Grilled Chicken Sandwich from Greg's Grill

The best way to make a grilled chicken sandwich is to keep it simple. The char flavor from the grill, the thickness of the chicken, and the sauce are the keys to the deliciousness of this recipe. An excellent lunch or dinner, you likely already have the ingredients on hand.

There's really not much to this sandwich, and it's simplicity is part of what makes it so special. A few tasty flavors combine to make an incredibly delicious and satisfying bite.

In the 80's, in Pacific Palisades, there was a restaurant called Greg's Grill. (It was later replaced by Café Vida, another favorite, and sadly lost in the Palisades fire.)

Greg's Grill had a chicken sandwich on their menu that my friends and I ordered every time we were there. It was so perfect that we didn't want to risk another choice.

To the best of my memory, combined with memories from my friends, here is the Greg's Grill Chicken Sandwich recipe.

The Ingredients

• chicken - This recipe is made with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Biting through the juicy and thick piece of chicken is one of the things that makes it so amazing.
• iceberg lettuce - The iceberg lettuce has a delightful crunch which stands up well to the honey-mustard sauce it's mixed with. Romaine is a good substitute.
• Dijon mustard - The flavor of Dijon is lovely with honey. I love the texture of a smooth mustard with this grilled chicken sandwich, but for more texture you can substitute with whole grain Dijon.
• honey - Use your favorite.
• mayonnaise - I like using mayonnaise made with avocado oil, but you can use any mayo you like as long as there is no added sugar.
• Swiss cheese - This recipe doesn't call for much, just very thin slices, so as not to overpower the flavors. The best substitution is Gruyère.
• tomato - For sandwiches, I like to use a large tomato. This way, you just have one tomato slice per sandwich. Of course, you can use smaller tomatoes and use a few slices on each one.
• bread - This sandwich was originally served on a bun, and that's how I think it's best. Use one you love, as long as it's soft and large enough to hold one whole chicken breast. You can use thick sliced bread, too, if you prefer.
• olive oil, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Make the Greg's Grill Chicken Sandwich

- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the mixture into another bowl and set it aside.

Recipe Tip: If the honey is especially thick, warm it for a few seconds in the microwave so that it’s easy to mix.

- Cut the lettuce into thin strips so it’s more or less “shredded.” Add it to a mixing bowl and toss it with the larger portion of the honey-mustard mayo.

Time saving tip: Trader Joe's sells bagged shredded iceberg.

- Season the tomato slices with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper and set them aside.

- Preheat a stovetop or outdoor grill over high heat. Once it’s very hot, season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and then place them on the grill. Grill just until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side (depending on the thickness). Turn the heat to low-medium when you flip them over.

(If you don't have a stovetop or outdoor grill, use a skillet -- ideally cast iron, following the same cooking instructions.)

Recipe Tip: You should hear a sizzling sound when they hit the grill -- if you don't, it's not hot enough. Wait for the sizzle!

Pro Tip: Kitchen tongs are the best tool to use for cooking on an indoor or outdoor grill.

- Place the grilled chicken on a plate and immediately place the cheese slices on top so they melt. Set aside.

Recipe Tip: Do not cut/slice the chicken breast. Keeping it thick and juicy is essential to the success of this sandwich.

- Drizzle the cut side of each bun with olive oil and place them, round sides up, on the grill. Grill just until they’re nicely marked, about 3 minutes. (You can also toast the bread/buns, if your prefer.

- To assemble, spread the remaining sauce evenly among the buns, on both halves. Place the cheese-covered chicken breasts on top, followed by tomato slices and prepped lettuce.

Variations

While I created this to be as close to the Greg's Grill grilled chicken sandwich that I remember, you can definitely change it up. Below are a few delicious ideas.

• Instead of the shredded lettuce with the honey-mustard mayo, you can use this tangy, slightly spicy Asian Coleslaw.
• You can make it with grilled fish or fried fish. Use a firm fish like cod, halibut or mahi-mahi.
• Spicy version. Add a teaspoon or two of chili paste to the honey-mustard mayo. (Sambal Oelek is my favorite.)

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this chicken sandwich with fries. I mean c'mon, who doesn't love French fries with a delicious warm sandwich!? Below are a handful of really fun and delicious unique French fry recipes that would be fantastic with it.

Making it Ahead

• This sandwich is best when the chicken is still warm from the grill. If you need to save time, you can grill the chicken up to a day ahead. Keep it refrigerated in a tightly sealed container, and then when you're ready to assemble, warm it in a microwave or the oven to at least take the chill out.
• The sauce can be made up to a few days ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.
• You can also chop the lettuce a day ahead, but don't mix the sauce into it until you're ready to assemble the sandwiches. Otherwise it will wilt and lose its crunch.

Super Interesting Sandwiches

I hope you love this sandwich as much as my friends and I do!