All of my favorite foods include carbohydrates with really good bread and pizza topping the list. Which must be why I love sandwiches so much as well! And all good sandwiches start with good bread. Even the best of sandwich fillings can be ruined by dry/dull/flavorless bread so always make the bread a priority in your sandwich building!

Today’s turkey sandwich is piled high on a chewy ciabatta roll, one half spread with a spicy chipotle mayo (the star of the show!) and the other half with mashed avocado. About that chipotle mayo (or aioli if you want to get fancy)… it’s so delicious. I promise it’s worth the effort. It adds a smoky garlicky heat to this sandwich and you’re going to want to spread it on everything. I went with Havarti cheese when I photographed this recipe but you can choose any mild cheese that melts well- I listed some suggestions below. The tomato and lettuce/spinach/arugula are optional add-ons. I chose tomato this time. I’m now realizing that adding bacon wouldn’t be a horrible idea… by all means throw some bacon on as well!

Turkey Avocado Sandwich with Chipotle Mayo

INGREDIENTS

Chipotle Mayo:
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. chipotle in adobo, minced
1 tsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

crusty white or wheat bread, sliced (I used ciabatta rolls)
roasted turkey, thinly sliced
cheese, thinly sliced (I used Havarti- Colby Jack, Provolone, Cheddar, and Gouda would also be delicious)
avocado, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
lettuce/baby spinach/arugula (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the chipotle mayo, in a small bowl whisk to combine all ingredients. Adjust salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (Or you can combine the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.)
2. To make the sandwich, spread chipotle mayo on a slice of bread. Top with roasted turkey, cheese, tomato (if using), and lettuce/spinach/arugula (if using). Layer the avocado on a second slice of bread (I like to mash it down a bit with a fork so it doesn’t slide off the sandwich when I bite into it), season the avocado with a bit of salt and pepper, and place on top of the sandwich, avocado side down.
3. If, like me, you prefer your sandwich served warm, grill the sandwich (or place open-faced under the broiler) until the cheese melts and the bread is golden and crisp, then slice and serve.

(Aioli adapted from Epicurious)