The Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Thanks to a quick brine, the grilled chicken is juicy and perfectly seasoned.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 820
- Total Fat
- 51 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Cholesterol
- 162 mg
- Sodium
- 1248 mg
Article by Emily Saladino
For a grilled chicken sandwich to be truly great, it needs to have tender meat, a pillowy bun, and some sort of bright, herby sauce to tie it all together. After testing various techniques and approaches, the Food Network Kitchen team landed on this recipe. It’s so delicious, we couldn’t help but call it the best.
How to Make a Grilled Chicken Sandwich Like a Pro
With a few tips from Food Network Kitchen, you can make an expertly seasoned, char-grilled chicken sandwich that everyone will crave.
The best spices for grilling chicken. The Food Network Kitchen team loves the balance of sweet and tangy notes in the wet brine, but you could swap the red pepper flakes for cayenne if you like more heat.
Matt Armendariz
Don’t skip the super fast grilled chicken marinade. A 30-minute wet brine is the secret to tender, tasty grilled chicken, our recipe developers say. The salty mixture penetrates and seasons the meat, so every bite is juicy and flavorful.
Matt Armendariz
How to make grilled chicken for sandwiches. Grilling chicken breasts can dry them out, so our recipe developers recommend using boneless thighs. Thighs contain more moisture and connective tissue than breasts, so they stay moist and flavorful on the grill.
Prep the bun. No matter which type of bread you use for your grilled sandwich (the Food Network Kitchen team likes brioche or potato buns), spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the cut sides. Mayo has a higher smoke point than butter, so it locks in flavor and browns evenly when you toast it.
Customize the chicken sandwich sauce. Skip the chives, use all parsley or all cilantro, or add another garlic clove for a punchier bite.
Take your grilled chicken sandwich to the next level. Adding a handful of potato chips to this grilled chicken sando creates layered textures and flavors. The salty crunch of the chips contrasts with the tender meat, creamy sauce, and soft bread; try it with classic, spicy, or kettle-cooked chips.
What to Eat With Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Grilled chicken sandwiches are versatile. Serve yours with store-bought or homemade pickles, a big green salad, macaroni and cheese, a handful of chips or pretzels, sliced fruit, or a cup of soup.
Other Chicken Sandwich Ideas
If you love this grilled chicken sandwich recipe and want to explore others, the Food Network Kitchen team has you covered. Some of our favorites include:
Barbecue Chicken Sandwich: To make tender barbecue chicken sandwiches at home, put chicken thighs and a handful of pantry staples in the slow cooker. After a few hours, it emerges richly flavored and perfectly tender.
Grilled Chicken Pesto Panini: This easy recipe gives grilled chicken an Italian American accent with creamy mozzarella, sliced chicken, juicy tomato, pesto, and pillowy rolls.
Almost Famous Chicken Sandwich. Inspired by a fast-food favorite, this fried chicken sandwich recipe comes together in 30 minutes—without the trip to the drive through.
Ranch Chicken Sandwich. A quick buttermilk brine creates a savory base for this grilled chicken sandwich topped with tangy ranch sauce.
The Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 sandwiches
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 820
- Total Fat
- 51 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Cholesterol
- 162 mg
- Sodium
- 1248 mg
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 sandwiches
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 820
- Total Fat
- 51 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Cholesterol
- 162 mg
- Sodium
- 1248 mg
Ingredients
Chicken:
Herb Sauce:
Assemble:
Directions
- For the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, sugar, garlic, olive oil, 2 tablespoons salt, mustard, pepper flakes and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking, until you can no longer feel sugar or salt crystals when you pinch a bit of the mixture between your fingers, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool 10 minutes. Place the chicken thighs in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over top. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 30 minutes, flipping the chicken once halfway through.
- Prepare a grill for medium heat.
- Meanwhile, make the herb sauce: Combine the cilantro, parsley, avocado, chives, lemon juice, mayonnaise, olive oil, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the blender as needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, flipping the bacon occasionally, until the strips are browned and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate until ready to use.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it onto the grill. Cook, flipping once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thighs registers 165 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest while you toast the buns.
- To assemble the sandwiches: Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise over the cut sides of each bun. Place the buns, cut sides down, on the grill until lightly toasted, 1 to 3 minutes; watch carefully as it will happen fast. Divide the herb sauce among the buns, spreading it evenly onto the cut sides of each. Place a chicken thigh on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a tomato slice, 2 pieces of bacon and a lettuce leaf on each. Cover with the tops and serve.
Looking for Something Else?
Related Pages
- Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- 17 Chicken Sandwich Recipes To Keep in Your Back...
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Grilled Mushroom...
- Saucy Coconut Grilled Chicken
- Calabrian Fried Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich on Pretzel Baguette with...
- Cold Fried Chicken Sandwich
- Governor Tso Chicken Sandwich