Bacon Jam | The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich
Sweet, savory bacon jam takes this chicken club sandwich to another level. Finely chopped bacon, softened onions, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar cook into a rich spread, then get layered with seasoned chicken on a fresh bolillo roll. This is the sandwich Tiffany makes with her mom in the video below.
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Ingredients
For the bacon jam
1 pound bacon, diced into small pieces
About 3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat, reserved from cooking the bacon
1 large onion, finely chopped
About 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
A pinch of black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water, divided into two 1-tablespoon additions
About 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, as listed in the video's ingredient introduction
For the chicken sandwiches
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into thin cutlets; prepare enough for the number of sandwiches you want
Salt, finely ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, to taste
A little reserved bacon fat, enough to lightly coat the grill pan
Fresh bolillo rolls, split lengthwise, one per sandwich
Prepared bacon jam, enough to spread over each roll
Lettuce, optional
Easy shortcut: Use cooked rotisserie chicken breast in place of cooking the cutlets. The video does not specify a fixed chicken quantity or sandwich yield; assemble as many sandwiches as you need and refrigerate leftover jam.
Detailed Directions
Make the bacon jam
Prepare the ingredients. Dice the bacon fairly small so the finished jam spreads easily. Finely chop the onion. Measure the brown sugar, butter, water, garlic powder, and vinegar before you begin.
Render the bacon gently. Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring and separating the pieces, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is just turning crisp. Adjust the heat if it browns too quickly. Do not burn it or make it very hard and crunchy; it will cook again in the jam.
Remove the bacon and reserve the fat. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon into a heat-safe bowl. Turn off the heat and carefully pour the excess fat into a heat-safe container. If there are scorched bits in the skillet, let it cool enough to handle safely and wipe them away. Return about 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat to the pan.
Soften the onion slowly. Add the onion, about 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10–15 minutes or as needed. The goal is to soften and sweat the onion, not fry it dark brown. Lower the heat if the edges begin to scorch.
Add butter and bacon. Stir in the 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, return the cooked bacon and stir thoroughly to combine. Keep the heat low.
Melt the brown sugar. Add the 1/2 cup brown sugar and stir it through the bacon and onion. Cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to bubble and turn glossy.
Add water in two stages. Stir in 1 tablespoon water and let it simmer until the excess liquid reduces. Add the second tablespoon water and repeat. Spread the mixture into an even layer and stir as needed so the sugar does not catch on the bottom.
Finish with garlic and vinegar. Sprinkle in about 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, then stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the vinegar has reduced and the mixture is thick and cohesive. When pushed together with a spoon, the jam should gather and hold together instead of spreading into a watery puddle. Remove from the heat before the sugar scorches; let it cool slightly before spreading.
Cook the chicken
Make thin cutlets. Carefully slice each chicken breast horizontally into thinner pieces of even thickness. Pat dry. Season both sides with salt, fine black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Rub the seasonings evenly over the meat. No marinating is needed for Tiffany's method.
Heat the grill pan. Lightly coat a cast-iron grill pan or skillet with a little reserved bacon fat and preheat over medium-high heat until hot. Keep the fat from smoking heavily.
Cook in batches. Add the cutlets in a single layer with space between them. Let the first side brown, then turn and finish cooking. Thin cutlets cook quickly, so check early and avoid crowding the pan. Use an instant-read thermometer: the thickest part must reach 165°F. Transfer to a clean plate and rest briefly before assembling.
Build the sandwiches
Split the rolls. Open a fresh bolillo roll lengthwise. Spread a generous layer of warm bacon jam over the cut surface.
Add the chicken. Layer in a cooked chicken cutlet or cooked rotisserie chicken breast. Add more jam if you like.
Finish and serve. Add lettuce if desired, close the sandwich, and cut in half. Tiffany leaves lettuce off her warm sandwich; her mom adds it. Serve while the chicken is warm.
Tiffany's Tips
Low heat makes good jam. Burnt sugar or scorched onions will make it bitter. Stay close to the stove and stir often.
Use garlic powder for this version. Tiffany uses it to avoid the burnt-garlic flavor she encountered with fresh garlic.
Keep it simple. This version uses brown sugar and balsamic vinegar—no ketchup, barbecue sauce, or soy sauce.
Make it your way. Use fresh bolillo rolls and add lettuce if you enjoy it. Rotisserie chicken makes assembly faster.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate the bacon jam and cooked chicken promptly in separate airtight containers; use within 3–4 days. This bacon jam is a refrigerated meat condiment, not a shelf-stable preserve. Warm only the amount of jam you need over low heat, adding a small splash of water if necessary. Reheat leftover chicken to 165°F and assemble sandwiches just before serving.
