Alright, so the other day I decided to try making a Venezuela sandwich. I saw a pic online and was like, “Yo, I gotta try that!”
First thing I did was hit up the grocery store. Needed some telera rolls – those soft, kinda flat ones are key. Grabbed some shredded chicken, avocado, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, lime, and some mayo. Oh, and I almost forgot, some shredded cheese! I was thinking a mild cheddar would be perfect.
Got back home and started shredding the chicken. I just used a rotisserie chicken to make it easier. Then I diced up the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic super fine. Threw all that into a bowl with the shredded chicken. Squeezed a whole lime in there, added a big dollop of mayo, and mixed it all up good. Taste-tested it, and added a pinch of salt and pepper.
Next up was the avocado. I just mashed it up with a fork in a separate bowl. Didn’t add anything to it, just straight-up mashed avocado. Simple is best sometimes, ya know?
I split open the telera rolls and started layering. First, I spread a generous layer of the mashed avocado on the bottom half. Then I piled on the chicken mixture, like a mountain. After that, I sprinkled the shredded cheese on top, making sure it was all covered. Finally, I put the top half of the roll on and gave it a little squish.
I didn’t have a panini press, so I just used a skillet on the stovetop. Put a little butter in the skillet, and then put the sandwich in. I used another skillet to press down on top, just to get it nice and flat. Cooked it for a few minutes on each side, until the bread was golden brown and the cheese was melted and gooey.
Took it out of the skillet and let it cool for a minute. Then I sliced it in half and dug in. Man, it was SO good! The creamy avocado, the flavorful chicken, the melted cheese… everything just worked perfectly together. Definitely gonna be making this one again!
Lessons Learned:
- Don’t skimp on the avocado. Seriously, it makes the sandwich.
- The lime juice is crucial in the chicken mixture. It adds a nice zing.
- If you don’t have a panini press, two skillets work just fine.
That’s pretty much it. Give it a try sometime. You won’t regret it.
