Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe
The ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich recipe with pesto aioli, pickled onions, cheese and avocado - perfect for any time of the year!
Ingredients
Chicken Sandwich:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices American cheese
- 4 focaccia buns
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 avocado sliced
- quick pickled onions
Pesto Aioli:
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons pesto store-bought or homemade pesto
- ½ cup mayo
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Place 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in reusable silicone bag or glass container. In a small bowl whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons garlic, 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Pour marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (or overnight).
- Prep Pesto Aioli + Quick-Pickled Onions: In a small bowl combine the Pesto Aioli ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready. Prep the quick pickled onions and set aside until ready-to-use.
- Grill Chicken: Heat grill to medium-high heat (approximately 450℉). Place chicken on direct heat (direct flame) and cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Move chicken away from the direct heat (direct flame) so that it is cooking on indirect heat (maintaining the same grill temp) and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes (you don't need to flip at this point because the chicken will cook as if it is in an oven) or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reads 157℉ on your meat thermometer.
- Cheese + Rest: Add the cheese slices and close grill again to allow cheese to melt. Remove from grill when the internal temperature reaches 160℉ and let rest at least 5 minutes so the juices can redistribute (the chicken will continue to cook during this time and the internal temp will continue to rise 5 additional degrees).
- Assemble Sandwiches: Feel free to toast the focaccia buns (lightly butter and then grill them cut side down for a minute or two) - then place bottom bun on a plate followed by some arugula, a healthy amount of Pesto Aioli, grilled chicken, avocado slices, pickled onions and then add some more Pesto Aioli to the cut-side of the top bun and place on top. Cut in half and enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten-Free: simply use a gluten-free bun.
- Dairy-Free: use a dairy-free pesto in your Pesto Aioli and a dairy-free version of American cheese.
- Grill Time: we are purposely trying to use smaller chicken breasts here so they fit on the buns a bit better and you aren't eating 90% chicken with every bite of sandwich, so the cook time is a bit less here than your typical chicken breast. Just use an internal meat thermometer to keep track of the temp!
Nutrition
Calories: 669kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 2097mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 4mg
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