Whenever I check into a new hotel, the first thing I do is see if they have a club sandwich on the menu. It’s my go-to travel ritual. There’s something about a club sandwich that tells you everything you need to know about a place. A well-made one uses toasted white sandwich bread, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, seasoned tomato, juicy chicken, and just the right amount of mayo.
The club sandwich is a classic for a reason. It’s got the perfect balance of textures and flavours: crunchy, creamy, salty, fresh. And in case you don’t know, “club” stands for Chicken, Lettuce, Under Bacon – which, honestly, is a pretty solid formula. Making one at home means you can skip the overpriced room service and get it exactly how you like it.
What you need to know before you start
Good bread is everything. Stale white bread won’t cut it. You want thick-cut sandwich bread ideally, toasted until golden and sturdy enough to hold everything together.
Crispy bacon, always. Either fry it or bake it in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for the perfect crisp. Smoked or unsmoked is fine, go with whichever you fancy.
Chicken matters. Classic clubs use sliced roast chicken, but grilled chicken works well too. Just make sure it’s seasoned properly – you don’t want bland chicken getting lost in the layers. I like those char marks and so I use a griddle pan.
Mayo, but better. Regular mayo is fine but mixing it with a little Dijon mustard or a splash of hot sauce takes it to another level. I also throw in some chives for that oniony zing.
Stack it right. There’s a reason clubs are built the way they are. The bottom layer gets chicken and the fried egg, the top gets the lettuce, tomato and crispy bacon. The middle slice of toast is lathered in a touch of mayo and also keeps everything from getting soggy. Don’t mess with the architecture – it just works.
Fries or chips. Both work great. For this recipe though, I made some crinkle cut duck fat potato chips. Crispy, meaty and salty. Perfect with something like a club.
The key to a great club sandwich is just great ingredients and solid assembly. Now let’s get into the details…
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