Smoked Chicken Caprese Sandwich

I love leftovers. 

I especially love leftovers that can easily be repurposed to make a new, exciting, and delicious meal.

A few days ago, I smoked several chicken breasts in my electric smoker. I did not use all of them that day, so I bagged the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator.

When lunch rolled around for my family the next day, I found everything I needed to make sandwiches.

I picked a small bunch of basil from my little herb garden on my back deck, thinly sliced one chicken breast, and sliced and buttered three pretzel rolls to toast in the oven. 

Fortunately I had bought the pretzel rolls the day before at the grocery store. I thought they looked fun, but wasn't quite sure about what to do with them until lunchtime inspiration hit.

While the rolls were toasting, I heated the chicken breast in a skillet on the stovetop.

Once the rolls were toasted, I layered several strips of the chicken on one half of the bun, and sprinkled some shredded mozzarella cheese on top. I broiled them until the cheese was melted and the top bun was perfectly toasty.

I love how good balsamic vinegar tastes with tomatoes, but I didn't have the time or patience to make a balsamic reduction. Instead, I found a small bowl and whisked together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a small dollop of mayonnaise, a squirt of honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper to make a creamy balsamic dressing. It was delicious, and exactly what I wanted. As a bonus, it was very quick and easy to whip together.

I layered some thinly sliced tomatoes and fresh basil on the chicken and cheese side, and added a small handful of baby spinach to the other with a drizzle of the creamy balsamic dressing. 

It made a beautiful sandwich...

...and it was delicious.

The chicken was nice and smokey, the fresh spinach and basil added a nice crunch, and the flavors all complemented each other well.

I will be making this again next time I have extra smoked chicken in my fridge. 

What is your favorite leftover sandwich to make?

-Bridget :)