We are entering into a sandwich adventure with crunch, tenderness, creaminess, and a little bit of chew. Textures all through each bite that are combined with flavors that have been paired together in many sandwiches all through the years.
What is this sandwich?
I stole borrowed the concept for this sandwich from a chain restaurant that I’ve never visited. I don’t even know where or when I heard about this sandwich, but I wrote it down in my ongoing “sandwich ideas” note on my phone, and thankfully for all of us, I also kept track of the restaurant name.
The sandwich in question is from a fast casual chain called McAlister’s Deli, and it happens to be their Jalapeno Turkey Crunch. This is a sandwich with sliced, roasted turkey, bacon, and pepper jack. The menu description also mentions avocado and jalapeno potato chips to bring the crunch, and everything listed is inside a jalapeno roll.
There are all sorts of textures and flavors going on here, and I want to recreate this experience without totally copying what McAlister’s is doing. I’m going to create my own bread, roast and bake the meats, and then turn the avocado part of the sandwich into a spread that will work in a lot of different situations. The awesome idea of jalapeno chips inside the sandwich is being introduced as one of the crunchy elements, though, that’s going to stay.
My big changes to McAlister’s plan will be to bring a bit more crunch through the choice of bread, as well as the two crunchy components they’re focused on. I’ve documented all the steps you can use to turn all of this into the perfect crunchtastic sandwich experience.
Now that we know the rough concept for this sandwich, we’re going to need some bread. I’m not sure of a steady source where I can buy jalapeno rolls, so I think we need to make our own.
Jalapeno cheddar ciabatta, aka crunch #1
This recipe is based on my normal ciabatta recipe. It creates bread rolls that have a bit of exterior crunch and a decent amount of flat surface inside the bread to give your sandwich a bunch of space for ingredients. I made this bread exactly like I make my other ciabatta rolls, except I added diced jalapeno and shredded cheddar to the inside and the outside.
Cibatta is typically shaped in a rectangular or oval shape, and we can accomplish that by spreading the dough out and then slicing it into smaller rectangles. This means we will have flatter pieces of bread, but that should be ok for the sandwiches that we’re trying to make. In my recipe just below, I share two templates or plans for measuring and cutting out ciabatta rolls, which I use each time I bake these to get consistent sizes.
This bread has jalapeno and cheddar inside and outside because both ingredients are mixed into the dough and present during the first rise time. Then, when it’s time to bake, slices of jalapeno go on top of each roll, and a small pile of cheddar sprinkles melts the pepper slices to the top of each roll.
Here’s my jalapeno cheddar ciabatta recipe. It’s a great bread roll that hopefully you’ll enjoy snacking on and using for sandwiching.
Jalapeno and cheddar ciabatta rolls
This recipe creates a cheesy and flavorful sandwich roll with just a hint of spice. The exterior crust is a little bit crunchy, but the middle of each roll stays soft and tender.
Get RecipeWhy does the sandwich have the word club in the name?
I used club in the title, not because this is a club sandwich per se, but because the combination of turkey and bacon makes me think about a club sandwich. Originally, a club sandwich contained chicken and bacon as the protein, but it seems like most restaurants use sliced turkey instead of chicken. Wikipedia says a club should have “sliced cooked poultry,” which includes turkey, so that’s what we’re going with. This particular club has only two members: oven-roasted Cajun-seasoned turkey and oven-baked bacon.
Oven-roasted Cajun turkey
You can buy roasted turkey if you want, but I promise you it’s better if you roast your own and cook it properly to the correct temperature. Then you can slice it to the thickness you prefer and end up sandwiching something that tastes a lot more special than deli-sliced turkey.
Sometimes I use a fancy deli meat slicer to slice my turkey for sandwiches, but this time I went for the much easier option of just using a sharp slicing knife to slice as thin as I could possibly go.
Here’s the Cajun roasted turkey recipe I use, and as I said, it’s easy to get into the oven with very little hands-on activity to produce. If you don’t want to make your own Cajun seasoning, you can buy your own store-bought option as well.
Oven roasted Cajun turkey
A little spicy and super seasoned moist turkey, ready for slicing. Sandwich turkey is at the next level right here.
Get RecipeBacon, aka crunch #2
If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of baking bacon. It’s so much easier to cook a bunch of bacon with less effort in the cleanup process as well. The photos you see below are 4 slices shy of a full pound of bacon that you can cook in less than 30 minutes with almost zero effort expended.
If you want to add some extra crunch to this Jalapeno club crunch sandwich, I would suggest cooking your bacon about 1 to 2 minutes longer than you normally do. Extra cook time will remove just a bit more moisture from the bacon, which will lead to a slice that’s even more crunchy than you might expect. Allow the bacon to rest for at least 10 minutes after baking to make sure it’ll be extra crispy and crunchy.
Just start baking your bacon and thank me later.
Oven-baked bacon
Want a super easy way to make a lot of bacon for sandwiches with very little effort or cleanup?
Get RecipePepper Jack
The McAlister’s Deli jalapeno turkey crunch sandwich uses pepper jack cheese, and it seems to make a lot of sense, so I used some in my sandwich too.
I added a slice of cheese on top of the turkey and bacon and then put everything in the broiler for just a moment to warm things up and melt the cheese. If you are not a fan of slightly spicy things, you could substitute pretty much any sliced cheese in this situation. Cheddar would be good, or you can go for the “un-peppered” Jack with a slice of plain Monterey Jack.
