Six speedy sandwich fillings (make-ahead platter)
Six versatile sandwich fillings — hot and cold — that lift any sarnie, from coronation-style chicken to roasted aubergine and garlicky mushrooms.
Want variety without faff? This platter of six sandwich fillings covers every sarnie mood: creamy, smoky, crunchy and garlicky. Mix and match them for packed lunches, a casual brunch or a make-yourself buffet.
They’re designed to be mostly quick — pick a couple to make hot (roast aubergine, mushrooms) and the rest can be assembled cold. No bread specified here — pick your favourite loaf or rolls and build away.
Ingredients
- 300 g cooked chicken breast
- 200 g mayonnaise
- 60 g mango chutney
- 5 ml curry powder
- 30 g sultanas
- 200 g tinned tuna in springwater — drained weight
- 150 g sweetcorn — drained if tinned
- 2 lemon
- 150 g mature cheddar
- 1 crisp apple — e.g. Braeburn or Gala
- 80 g red onion chutney
- 4 eggs
- 5 ml Dijon mustard
- 15 g fresh chives — finely snipped
- 5 ml black pepper — or to taste
- 5 ml salt — or to taste
- 1 medium aubergine
- 1 red pepper
- 30 ml olive oil — about 2 tbsp
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 150 g hummus
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms
- 25 g butter
- 1 clove garlic — crushed
- 5 ml fresh thyme — leaves only
- 50 g rocket
Equipment
- baking tray/tin
- frying pan
- small saucepan
- grater
- food processor or blender (optional for smoother hummus)
Instructions
Make the coronation-style chicken: shred the cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl mix mayonnaise, mango chutney, curry powder and sultanas. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, then fold through the shredded chicken until evenly coated. Chill briefly if you prefer it cold. Makes 6 filling portions.
Tuna and sweetcorn: drain the tinned tuna and flake into a bowl. Add sweetcorn and mayonnaise, then squeeze in the juice of a quarter to half a lemon and season with black pepper to taste. Stir gently so it stays chunky. Ready to spread straightaway.
Classic egg mayonnaise: place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 10 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water for 2 minutes, then peel and roughly chop. Mix with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and most of the snipped fresh chives; season with salt and black pepper. Save a few chive snips to scatter on top.
Cheddar, apple and chutney: thinly slice the mature cheddar and crisp apple. Spread red onion chutney on the bread, add apple slices then cheddar. No cooking required — quick and ideal for packed lunches.
Roast aubergine and red pepper: heat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Cut the aubergine into 1cm slices and slice the red pepper into strips. Toss both with olive oil, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt on a baking tray/tin, spreading into a single layer. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and slightly charred, turning halfway. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then spoon the roast veg over a layer of hummus for a smoky, creamy filling.
Garlicky chestnut mushrooms and rocket: heat a frying pan over a medium-high hob, add the butter and let it foam. Add crushed garlic, thyme and the mushrooms, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat, squeeze over a little lemon juice and fold through the rocket so it just wilts. Use warm — terrific in toasted bread.
Assembly ideas: offer all fillings on a platter and let people build their own sandwiches — use thick slices or toast for hot fillings. Leftovers keep 1–2 days refrigerated in airtight tubs (the roasted veg and mushroom fillings are best eaten within 24 hours).
Tips
- Make the dry-mix fillings (coronation chicken, tuna, egg mayo) a day ahead — their flavour improves after an hour in the fridge.
- When roasting aubergine, score or slice it and salt it lightly if you have time; this draws out bitterness and gives a creamier texture.
- For the mushroom filling, keep the pan hot and don’t stir constantly so they get a good colour — that browning is flavour.
- If packing sandwiches for later, wrap fillings in kitchen paper-lined containers to prevent soggy bread, or keep bread separate.
- If you want a lighter mayo, swap half the mayonnaise for natural yoghurt for egg mayo or tuna — noticeable but pleasant.
Substitutions
mayonnaise → Greek-style yoghurt, same weight (stays-close)
Stays closetinned tuna in springwater → cold-smoked salmon, same weight (noticeably-different)
Noticeably differentbutter → olive oil, same quantity (stays-close)
Stays closemango chutney → red onion chutney, same quantity (noticeably-different)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 340
- Calories
- 16 g
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long will the fillings keep in the fridge?
Cold fillings with mayonnaise or tuna keep for 1–2 days; roasted veg and mushroom fillings are best within 24 hours for texture and flavour.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — the fillings themselves are naturally gluten-free. Serve on gluten-free bread or wraps and check labels for chutneys or store-bought mayonnaise.
Can I make a vegan version?
Swap mayonnaise for vegan mayo and use a chickpea salad (mashed chickpeas + chutney + spices) instead of the coronation chicken; omit butter for mushrooms and use olive oil.
Any tip for stopping sandwiches going soggy?
Spread a thin layer of butter or hummus on the bread first as a moisture barrier, keep wet ingredients separate until serving, or pack fillings and bread separately.
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