Everyone loves my Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and it proves it doesn’t have to be fried chicken!
Tender marinated chicken breast grilled to perfection, topped with garden-fresh tomato slices, crispy bacon, and aged cheddar cheese. It’s the Best Chicken Sandwich Recipe you’ll ever try.
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It’s perfect for your next get-together or family barbecue. I promise you’re going to love this chicken sandwich!
When it comes to grilling chicken don’t be that guy that just throws the pieces on the grill and slathers on barbecue sauce. Aim higher and wow your guests.
There is so much more you can do to enhance the flavor of the foods you grill and chicken is actually the easiest and most flavor-friendly food you’ll be grilling for your friends and family — my Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a delicious example.
Ingredients to marinate chicken breasts
The first step in creating this delicious sandwich is marinating the chicken breasts for the sandwich. And I always start by gathering the ingredients together before I start.
In chef speak this is called the Mise en Place and it not only makes the cooking process easier it also ensures you have everything you need before you start cooking.
The marinating ingredients are pretty simple and I give you ideas further down the post on how to change up to suit your tastes.
How do I marinate chicken breasts?
Once the sauce is complete we can add it along with the other ingredients and the chicken breasts into a zippered storage bag and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
How long do I really have to marinate the chicken breasts?
In truth, 30 minutes is enough to get some of the flavors into the chicken. Ideally, I would give it 4 hours if I had the time, but I usually end up with 90 minutes at best.
There is some flexibility with the marinade (with chicken) and you can leave it for up to 8 hours. I would not advise any longer, because the acidity of this marinade can actually make the chicken tougher if it goes too long.
Trust me , marinating the chicken make this grilled chicken sandwich amazingly delicious.
Does this Marinade work on other chicken parts?
Yes, it does. You can use thighs for your grilled chicken sandwich. The marinade also works well on chicken parts (legs, wings, quarters). It’s a great sauce anytime you grill chicken.
How do I make a honey balsamic sauce?
Start by making the Honey Balsamic Sauce. This is the first step in creating the marinade for the chicken.
You’ll love the flavor of the sauce, made with olive oil, tomato paste, honey and other delicious ingredients.
Can I change up the ingredients in the Honey Balsamic Sauce?
Yes, you can. The whole idea of cooking is to use ingredients to create flavor profiles that you and your family will enjoy eating. Some of the changes you can make are:
- Use ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce instead of tomato paste
- Add bourbon for a boost of flavor
- Use brown sugar or agave instead of honey
- Use soy sauce instead of balsamic vinegar
- Use ginger and scallions instead of onions
- Use your favorite seasonings.
- Add chili powder, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or sriracha if you like a kick of spice, or sprinkle a little black pepper in for a more gentle heat.
- Use lemon juice or lime juice to add a bit of bright flavor
Use the recipe as a guideline and create the deliciousness you’ll love with your changes.
How to make a Grilled Chicken Sandwich
These are the ingredients to make the Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe. Once the chicken is ready it’s time to fire up the grill and precook the bacon.
If you want to really fancy things up, try making candied bacon as an option to layer on this decadent and delicious sandwich.
How do I grill the chicken?
The key to good grill marks is getting the grill good and hot. I like to let the grill get up to 350 – 450 degree F.
Brush the chicken breast on both sides with the honey balsamic sauce. Repeat as you turn the breasts until you’ve used up all the sauce.
Once the chicken is done you can let it rest for a few minutes while you get the sandwiches ready.
Place the chicken breasts on a tray and top with tomato slices, bacon and cheddar cheese. Place the tray back on the grill and close the lid.
**You can use indirect heat to melt the cheddar, it doesn’t have to be placed right on the grill.
The only thing left to do is put the finished product on the bun and enjoy your chicken sandwich! If you want to make the grilled chicken sandwich extra special, add a few slices of red onion and use a brioche bun, a soft ciabatta bun, or thick French bread slices instead of a hamburger bun.
