A Taste of Summer Year-Round

These citrusy sandwiches will bring sunshine to your kitchen, despite the dreary winter

Are you sick of the winter blahs? If you’re anything like me, the constant cold and darkness leads me to cook simple, unimaginative dinners, so I can curl up on the couch with a good book sooner rather than later. However, I’ve recently come across a new recipe that reminds me of summer—a time when there was (more) sunshine in my life. This pineapple grilled chicken sandwich takes only minutes to make, and it brings variation to an otherwise dull dinner. To make one sandwich, here’s what you need:

• 1 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast (I used Jane’s frozen, pre-cooked carved chicken strips)
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 slice of pineapple
• 1 whole wheat hamburger bun, toasted
• 1 tbsp light mayonnaise

If you’re using chicken breast, make sure it’s thawed and seasoned with salt and pepper to your liking. Prepare a frying pan on a grill with some cooking spray and proceed to grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until it’s done (meaning no pink juices leaking from the chicken), brushing occasionally with lime juice. If you’re using Jane’s pre-cooked chicken, it will take much less time to cook, but the idea is the same. Meanwhile, grill the pineapple slice for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until brown.

Finally, spread mayonnaise on one side of the toasted hamburger bun. Top each sandwich with 1 chicken breast (or 1 serving of chicken strips), 1 pineapple ring, and 1 bun top. The final result is a delicious citrusy sandwich that cures the winter blues in only minutes.

If you’re looking to spice up your sandwich even more, I would recommend cooking the chicken in barbecue sauce for a delicious salty-sweet combination, or even your favourite salad dressing, such as Caesar or Raspberry Vinaigrette. The possibilities are endless!