Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich

Scott Suchman for The Washington Post; food styling by Nicola Justine Davis for The Washington Post

This abundant sandwich takes all the delicious parts of the popular grilled chicken Caesar salad and turns them into a sandwich. Grilled or toasted ciabatta rolls play the role of the croutons. They are filled with quick-marinated, grilled chicken thighs and crisp generously dressed romaine lettuce. Make it easy on yourself and use store-bought dressing or make this one.

Active time: 30 mins; Total time: 45 mins

Storage Notes: Refrigerate the chicken and dressing, separately, for up to 3 days.

When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.

In an airtight container large enough to hold the chicken, whisk together the oil, mustard and garlic powder. Add the chicken and turn the pieces so they are well coated. Cover and marinate on the counter for about 10 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight.

Make the salad dressing: While the chicken marinades, in a medium bowl, whisk together the anchovies, garlic, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, honey and pepper until thoroughly combined. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream, continuing to whisk just until the dressing is emulsified. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as desired (see Make Ahead).

When ready to cook, prepare your gas or charcoal grill for direct-heat grilling or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken, with the marinade still clinging to it, onto the grill or grill pan. Cook without moving the chicken until it develops grill marks, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Brush the interior of the ciabatta rolls lightly with some of the dressing and place cut-side down on the grill pan or the hot grill until they are toasted with light grill marks. (You can grill both sides of the rolls if you like.)

When you're ready to build your sandwiches, in a large bowl, toss together the romaine with 1/2 cup of the dressing until well coated. Lay a piece of chicken on the bottom half of each roll, top with a generous portion of the dressed romaine and add the shaved cheese, if using. Cover with each roll top, and serve with cornichons on the side, if desired.

From recipes editor Ann Maloney.

Email questions to the Food Section.

Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.