greasy, and cost a fraction of the price.
Poach, don’t boil
Chicken breast turns dry and stringy when boiled hard. Simmering it gently in a covered pan with garlic and peppercorns, then letting it cool in the liquid, keeps it tender and gives it a light flavour. The leftover stock makes a good base for chicken corn soup or rice.
A lighter filling
Mixing a little thick yogurt into the mayonnaise makes the filling lighter and slightly tangy, without children noticing. Finely chopped cabbage and capsicum add crunch and a few vegetables. Sweet corn makes it more appealing to younger children.
In the lunch box
This is one of the most practical school lunches: the filling can be made on Sunday and kept for two days, and sandwiches take two minutes to assemble in the morning. See our school lunch box collection for more ideas, or try the egg sando and club sandwich.
Questions people ask
How long does the filling keep?
Up to 2 days in a closed box in the fridge. Assemble sandwiches on the day.
Can I use leftover chicken?
Yes. Leftover roast, tandoori or grilled chicken, shredded, gives an even tastier sandwich. Remove skin and bones first.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 26 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