You can take your bread game to the next level by brushing the bun with butter and briefly grilling it so you can serve this sandwich on a toasted bun.
If you’ve got someone watching their carbs, serve up this deliciousness on a bed of spinach, romaine or lettuce leaves.
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
And while I do favor this grilled chicken sandwich, there isn’t anything wrong with a fried chicken sandwich here or there. Check out my Nashville hot chicken sandwich for a spicy take. Or, if you want to take a departure from the land and move to seafood-based sandwiches, try my ultimate softshell crab sandwich.
What else can I serve with this sandwich?
The juicy chicken is really the star of the show, but you can add all sorts of other sandwich toppings, from dill pickles or relish to homemade mayo.
Serve the sandwich alongside your favorite picnic sides like potato salad, macaroni salad, or something as simple as potato chips.
Recipe FAQ’s
While I’m a big believer that most food, in moderation, is healthy, this grilled chicken sandwich does rate up toward to top of healthier grilled foods. It’s packed full of protein yet doesn’t have the high fat content of other chicken sandwiches that rely on frying for flavor.
Most cheeses pair well with grilled chicken. This recipe calls for a bold white cheddar, but you can use any others, from melty provolone cheese to funky blue cheese. Other great choices are mozzarella, Swiss cheese, or plain old American cheese.
Yes, you can. You can roast the chicken breast on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached on a meat thermometer.
You can also use a grill pan or saute pan on the stove. Or use an air fryer.
In truth, 30 minutes is enough to get some of the flavors into the chicken. Ideally, I would give it 4 hours if I had the time, but I usually end up with 90 minutes at best.
More Sandwich Recipes You’ll Love!
When it’s time to grill up deliciousness for your friends and family, my Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich should be at the top of your must-cook list! I also share my ideas on how to change up the recipe to make it fit your tastes.
The Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 ounce each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika **regular paprika can be substituted
Honey Balsamic Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sweet onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons honey **brown sugar can be substituted
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste ** ketchup can be substituted
- 2 tablespoons bourbon **optional – I did not use this in my recipe, but it could add another dimension to the flavor
Sandwich
- 4 ounces Sharp Cheddar shredded
- 8 slices bacon cooked and drained
- 4 slices tomato or 8 smaller slices
- 4 seeded hamburger buns or your favorite hamburger bun
Instructions
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a hot pan along with the chopped sweet onion and chopped garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, do not burn the garlic and onions.
- Add the balsamic, tomato paste and honey to the pan. Bring to a light boil and remove from the heat. At this point add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin out the mixture.
- In a ziplock bag, add chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and half of the honey balsamic sauce (reserve the rest for the grilling process). Make sure the chicken is completely coated in the seasonings. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to develop in the raw chicken.
- cook bacon in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Set aside till needed.
- shred cheddar cheese. Set aside till needed.
- slice tomatoes and set aside till needed.
- Heat the grill to 350-450 degrees so you get good scoring marks.
- Brush the chicken breasts with the remainder of the honey balsamic sauce and grill each side about 3-4 minutes(or it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
Building the Sandwich
- Place the grilled chicken breast on a sheet pan and top each breast with a large slice of tomato (or two small slices), 2 slices of bacon and one ounce of shredded cheddar.
- Place the pan on the grill and close the lid to allow the cheddar to melt. **You can also melt the cheddar in your oven under the broiler.
- Place the finished topped chicken breasts on your choice of buns and enjoy!
jean says
Hi! What is the green you sprinkled on top of sandwiches?
Chef Dennis Littley says
chopped parsley
Terry Watson says
Wow! Best chicken breast sandwich that I have ever made! Juicy, flavorful and so well balanced that I ate my sandwich on a Cheesecake Factory brown bread roll PLAIN and it was delicious ! Thank you, Chef! This is the only way I will prepare grilled chicken breast sandwiches from this point forward-excellent!