One day before your brunch, take 12 rolls out of the bag, plus a couple of extras for the swipers in your midst, to defrost them overnight according to the instructions on the bag.
You will use half of the melted butter here as you need to brush them right after taking them out of the bag. Cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.
In the morning, take them out of the fridge, remove the plastic, and place them in a warm place away from drafts in order for them to rise. They need to double in size.
I usually bring them to room temperature first. Then, I turn the oven to the lowest setting for 30 seconds to get to 100 F. Next, I turn the oven off (very important) and check with my thermometer to be sure I haven’t over-warmed the oven. Once I’m sure, I place the uncovered rolls inside to rise.
As mentioned before, I make this salad in advance. It saves time and tastes better because the flavors get a chance to blend.
One day in advance, place the chicken, bay leaves, salt, and cloves in a pot and generously cover with water (I added about 3 cups). Place a lid on the pot and cook over high heat until the water starts boiling.
Reduce to medium-high heat and continue cooking for approx 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily. You can also cook it in a pressure cooker or slow cooker. Follow the instructions of your appliance of choice for timing.
Once cooked, take the chicken out of the broth to cool down. Once cooled, pour the chicken broth into a jar and put it in the fridge to use for another recipe. It’s great for soups or rice.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients—Cook and chop bacon, and finely chop dates, macadamia nuts, and the green part of the green onions. Set aside.
Shred the chicken breast in a medium bowl, add bacon, dates, macadamia nuts, green onions, and mayonnaise. Mix well and taste for salt. Add more if needed.
Place the salad in the fridge until ready to serve.
Once the Parkerhouse rolls have risen, preheat the oven to 375 ºF (190 ºC) and prepare the rolls.
You have two options:Carefully, because we don’t want to punch the air out of them, brush another layer of butter over them before baking and then another after baking.My favorite. Whisk an egg with ¼ teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Spread it on top of the rolls and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Take out of the oven. If you opted for the butter before baking, brush another light layer of butter on top when they are still warm.
Transfer to a rack and let them cool down. They are ready to be served.
Nothing can be easier or faster. Cut each roll transversely, place a layer of lettuce inside, and spread 2 tablespoons of the chicken salad on top of the lettuce. If you like, add more green onions as garnish. Repeat and serve.
