Open Face Baked Chicken Sandwich

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
15 green olives, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 slices bread
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 x 2 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Press the 4 slices of bread into the bottom.  Mix chicken, mayonnaise, olives and boiled eggs.  Spoon over bread.  Mix soup and sour cream.  Smoothly spoon over chicken mix.  Bank 20-25 minutes or until bubbly hot.   Sprinkle with Paprika.  Serves 4.

Martha:  I got this idea from an old cookbook and of course made some changes.  The original called for 12 slices of bread and a 9 x 12 x 2 baking sheet.  I cut the bread down to 4 slices.  It had chopped onions and ripe olives.  I left out the onions, thought it would over power the taste.  I also changed to green olives.  The original called for cream of chicken soup which I changed to cream of mushroom and also omitted the pimientos that were to be sprinkled on top and used paprika instead.  And lastly, I didn't add the 2nd layer of bread over the chicken mixture.   I had no idea how this would come out.  If the bread would be soggy or it would have enough flavor to make it tasty.  Well, the bread was perfect... not soggy, not too firm.  The flavors came mainly from the olives and sour cream.  Add all the other ingredients and this dish is simply wonderful!  For the chicken I used 2 chicken breasts that I baked and the bread was a Honey Wheat. 

Lillian:  Open faced sandwiches have been around for decades and are made with so many different meats and spreads, but this one is so different, easy and will fit into a lunch or dinner menu.  Add a salad and your work is all finished since the eggs may be boiled and the chicken mix may all be made ahead of time.  Only assembly and baking must be just before meal time.  Great dish!

Food Tester Carol:  This layered dish is anchored by a layer of bread on the bottom, then covered with tender cubes of chicken, a hint of green olives and slices of boiled eggs.  Top with a sauce of cream of mushroom soup and sour cream sprinkled with paprika and you have a gentle, friendly dish with an attractive presentation.  It just whispers to you.  It will take you back to some time in your childhood when you tasted something perfectly smooth and satisfying!

This dish is so good!  I took 2 bites and then took it to Frances and said "you have to try this!"  She ate the whole thing except for one bite and then she said, "save this for me for later!".  This is a very happy dish. 

Martha:  Frances is Carol's 95 year old Mom.  If you can please her with a dish, it must be good.

Tip:  Most recipes that require your chicken to be battered suggest you dry your chicken first.  This can be easily done by placing pieces on a layer of paper towels, cover them with another layer of paper towels and then add more chicken pieces, etc.  This allows the chicken to dry until ready for battering.