Blackberry & Tequila Glazed Chicken Sandwiches

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F. You could also do this on a grill over medium heat.

2. Pound out your chicken breasts so that they have a larger surface area and are uniform in thickness. I like to put the chicken breasts in a plastic bag and hit them repeatedly with a heavy skillet. (You can also use plastic wrap or wax paper and a mallet, but I like to think of pounding out chicken with a skillet as “anger management.” Hah!) Pound out the chicken until it is about 1/2″ thick.

3. Slice each chicken breast in half so you have four roughly equal-sized pieces.

4. In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add blackberries, salt and pepper and cook until berries have begun to break down, about a minute.

5. Add blackberry jam to the skillet and stir until the jam has heated up and formed a thick, syrup-y liquid.

6. Add tequila to the skillet to deglaze it and stir to combine. Stir in the lemon juice and bring sauce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, until sauce has begun to reduce.

7. Add chicken breast pieces into the pan. Press each piece down into the sauce and spoon some sauce over the top of the chicken as well. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then flip chicken to cook the other side.

8. Spoon a good amount of the glaze over each piece of chicken, then remove skillet from the stove top heat and place it in the 375 F oven to finish cooking the chicken.

9. Cook chicken in the oven for an additional 8-12 minutes, until it’s cooked through. Remove skillet from the oven (make sure you use an oven mit!) and set aside.

10. Scrape any blackberry seeds off of the surface of the chicken and discard the seeds. Then place a slice or two of the cheese on top of each piece of chicken while it’s still hot. This will help the cheese melt and get all gooey and yummy.

11. Let the chicken cool for a few moments while you assemble the sandwiches. Split the rolls sandwich style. Spread the bottom half of each pretzel roll with 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise. Top with a piece of cheese-covered chicken, followed by a few tomato and lettuce slices. Add the top of the bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!