These tiny sandwiches completely rescued me from starvation yesterday.
Sometimes you just lose your appetite. It’s rare for me — I usually eat everything in sight — but there are moments when food becomes unappealing, especially after something upsetting like a breakup or a death in the family. It’s frustrating and baffling, and it always seems so unfair.
My most vivid bout of appetite loss happened when I was 18 after a breakup. For nearly two weeks I lived on two things: Cheez-Its and peanut butter spoons studded with chocolate chips. I only wanted tiny bites of those. Nothing else appealed. It’s bizarre that I remember it so clearly, but I do — and I also remember fitting into a very inappropriate tube top during that odd phase.
Should I move on from reminiscing about food from a decade ago? Probably. Am I going to? No.
Right now I’m going through another spell of little appetite because of an awful ear and sinus infection that’s left me unable to hear, taste, or smell properly. Eating is no fun when everything is muted. I bought a box of Cheez-Its hoping for comfort; they didn’t do the trick. Ice-cream-covered spoons felt soothing on my throat, and I’ve stolen a few pieces of chocolate because old habits die hard. I even had a few spoonfuls of boxed mac and cheese that tasted like nothing at all.
When I went to make this chicken salad, I was sulky and doubtful — convinced I wouldn’t be able to tell if it tasted good. Then I pulled a pan of little slider melts from the oven and something clicked. I could sort of smell the warm cheddar and caught the toasty scent of the bread. The melted cheese blanketed the chicken, corn, and black beans perfectly, and the bread had that ideal golden edge. I immediately dug in and actually ate more than I expected. For someone who couldn’t taste much, the combination felt satisfying. If you prefer, you can enjoy this chicken salad like a regular sandwich, but I strongly recommend turning them into melts — the cheese makes a huge difference.
Southwest Chicken Salad Slider Melts
makes about 12 slider sandwiches
1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shredded
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/3 cup black beans
1/3 cup sweet corn
3/4 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3–4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
12 slider buns, dinner rolls, or bread slices
Heat a skillet over medium and add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and peppers with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, stirring to combine. Cook for 5–6 minutes, until the vegetables soften, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, black beans, and corn.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, remaining salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and cilantro. Add the yogurt mixture to the chicken mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. You can serve this chicken salad as-is, or make slider melts: toast the buns or bread, scoop a few spoonfuls of chicken salad onto the bottom half, top with a slice of cheddar, then place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes until the cheese melts and the filling is warmed. Finish with the top bun and enjoy.
P.S. Bacon is an excellent addition if you want to make these even more indulgent.