If you are looking for easy picnic food ideas that will make an impression, look no further than a crusty French baguette. This chicken baguette picnic sandwich with sweet figs and salty cheese is all-class.
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What Makes This a Great Picnic Sandwich
Of all the chicken sandwich recipes, this simple yet stylish picnic sandwich makes it into the sandwich category that stands the test of time (as I talk about in my tips for picnic perfection).
Like all my baguette sandwich recipes, this sandwich will hold its own in the soggy sandwich stakes, arriving looking fresh and elegant every time.
Pair with a chilled bottle of Prosecco for a romantic picnic, or even slice into smaller portions secured with a bamboo sandwich pick for a high tea picnic.
You Might Also Like: A romantic sandwich deserves a romantic picnic basket. See my pick of the most beautiful picnic baskets for 2 for your next picnic.
Ingredients
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Sandwich Substitutions & Variations
- Figs: As with my Fig & Prosciutto Baguette, if you don’t have fresh figs, use a quality fig chutney or fig spread instead.
- Chicken: This recipe calls for sliced chicken breast. Of course, you can use roast chicken meat. In this recipe, I used smoked chicken breast, which is easy to make, and the smoky flavor goes beautifully with the sweetness of the figs.
- Cheese: I use Manchego cheese for this recipe, but you can other cheese varieties. I recommend sticking with a slightly salty cured cheese similar to a manchego to compliment the figs and chicken, such as a mild, cured goat cheese.
How to Smoke the Chicken Breast
I use a small smoking box with wood chips in our gas grill to cook the chicken at low heat. A medium-sized breast will take under an hour to cook, smoking at a very low temperature. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C). Be sure to follow safe cooking guidelines for chicken to avoid contamination or bacteria from undercooked meat.
You can also achieve similar results by placing wood chips in a foil packet with a hole in the top and closing the lid of your grill while cooking the chicken.
How to Make
- Cut the baguette longways.
- Place the baby spinach leaves along the bottom half, then layer with the slices of chicken, figs, and cheese, alternating them down the length of the sandwich. If using a fig spread, lather this along the underside of the top half of the baguette.
- Close the sandwich and wrap it.
- If making one large baguette, wrap it in paper in sections tied with a string and cut into portions. If making two small baguettes, wrap them tightly in paper and tie them with a string or eco-reusable sandwich wrap.
Handy Baguette Accessories
Recipe FAQs
Wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper or cling film and store it in the refrigerator. As per my tips for avoiding soggy sandwiches, baguettes will hold up quite well if made in advance, but it’s still best not to make them too far in advance to maintain freshness and texture.
Tips
Best side dishes to accompany this sandwich: A fresh salad or crunchy coleslaw, light potato chips, or a fruit salad would complement the flavors of the sandwich well. For a heartier meal, consider a light chicken soup.
Drink pairing for this sandwich: For this sandwich, I always turn to a light, crisp white wine or a Prosecco. A fruity rosé also pairs well with the flavors of the sandwich. For a non-alcoholic option, consider iced tea or homemade lemonade.
Related Recipes
Did you try this Fig and Chicken Baguette?
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Fig and Chicken Baguette Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 crusty baguette - 2 small or 1 large
- 1 Sliced cooked chicken breast - see notes about alternatives
- 3-4 large fresh figs sliced – not too thin - see notes for alternatives
- ½ cup Baby spinach leaves
- 6-8 slices Manchego cheese or cured goats cheese - Cabra Curado
- Butter optional
Instructions
- Cut the baguette longways
- Place the baby spinach leaves along the bottom half then layer with the slices of chicken, figs and cheese alternating them down the length of the sandwich. If using a fig spread, lather this along the underside of the top half of the baguette.
- Close the sandwich and wrap
- If making one large baguette, wrap it in paper in sections tied with a string and cut into portions. If making two small baguettes, wrap them tightly in paper and tie them with a string or eco-reusable sandwich wrap.
Notes
Sandwich Variations
- Figs: If you don’t have fresh figs, use a quality fig chutney or fig spread instead.
- Chicken: This recipe calls for sliced chicken breast. Of course, you can use roast chicken meat. In this recipe, I used smoked chicken breast, which is easy to make, and the smoky flavor goes beautifully with the sweetness of the figs.
- Cheese: I use Manchego cheese for this recipe, but you can use other cheese varieties. I recommend sticking with a slightly salty cured cheese similar to a manchego to compliment the figs and chicken, such as a mild, cured goat cheese.
- Making the sandwich ahead of time: Wrap it tightly in parchment paper or cling film and store it in the refrigerator. As per my tips for avoiding soggy sandwiches, baguettes will hold up quite well if made in advance, but it’s still best not to make them too far in advance to maintain freshness and texture.
- Best side dishes to accompany this sandwich: A fresh salad or crunchy coleslaw, light potato chips, or a fruit salad would complement the flavors of the sandwich well. For a heartier meal, consider a light chicken soup.
- Drink pairing for this sandwich: For this sandwich, I always turn to a light, crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a Prosecco. A fruity rosé also pairs well with the flavors of the sandwich. For a non-alcoholic option, consider iced tea or homemade lemonade.
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