Simple Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe

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If there's an actual building housing a Sandwich Hall of Fame, we know two things for sure — First of all, we really, really want to go there! (Who wouldn't?) Secondly, one of the biggest exhibits must be devoted to the bánh mì, one of the all-time sandwich greats due to its unique blend of different flavors and cultural influences. The bánh mì comes from Vietnam, but it reflects the influence of French colonists in the use of a baguette and also the inclusion of pâté.

Recipe developer Susan Olayinka says she and her family love this bánh mì recipe, explaining that this sandwich "has a special sentimental place in our hearts as we went to Vietnam for a honeymoon and we had the best ones ever," she says. "So, I swore that I would continue making it!" Her version omits the pâté ("expensive, and not to everyone's taste," she says) and is made with chicken thighs.

In addition to the chicken thighs, this bánh mì is made with several fresh veggies and herbs: fresh garlic, a carrot, a little cucumber (you can use a mini one or just part of a large one), cilantro, and some fresh green chile peppers. You're also going to need some pantry staples: sesame oil, honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Finally, for the sandwich itself, you'll need a baguette, some mayonnaise, and some Maggi Seasoning, which is available online and in Asian groceries. If you can't find it, Olayinka says to use extra soy sauce: "It's the same, briny salt taste!" You'll also need some hot water and salt.

If you want to change up the chicken thighs, try pork or chicken breast. If you want to make a vegetarian bánh mì, Olayinka suggests "some grilled tofu cut into thin strips or some grilled tempeh cut into thin strips (or mushrooms, too)," although you'd need to swap the mayo for Vegenaise if you wanted to avoid eggs, too.

One of the most time-consuming parts of making this sandwich involves prepping the veggies, but there's nothing too difficult about it. Peel and mince the garlic, then peel the carrot with a ribbon peeler and slice it up into matchsticks. Peel the cucumber and slice into ribbons the amount that you're going to need, then pick the cilantro leaves off the stems. If you want to skip this last step, though, you can either chop the cilantro, stems and all, or else just use whole sprigs. Slice up the chile peppers, as well.

As a final veggie prep step, mix the sugar with the rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, and a cup of hot water. Stir until the solids have dissolved, then pour the mixture over the sliced carrots and let them sit for an hour to quick pickle.

Chop the chicken meat into bite-sized chunks and put it in a bowl. Mix the garlic with the sesame oil, honey, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce, and pour this marinade over the chicken. Stick that bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes or so. Once the chicken is all marinated, heat a frying pan over medium-high and saute the chicken until it is cooked through, something that should take about 5 minutes per side, or 10 minutes in all.

Let the chicken cool for a minute or so until it can be handled with ease. While you wait, drain the pickled carrots.

Slice the baguette in half, then scoop out some of the soft, bready center so you can make more room for the fillings. Spread half the mayonnaise on each side, then sprinkle the mayo with Maggi Seasoning. Arrange the chicken chunks over the bottom half of the bread, then top it with the carrots, cucumber slices, cilantro, and green chiles. Put the top on the sandwich, then slice it in half (on the diagonal, if you want to be fancy) to make two servings.

To make a meal out of this bánh mì, Olayinka says, "I would serve this with some sort of potato chips or salad or some fries."

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The bánh mì sandwich was invented by Vietnamese chefs across the early 20th century, but the baguette shell came from France. Vietnam remained under French colonial rule from the late 1800s until 1945, and the earliest versions of the sandwiches were born during that time. The words bánh mì translate literally to "bread" in Vietnamese, and the word refers to both the sandwich and the crusty loaf itself. Before the former definition took hold, bánh mì was originally eaten just as a carb-y snack by homesick French colonists. After Vietnam gained independence, chefs stuffed the bread with more traditionally Vietnamese ingredients: cilantro, jalapeños, and ginger, among others.

Beyond the international push-and-pull, bánh mì sandwiches from the north and south regions vary. The French penchant for simplicity shines in the northern sandwiches (where the dish originated), which feature sparer and less-plentiful ingredients; a traditional bánh mì ốp la, for instance, has only a fried egg, some cucumber, and cilantro. South Vietnam delivers heartier portions of more wide-ranging ingredients. Almost any and all meats are on the table, there's a lot more sauce, and fresh and pickled veggies pile high.

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