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Chicken Avocado Sandwich cake on a table.
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Chicken Avocado Sandwich Cake with Pansy Trim

Perfect make ahead recipe for a party.
Prep Time45 minutes
8 hours
Total Time8 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 518kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Salad

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cooked. About 4 cups.
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • cup mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Mousse

  • 1 pkg plain gelatin 1 ½ tsps
  • 1 cup cold water divided ¼ + ¾
  • ¾ cup boiling water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 3 Tbsps mayonnaise
  • 2 avocados
  • pinch of black pepper

Frosting

  • 12 oz cream cheese at room temperature
  • 6 Tbsps thick yogurt like Greek or Icelandic (drain any obvious liquid)
  • 3 Tbsps mayonnaise
  • 1 oz pkg dry Ranch Dressing

Garnish

  • edible pansies, flower only or chive flowers or nasturtium
  • chive stems

Bread

  • 4 slices crustless rectangular bread 11" X 4"

Instructions

Chicken Salad

  • Pulse cooked chicken in food processor in 2 batches. Make a fine dice. Stir in mayonnaise. Use only enough mayonnaise so chicken holds together. You do not want it to be too moist.

Avocado Mousse

  • Line an 11 X 7" pan with plastic wrap and smooth out the bottom and the corners.
  • Sprinkle gelatin over the ¼ cup of cold water and allow to stand about 5 minutes til water is absorbed. Add the salt and boiling water and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add the remaining cold water. Refrigerate about 30 minutes until gelatin is thickened. You want it to wobble when moved but still pour. Alternatively place gelatin in freezer for 15 minutes or so. Check it periodically so it doesn't get too jelly like.
  • While gelatin is thickening, split avocados in half lengthwise. Remove pit and scoop the flesh out into a blender. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice and black pepper. Blend till smooth.
  • When the gelatin is thickened add it to the avocado mixture in the blender. Blend lightly just until evenly mixed. Do not overblend. Pour about 1 cup of mixture in a cup (for piping later)and pour remainder into the 11 X 7" pan.
  • Allow mixture to set completely in the fridge, at least 4 hours.

Frosting

  • Beat cream cheese, mayonnaise and yogurt together until smooth. Beat in Ranch Dressing package until evenly incorporated and smooth.

Assembly

  • Working on a flat surface take the first bread rectangle and spread 2 cups of chicken salad evenly over it ensuring you go right to the outer edges.
  • Cut the mousse to the size of the bread rectangle and even ¼" smaller. Lay the bread on top of the mousse and invert the bread and mousse onto a flat surface. Gently pull away the plastic wrap and portion of the mousse that is not needed. Try to keep the unused strip of mousse flat in case you want to use it for cut outs to decorate with. Transfer the bread, mousse side up, on top of the chicken salad layer.
  • Top the mousse layer with another bread rectangle. Carefully spread with another 2 cups of chicken salad. Try not to apply so much pressure that the mousse squeezes out the side. Top with final bread rectangle.
  • Line a 9 X 5" loaf pan with plastic wrap with a few inches of overhang all around. Smooth plastic wrap to the bottom and sides. Place loaf pan upside down over the sandwich loaf. Place the loaf pan over the sandwich loaf. Use an offset spatula or large knife to support the sandwich loaf. Invert the loaf and loaf pan so the sandwich loaf is now sitting inside the loaf pan. Use the plastic overhang to seal the top of the sandwich loaf. Place a weight on top of the sandwich loaf and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. The loaf will compress and become sturdier.
  • When ready to frost carefully remove the sandwich loaf from the loaf pan and transfer to a flat surface. Spread the top and all sides with cream cheese 'frosting'.
  • Center a pansy blossom on one end of the loaf. Use cut chives to form a stem and other flower bud stems. Cut out mousse decorations if using. Pipe avocado mousse 'leaves' or trim with piped florettes. Add extra pansy blossoms if desired to long edge of loaf.
  • Loaf will keep refrigerated a day once frosted. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a couple of days

Notes

Wine Pairing
A Sparkling wine of any type would work well here since you may well be serving this on a special occasion.
A Rosé with a some herbal notes would pair well with avocado in the sandwich cake.
A neutral White wine, unoaked Chardonnay, light Sauvignon Blanc, Pino Grigio or Chenin Blanc would work.
A Red wine should be on light end of medium-bodied, unoaked such as a Beaujolais.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g