Avocado and cilantro sandwich spread
I used the avocado and cilantro sandwich spread I made in all the sandwiches I made, except for the last one, where I simply added mashed-up avocado to the sandwich. I do recommend making the spread recipe below and using that, but if you’re lazy, it really isn’t a ton different than just the mashed avocado when all the other sandwich components get together.
Due to the addition of egg yolk and oil, this is almost an avocado-focused mayonnaise, but it’s much thicker and obviously a lot greener. Here’s the recipe. Because it’s an avocado, you do need to be aware that it’s going to turn brown as time goes on. The flavor is still good, but the color will change and turn much darker while it sits in the fridge.
Avocado and cilantro sandwich spread
This creamy and savory spread is perfect for your next sandwich that needs a bit of creaminess. Avocado and cilantro are great friends that create a well-paired sandwich component.
Get RecipeJalapeno kettle chips, aka crunch #3
You might not want to use jalapeno chips if you’re trying to back down any spice levels here, but it’s almost a requirement that you use kettle-style chips in this sandwich. The whole point is adding crunch, and these types of chips will definitely add a whole bunch of texture and noise to each bite. I bought Deep River brand zesty jalapeno chips, but you should be able to find other brands like Miss Vicky’s or even a Lay’s version of jalapeno kettle chips.
The crunch factor really works well with tender turkey and soft avocado, and that’s what this sandwich is all about, so don’t skip it.
Sandwich assembly process
There’s a pretty easy assembly process for this jalapeno club crunch sandwich. First, I start out with untoasted bread because things will be warmed up in the broiler or in the oven. Speaking of which, if you do not have a broiler on your oven or toaster, you should preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
You can follow along with the slideshow I’ve shared here, but basically we’re adding spread, meat, and cheese, and then melting the cheese while toasting the top of the roll to add extra crunch.
Start with an untoasted jalapeno cheddar ciabatta split in half. 
Add some avocado and cilantro sandwich spread (or just some mashed up avocado). 
Top with slices of Cajun roasted turkey. 
And then a couple of slices of bacon broken in half. 
Layer on some pepper jack cheese and then move everything into the broiler. 
After the cheese is melty and the top of the ciabatta roll is lightly toasted add the next two ingredients. 
First it’s more avocado and cilantro sandwich spread on the top of the roll. 
And then the big crunch is added in the form of jalapeno kettle potato chips. 
Close up the sandwich and serve.
After the cheese is melty and the bread is slightly toasted, the crunchy star of the show is piled into the sandwich, and it’s time to eat.
Jalapeno club crunch photos and recipe
Here are some photos of the sandwiches I created while working on this recipe. The jalapeno club crunch sandwich recipe is just below. Keep drooling and scrolling, and you’ll get there.
Jalapeno club crunch sandwich
This recipe packs big flavor and loud crunch into a slightly spicy sandwich experience. Use my jalapeno cheddar ciabatta recipe if you want to bring even more cheese, jalapeno, and crunch to the party.
Ingredients:
Cajun roasted turkey breast- 2.5 to 3 pound turkey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 avocado
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- big pinch of cilantro, leaves and stems (1/4 cup or less)
- 1 ciabatta roll (jalapeno cheddar ciabatta recipe here)
- avocado and cilantro sandwich spread (from above)
- 3 to 5 ounces slices of roasted turkey (from above)
- 2 slices of cooked bacon, broken in half
- 1 Pepper Jack cheese, slice (can use Cheddar)
- large handful of jalapeno kettle chips
Directions:
Cajun roasted turkey: preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Pour one tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil on top of your turkey breast and rub it around with your hands, rubbing it all over the breast, making sure not to miss any spots.
Start sprinkling all of your Cajun seasoning all over the turkey breast. The oil should help all of the seasonings begin to stick to the turkey. Make sure you do not leave any areas of turkey unseasoned.
On a rack in a roasting pan or a rack in a sheet pan, roast your turkey breast for around one to one and a half hours. Preferably, you will have an instant-read thermometer to watch for overcooking the turkey.
You are shooting for 165 degrees F (74 °C), but you can pull the turkey out around 155 or 160 °F, and it will carry over five to ten degrees while the meat is resting.
Once the turkey is done, let it sit for an hour and then refrigerate. You can slice it after 10 or 15 minutes of resting time, but it will be easier to slice thinly if your turkey is cold.
Avocado and cilantro sandwich spread: combine all ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and puree until they are fully combined.
Add the cilantro and pulse one or two times to make sure the cilantro starts to get broken up in the spread.
Move to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Sandwich assembly: slice a piece of ciabatta and add some avocado and cilantro sandwich spread to the bottom.
Top the spread with sliced turkey and a layer of bacon pieces. Add cheese on top. Place the sandwich and the top of the bread open-faced under your broiler for 3 or 4 minutes or in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the top of the bread is a bit toasty.
Remove the sandwich, add a pile of jalapeno kettle chips on top of the cheese, and maybe some more avocado spread to the top of the roll. Close the sandwich and serve.
Check back soon
Most likely, I won’t have a sandwich next week because I’m currently recovering from a trip to Las Vegas, where we’re not supposed to talk about Las Vegas, but I might post details of what I ate and drank on my Patreon.
Anyway, keep your pants on; a sandwich will come through soon. In the meantime, while you’re waiting, you can go back and read about pizza, biscuits, burgers, or even pot roast.
