Happy National Sandwich Month! As I mentioned previously, I’ll be sharing sandwich recipes throughout the remainder of the summer to help readers who want to build up their collection of simple meal options. This time around I’m sharing a recipe for an easy chicken torta sandwich. And, just like the sandwich recipe and side dish I shared last month, this one is so simple that your children could even help you make it.
I started making this sandwich after deciding that I didn’t want to have to drive to a popular Mexican restaurant near me every time I craved their delicious chicken tortas. Mine isn’t an exact match of theirs–they use a softer, oval bun–but it does a great job of mimicking the flavors of that sandwich. And, when I pair my torta with a simple side dish, it easily becomes one of my favorite meals to make either for lunch or for a light dinner.
If you think you might like to make the chicken torta, as well as the rice and corn side dish that I served with it recently, keep reading. I’ve also included a pin below so you can share this meal to your Pinterest board if you’d like to do that. (Since you can’t see the pin in the emailed version of this recipe, please visit my site to see it.)
What You’ll Need To Make My Easy Chicken Torta and Rice Meal (Six servings)
*1 1/2 Cups of Ranch Salad Dressing
*1/2 Cup of Mild Salsa
*3/4 Cup of Shredded Cheese (I used a Three-Cheese Blend containing mozzarella, Monterey Jack and cheddar.)
*4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided
*3 Filleted Chicken Breasts
*6 Ciabatta Buns, sliced
*1 Can of Refried Beans
*3 Cups of Frozen White Rice
*3 Cups of Frozen Yellow Corn
*1 or 2 Avocados, sliced
*1 1/2 Teaspoons of Cumin, divided
*Salt and Pepper to taste
How to Make My Easy Chicken Torta and Rice Meal
1. Mix together the ranch dressing, salsa and cheese in a small bowl to create the condiment for the torta and set it aside. This is a simple step that your child could help you with.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a pan and then add the chicken breasts. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the cumin over the breasts. Flip the breasts over after they’ve cooked for about 10 minutes, cover them, and continue cooking them until the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink. (I cooked mine for about 12 more minutes to make sure they were cooked through.)
3. While the chicken breasts are cooking, put the beans in a microwaveable dish and heat them according to the can’s directions.
4. When the chicken breasts are done, remove them from the pan, cut them in half, and set them aside. Turn the pan to medium high heat. Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Then, add the corn and rice to the pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cumin over the ingredients. Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cover the pan and allow the dish to cook until the corn and rice are cooked through. (This could take about 15 minutes.)
5. When the side dish is finished, cut the buns in half horizontally and toast them in your oven’s broiler (or a toaster oven) until they are lightly toasted. (I toasted our buns for approximately 2 minutes.)
6. When the buns are ready, the sandwiches are ready to assemble. Begin by placing one piece of chicken on each bun bottom and then layering 1 to 2 tablespoons of the salsa-ranch dressing mixture, a few tablespoons of refried beans, and an avocado slice on top of the chicken. Then, cover the toppings on each sandwich with the bun tops. An older child could help you with this step if you want to include them in it. Once the tortas are assembled, the sandwiches should be placed on individual serving plates along with approximately half a cup of the rice and corn side dish. Your meal is now ready to be enjoyed!
