Olive-Brined Chicken Sandwich with Olive Tapenade

Don't you dare toss that brine! Olive juice — or brine — is ideal for giving your recipe tons of flavor with minimal effort. Recipe and photo by Liren Baker of Kitchen Confidante.

30 prep
30 cook
4 servings

Ingredients

2 5.6 oz jars Lindsay Organic Green Olives
2 pounds chicken tenders or chicken breast (pound to 1 inch thickness)
1 sprig oregano
2 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more for grilling
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Your favorite tender bread — naan or foccacia works especially well
8 oz feta cheese, sliced
Mayonnaise, for serving
Your favorite greens, such as spinach, microgreens, more fresh basil leaves

Cooking Directions

Drain the olives, reserving the olives for the tapenade, and placing the olive brine in a shallow glass bowl or resealable bag. Add the chicken to the olive brine along with a sprig of oregano and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
While the chicken brines, make the olive tapenade. In the bowl of a food processor, add the olives, basil, cilantro, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, anchovy paste and olive oil. Give it a few pulses until the olives are still chunky, or your desired consistency.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Drain the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly brush the chicken on both sides with olive oil, then lightly season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, rotating periodically, for about 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is about 165°F. Remove from the grill and let it rest.
Prepare the bread: if you are using naan as I have, or a sliced bread, you are all set, but if you are using a bread like focaccia, slice it in half. Slather two halves with a touch of mayonnaise. Top with greens, slices of feta spread a generous amount of tapenade. Arrange the grilled chicken and top with a little more tapenade, followed by the bread. If you wish, you can toast the sandwich in a panini press, but it is not necessary.