Chicken Salad Sandwiches Get 10X The Flavor And Crunch When You Add This Tangy German Condiment

A chicken salad sandwich might feel like a same-old-same kind of nosh, but there is a way to bring it up a notch. All you have to do is add in this piquant condiment, and your meal will see an instant 10X upgrade. Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage-based German condiment that's both traditional and off the beaten pathway — at least when it comes to using it as a topper on chicken sandwiches. But thanks to its sharp tanginess, you'll find that it adds a real twist to the typical, making it quite a unique food experience. Adding it to your sandwich might even tempt you to use sauerkraut in other favorite dishes.

If your usual chicken salad blend leans more toward tasting too vegetal or creamy, sauerkraut will balance out the flavor with its acidic, snappy flavors, cutting it with additional salt. The vegetables in the mix will also add more crunchiness to the blend. If you eschew adding onions and celery to your chicken salad mixture, then sauerkraut will replace the crispness in the sandwich. It also adds a kick to the whole affair — one that can be tuned up with additional changes.

Want to add even more flavor to your sauerkraut-topped chicken salad sandwich? Why not slather on some mustard? Depending on the type you use, it will add a perfect level of tang — or an underlying sort of sweetness — to your sammie. And then there are dill pickles — always a great topper for any sandwich, but extra wonderful when adding a sour-sweet punch and chopped up in your chicken salad. When it comes to bread, switch things up and try a croissant or a hearty German rye bread with character, like pumpernickel. 

Try adding more vegetables in the form of arugula, olives, or radishes. Or, add kimchi or curry to your mayo mix instead. You could even replace the mayo altogether in your recipe with cottage cheese to lighten the blend. After all, it's perfectly possible to have chicken salad sandwiches without mayonnaise, just ask Frank Sinatra. There's also the option to grill your chicken instead of baking it for a smokier flavor. Additionally, you can even make your own sauerkraut and then adjust the level of acidity in the recipe up or down. No matter what you add or which direction you take your now sauerkraut-laden sandwich, it's bound to be packed with flavor.