Margaux's
Curried Chicken Sandwich

The Story Behind Oprah’s Favorite Bite

A Struggling Café
and a Life-Changing Sandwich 

Margaux Sky had always been passionate about food. But running her small café, creating fresh sandwiches - like Margaux's curried chicken sandwich - daily, and managing the business all by herself had taken its toll. Every morning, she woke up at 3 a.m., preparing everything from scratch—baking bread, prepping ingredients, and setting up for the next day's business.

Her café had loyal customers, and the food was undeniably good, but the burden of running the business alone had literally become overwhelming. She found herself barely scraping by, despite the love and dedication she poured into each and every dish.

One evening, as she finished her last order of the day, she had made a decision—the next morning, she would sell the café and walk away from the dream she had worked so hard to build.

What Margaux didn’t know was that this particular sandwich—the one she had just served—was about to change her fate forever.

Oprah’s First Bite and an Unexpected Twist

That night, Oprah Winfrey was at a dinner hosted by Tim Bennett, the president of Harpo Productions (and Margaux’s brother-in-law). The meal was simple—a platter of sandwiches passed around to all of the guests.  

Oprah, always a food enthusiast, picked up a Curried Chicken Sandwich from the tray, unaware of its backstory or the struggles of the woman who had made it.

With her first bite, she paused.  

“This is unbelievable—the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted,” she said.

Tim Bennet explained that Margaux’s café was closing the very next day—her dream had become too much to handle alone, and she could no longer keep her doors open. 

Oprah wasn’t having it.  

The moment she got home, she emailed Tim:  

“Anybody this good shouldn’t go out of business.”

And just like that, Oprah stepped in to help, sending Margaux a huge check—enough to hire two sandwich chefs and much-needed staff to keep the café running. 

When she and Margaux met, Oprah said to her, "It's a mistake women make all the time—trying to do everything. You need a support system."

So, long story short, Margaux’s café stayed open, and her signature Curried Chicken Sandwich went from being a small-town favorite to Oprah’s favorite sandwich in America.

The Famous Recipe:
Margaux's Curried Chicken Sandwich

This flavor-packed sandwich combines tender chicken, a bold curried honey mustard sauce, crunchy almonds, and fresh greens, all stacked inside buttered challah bread. It’s sweet, savory, tangy, and rich, making it the perfect upscale twist on a classic chicken sandwich. Sounds delish!

Prep Time: 15 minutes  

Cook Time: 20 minutes  

Total Time: 35 minutes  

Servings: Makes 6 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds medium chicken tenders – Juicy and easy to shred once cooked.  
• 20 whole black peppercorns – Infuses flavor while cooking the chicken.  
• 2 bay leaves – Adds a light herbal note to the chicken.  
• 2 whole cloves – Subtle warmth and depth of flavor.  
• 1/2 lemon – Brightens the taste of the chicken.  
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard – Tangy and bold flavor base for the sauce.  
• 1/2 cup honey – Balances the mustard with a touch of sweetness.  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder – Aromatic and earthy flavor base.  
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper – A citrusy kick with a bit of spice.  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt – Enhances all the flavors.  
• Butter, for spreading – Creates crispy, golden toast on the bread.  
• 1 loaf challah or other rich egg bread, cut into 12 thick slices – Soft, slightly sweet, and buttery.  
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots – Adds crunch and color.  
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds – Nutty texture and richness.  
• 2 medium tomatoes chopped – Juicy and fresh addition.  
• 1 bag (about 5 ounces) mesclun salad greens – Adds freshness and balance.  
• Red grapes and assorted berries, for garnish – Complements the sandwich with a light, sweet touch.

Instructions:

1. Cook the chicken – In a pot, boil chicken tenders with black peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, and half a lemon for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Drain and shred.  

2. Make the curried honey mustard sauce – In a bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, curry powder, lemon pepper, and salt until smooth.  

3. Combine the filling – Toss the shredded chicken with the sauce until well coated. Stir in shredded carrots and almonds.  

4. Butter the bread – Spread butter on one side of each challah slice.  

5. Assemble the sandwich – On the unbuttered side of 6 slices, layer curried chicken mixture, chopped tomatoes, and salad greens.  

6. Top with bread – Place another slice on top, buttered side facing outward.  

7. Grill the sandwich – Heat a pan and cook each sandwich for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown.  

8. Serve and enjoy! – Pair with fresh grapes and berries for the full experience. 

Why You Should Make Your Own 

✔ It’s easy – No fancy cooking techniques—all you do is just mix, stack, and toast!  

✔ It’s meal-prep friendly – Make the chicken mixture ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 3 days to make it even more simple and easy. 

✔ It’s versatile – Serve it on bagels, wraps, croissants, or sourdough, or turn it into a chicken salad bowl if you aren't in the mood for a sandwich. 

✔ It’s Oprah-approved – What more can I say?

Final Thoughts: A Sandwich That Saved a Café

Margauxs Curried Chicken Sandwich is more than just a meal—it’s the sandwich that saved her café and earned a spot as Oprah Winfrey’s favorite sandwich in America.

It proves that passion and great food can lead to unexpected success—even when the odds seem like they're stacked against you.

So, the next time you’re craving something special, take a page from Margaux’s story and try making this curried masterpiece for yourself. Because sometimes, one great sandwich is all you need to change everything, at least for the moment.

Would you try this recipe? What do you think? Here's a link to the recipe on Oprah.com. (Link opens in a new window).

Since the fame of meeting Oprah, Margaux has also written a few books, one of them with sandwiches similar to Margaux's curried chicken sandwich - Beautiful Breads and Fabulous Fillings: The Best Sandwiches in America - you can find on Amazon. (Link will open in a new window).

A quick word. This page may contain affiliate links. 

Buy Now

A-B	C-D
E-F	G-H
I-J	K-L
M-N	O-P
Q-R	S-T
U-V	W-X
Y-Z