The Type Of Bread Ina Garten Uses In Her Viral Chicken Caesar Sandwich

Salads and sandwiches are traditional lunchtime options that are both quite tasty in their own right. Yet sometimes, it can be difficult to choose a bowl of veggies over a pile of deli meat and cheese in between two slices of fluffy bread. Even a half-salad, half-sandwich combo isn't always appealing. Sometimes, you just want bread and a lot of it.

Cue Ina Garten's chicken Caesar club sandwich. The genius amalgamation of mid-afternoon faves is one of the latest Barefoot Contessa recipes to go viral. It's not hard to see why. Not only does the Food Network star kick up the beloved Caesar salad with big chunks of shaved parmesan, sundried tomatoes, and a bed of peppery arugula in place of romaine, but this mouthwatering sando also features juicy chicken breast and crispy pancetta. That all comes between two thick slices of warm, toasted bread, and not just any bread, either.

For her internet-famous chicken Caesar club sandwich, Garten pulls inspiration from the croutons that often garnish the girl dinner favorite and opts for a loaf of ciabatta bread. Its soft interior allows it to soak up all the flavors of the various ingredients. However, thanks to a hard exterior, the sandwich won't fall apart in your hands mid-bite. Additionally, ciabatta also has a slightly tangy flavor that complements the lemony taste of Caesar dressing. How great is that?

Ina Garten's choice of ciabatta bread for her chicken Caesar club sandwich was spot-on. If you want to dazzle your lunchmates, you can try your hand at making a loaf of homemade ciabatta. However, what is arguably even more important to the viral sando than the bread it comes on is the Caesar dressing that gives this dish its namesake and brings all of the ingredients together. The sauce is different from the one she makes in her classic Caesar salad recipe. In the words of the Barefoot Contessa herself, though, it's the "best part" of the viral sando.

Naturally, the "garlicky Caesar dressing" calls for garlic, as well as parsley, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and the most critical ingredient, anchovy paste. Garten says that paste gives the dressing a "really great flavor." Everything goes into the food processor, eliminating the need for dirtying up any extra dishes, and mixes until smooth. Then, when you're ready to assemble the sandwich, spread a thick layer on each half of your lightly toasted ciabatta bread that, according to Garten, will "absorb all of this great sauce."

After your sandwich is ready, you can slice it up and serve it to yourself and whomever else you may be sharing a meal with. Be warned that if you're having a working lunch, though, you may need a nap after eating.