Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Chicken sandwich cut in half on wrinkled parchment paper.

5 from 5 votes

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best chicken sandwich, grilling chicken

Servings:

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Valentina K. Wein

Equipment

Ingredients

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt use half if using table salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
olive oil for the pan and buns
2 (approx. 7-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
a few thin slices Swiss cheese just enough to cover the chicken
2 large soft buns or 4 large slices of bread
2 large slices tomato

Instructions

Make the sauce. 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.
Prep lettuce. 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 mayonnaise mixture.
Prep tomatoes. Season the tomato slices with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper and set them aside.
Grill chicken and add cheese. Preheat a stove-top 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. You should hear a sizzling sound when they hit the grill -- if you don't, it's not hot enough. Wait for the sizzle! Grill until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 155°F to 160°F, about 4 minutes per side (depending on the thickness). Turn the heat to low-medium when you flip them over.
Place the grilled chicken on a plate and immediately place the cheese slices on top so they melt. Set aside.
Prep the buns. 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 or buns, if you prefer.)
Assemble. Spread the remaining honey mustard mayo evenly among the buns, on both halves. Place the cheese-covered chicken breasts on top, followed by tomato slices and prepped lettuce.

Notes

Choose evenly sized breasts: Look for breasts around 7 ounces each so they finish cooking at the same time.

Thick honey? Warm it in the microwave for a few seconds so it mixes easily.

Sauce swaps: Use whole grain Dijon for more texture, yellow mustard in a pinch (the flavor will be milder), or maple syrup instead of honey.

Other swaps: Romaine works in place of iceberg, and Gruyère in place of Swiss. You can use thick slices of bread instead of buns.

No grill? Skillet: Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with a little olive oil and follow the same timing. Oven: Bake the seasoned chicken on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 375°F until it reaches 155°F to 160°F, about 18 minutes. Add the cheese for the last minute.

Make ahead: Grill the chicken up to a day ahead, refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container, and warm it before assembling. You can make the sauce a few days ahead. Chop the lettuce a day ahead, but don’t add the sauce until you’re ready to assemble, or it will wilt.

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

Nutrition