Sarah Brown’s Sesame-Crusted Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches

Sarah admits that she is not the authority when it comes to cooking for a dinner party, but she has proclaimed herself the “Queen of the appetizer”. After purchasing Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook, she found her calling- Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches. Now these little morsels draw a crowd anytime she decides to host a picnic!

Yields: Enough Tea Sandwiches to feed a small army

Ingredients:

1 chicken (I use white meat exclusively. I also use a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods for ease, but you can certainly make your own at home)

1/2 cup  + 2 T homemade (or store-bought) mayonnaise

1 T dark sesame oil

2 T finely chopped fresh cilantro (I triple this. I cannot get enough of cilantro. I love the freshness, and it never overpowers)

2 T snipped fresh chives

3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts (I tend to use the green parts more. I use more than three…whatever looks right for the amount of chicken you’re using)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Very thin slices of white bread, crusted removed (I use Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White–avail in grocery stores; this really doesn’t work with thick bread)

A stick or so unsalted butter, left out at room temp so it is spreadable

1/4 C (I use much more–I cover a plate) toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Get your chicken ready: remove the skin, and shredding white meat into small pieces.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and sesame oil. Add this to the chicken and combine well.

Add the cilantro, chives, scallions; combine well.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove crusts from bread (I do this in stacks). Cut diagonally so you’re left with a nice big pile of triangles.

Spread a thin layer of butter on one side; scoop chicken mixture on top, and add another piece of bread to finish the sandwich.

Spread butter lightly along the longer edge of your triangle, and then place in sesame seeds to cover.

Arrange in rows on a pretty plate, and your friends will be very impressed. So easy!