Blackened Chicken Sliders with Bacon and Avocado-Basil Cream
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Blackened Seasoning Mix, see recipe
- 1 12-ounce package sweet dinner rolls (I use King's Hawaiian)
- 12 slices Monterey Jack cheese
- 12 slices bacon, sliced in half crosswise and cooked crisp
- Avocado-Basil Cream, see recipe
Instructions
Preheat broiler. Place chicken between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut each breast into four equal portions; set aside. Since the blackening process creates a lot of smoke, turn vent hood on high and open a kitchen window or two. Place a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until smoking hot. Pour butter into a wide, shallow dish. Place blackened seasoning in a separate dish. Working in batches of four, dip chicken in butter then dredge in seasoning. Carefully place in hot skillet and cook, uncovered, until bottom appears charred, 2-3 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until done, about 3 minutes more. To assemble, slice rolls in half (an electric knife works best on these soft rolls) and lay open on a large baking sheet. Place one piece of chicken on bottom half of roll. Top with 2 pieces of bacon and one slice of cheese. Broil until cheese melts, 1-2 minutes. Remove from broiler, garnish with a dollop of Avocado-Basil Cream, cover with tops of buns and serve. Makes 12 sliders