Grilled Chicken Sandwich – WellPlated.com

This Grilled Chicken Sandwich is nothing like the afterthought grilled chicken sandwiches you’ve seen on fast food menus. With a scrumptious honey Dijon marinade, the chicken is juicy, flavorful, and ready to be assembled into your ideal sandwich!

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe

• Perfectly Cooked Chicken. Grilled chicken can often be bland, dry, and rubbery. This grilled chicken sandwich (and my Grilled Chicken Tenders) is the redemption. It’s marinated in a blend of honey, garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of Dijon. The chicken is moist, juicy, and delicious enough to enjoy on its own.
• Great for a Crowd. Need to serve a large group of people? This grilled chicken sandwich has you covered! For a group, you can marinate as many chicken breasts as you need in advance, fire them off just before serving, then let your guests assemble their own. Prepare to be praised!
• Fast and Healthy. While making this grilled chicken sandwich may not be faster than a drive-through, it isn’t too far off. This sandwich is ready in under an hour (with 30 minutes of marinating time). Plus, these grilled chicken sandwiches are healthier than anything you’d get from a fast food joint!

How to Make the Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich

The Ingredients

• Chicken Breast. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts create a healthy, protein-packed, crowd-pleasing sandwich. (Want to know how to grill chicken like a pro? Check out my Grilled Chicken Breast.)
• Honey. Adds delicious sweetness to the chicken marinade and helps it caramelize as it cooks.
• Dijon. The tangy mustard flavor of Dijon gives depth to the marinade.
• Lemon Juice. Helps tenderize the chicken breasts. You can swap the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar if you’d like.
• Spices. Smoked paprika and garlic powder add smoky, garlicky flavor to the marinade.
• Buns. We like to serve our grilled chicken sandwiches on seeded whole wheat hamburger buns or brioche buns. You could use any type of bun you prefer (just make sure it’s good quality!).
• Lettuce + Tomato. Cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes are classic grilled chicken sandwich toppings, but you can choose whatever toppings you want (like Refrigerator Pickles!).

The Directions

1. Marinate the Chicken. At least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Grill the Chicken. Grill chicken breast at 375 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes.

3. Let the Chicken Rest. Now is a great time to toast the buns.

4. Assemble. Add toppings and sauces as you please. ENJOY!

Make It Your Own

• Gourmet. Add “fancy” toppings like caramelized onions and Sauteed Mushrooms, plus an elevated cheese like Brie, gouda, or fontina.
• Oniony. For a delicious topping upgrade, try my Quick Pickled Onions. Or, add caramelized onions.
• Spicy. Looking for a chicken sandwich reminiscent of your favorite from Chick-fil-A? Don’t miss my Spicy Chicken Sandwich.
• Honey Mustard. Slather your bun with honey mustard before assembling the sandwich.
• Buffalo. For a little kick, add Buffalo sauce to your chicken sandwich bun.
• BBQ. BBQ sauce goes well on a chicken sandwich (I recommend my homemade Barbecue Sauce).
• Pesto. Use Mozzarella cheese for your sandwich and spread Basil Pesto onto your bottom bun. YUM!
• Club. Add slices of Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon. Instead of a bun, use sourdough slices and toast your sandwich on a panini press.
• Tex-Mex. Adding avocado slices and jalapeno to your chicken sandwich. You could add the Best Guacamole and salsa too.
• Ranch. Spread your bun with Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip.

Meal Prep Tip

For easy, grab-and-go sandwiches all week long, grill the chicken breasts as directed and refrigerate them in an airtight storage container. Prep any toppings you’d like to use and slice the buns (if needed).

What to Serve with a Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Treat Your Chicken Right. Don’t overcook your chicken! This is juicy chicken sandwich rule #1. Also, marinating is not optional. The marinade (especially the salt in the marinade) both flavors the chicken and makes it more moist (see this Chicken Marinade for more information).
• Keep It From Getting Soggy. It’s all in the preparation! You can assemble a chicken sandwich in any order, but personally, I prefer to start with a crisp lettuce leaf to make sure the bottom bun doesn’t become soggy while I am eating the sandwich.
• Be Picky About Your Bun. I have had many a restaurant sandwich (or Turkey Burger) not live up to its potential, because the bun was lackluster (little flavor, too thick or too thin, flimsy, dry, etc.). Brioche is always a good choice.
• Try It With Chicken Thighs. While I haven’t made this sandwich with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, you could certainly try it with these Grilled Chicken Thighs. The thighs usually cook for about 4-6 minutes on each side (depending on the type of grill and its temperature), but be sure to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check them for doneness. (For a sandwich that uses chicken thighs, don’t miss my Pulled Chicken Sandwich.)