Post/photos updated on June 18, 2023.
Change up your grilling game and make a Grilled Chicken Sandwich with pepper jack cheese, bacon and stacked with delicious fresh toppings.
Juicy grilled chicken topped with pepper jack cheese, crispy bacon, crisp romaine lettuce, red onion, fresh sliced tomatoes, tangy dill pickles and a bbq/garlic aioli sauce make these chicken sandwiches a hit!
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The Chicken
I use one full chicken breast (2 halves). This gives me four good sized chicken pieces. You may be able to get more out of one full chicken breast depending on the size of you chicken pieces .
I cut them each in half, giving me four perfect-sized pieces!
Usually chicken breasts have one end that is thicker. If one end is thicker it will not cook evenly. Pound them out to make sure they are an even thickness.
I place plastic wrap over my chicken and then use a meat mallet (a rolling pin or anything heavy will work) to pound them to an even thickness.
Pound the chicken breasts out so they are close to the same thickness so they will cook evenly.
Seasoning the Chicken
The seasoning for the chicken is simple and I bet you have the seasonings in your kitchen. You will need kosher/coarse salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
Just measure the seasonings and mix them together.
You will need some olive oil or canola oil to add to the seasonings. Add the oil to the dry seasonings and mix it up.
You need the oil so the chicken won’t stick to the grill and the oil helps the seasonings cover the chicken evenly.
The easiest way to get the chicken covered in the oil and seasonings I have found is to use a zip top bag.
Put the chicken pieces in a zip top bag.
Then, add the seasonings mixed with the oil.
Shake/squish the chicken in the zip top bag until the chicken is evenly covered in the oil and seasonings.
The chicken is seasoned and ready for the grill!
Grilling the Chicken
Heat your grill on medium heat. Grill your chicken for 15-20 minutes (about 8 minutes on each side, give or take a minute or two).
Flip the chicken half way through grilling.
You will know the chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. in the thickest part of the chicken.
Cheese on the Chicken
Every chicken sandwich needs some cheese.
I prefer Pepper Jack Cheese, but any kind of cheese works. You can use American, Provolone, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese.
Once the chicken is done on the grill, add your sliced cheese to the chicken.
Let it melt on the chicken (keep it on the grill so the heat will help melt it).
Once the cheese is melted, take the chicken with melted cheese off the grill.
The Buns
While the cheese is melting on the chicken, I put my buns on the grill for a few minutes to toast my them with butter (for those that like them toasty).
After they have warmed up for a few minutes I brush some butter on top. Then let them finish toasting to the perfect toasty crunch.
Sauce for the Chicken Sandwich
For the sauce I like to mix up some garlic aioli with BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy and the garlic aioli gives it a bit of a smooth garlic zing. It is a creamy elevated BBQ sauce that is perfect for the Chicken Sandwich.
You can also use straight BBQ sauce.
Just mix the aioli and BBQ sauce together. The amounts on the recipe below is just a starting point. You can adjust the amounts to your liking.
Other Toppings for your Grilled Chicken Sandwich
These Grilled Chicken Sandwiches are loaded with toppings.
Fresh tomato slices, sliced red onions, romaine lettuce, crispy bacon, sliced dill pickles are all stacked high on the chicken sandwich.
To make the sandwich, slather the BBQ Aioli sauce on both the top and bottom bun! Then load it up with the bacon, tomato, red onion, pickles and crispy romaine lettuce. Stack it high on the juicy cheesy grilled chicken!
We eat ours with fresh fruit, a side salad or some chips and dip!
If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
For some other delicious recipes try my Southwest Chicken Sandwich Wraps, or my Oriental Chicken Wraps.
Try my Beef Roast French Dip Sandwiches in the oven or my Super Easy Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches.
Also try my Super Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes from Scratch!
Here are some products I used to make this recipe!
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Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
Chicken Seasoning – see notes
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil *see notes
Toppings for Sandwich – these are just suggestions
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 head romaine lettuce, rinsed and leaves pulled apart
- 8-10 slices bacon, cooked and cut in half (so it fits a burger/sandwich) *see notes
- 1 Fresh tomato, sliced
- Dill pickles, sliced
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese, or cheese of your choice *see notes
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 tbsp butter, to brush on the buns as they toast on the grill *optional
BBQ/Garlic Aioli Sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (of your choice)
- 1/4 cup Garlic Aioli see notes
Instructions
Chicken
- Cut your chicken breasts into 4 equal pieces so they are about the same size. Pound them out if needed so they are close to the same thickness so they will cook evenly. See blog post above for details on pounding them out if needed.
- Measure and mix your chicken seasonings together. Add the oil to the seasonings and mix it together. Set aside.
- Place your chicken pieces in a zip top bag. Pour the oil/seasoning mixture on the chicken in the zip top bag. Seal the bag and shake/squish the chicken in the bag to get the chicken evenly covered in the seasoning.
- Heat your grill to medium heat. Place the chicken on the grill and grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. Flip the chicken half way through grilling. The chicken usually needs to cook about 8 minutes on each side. Start checking the temperature after you have flipped the chicken and it has cooked for 5 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165℉ in the thickest piece of chicken.
- Once the chicken has reached the proper temperature, add the slices of pepper jack cheese to the chicken on the grill. Keep the chicken on the grill to let the cheese melt.
- If you are toasting your buns add them to the grill when you put the cheese on the chicken. The buns only need a minute or two on the grill. Brush some butter on the tops and let the buns toast to your preferred toastiness! Remove them when they are done to your liking.
- While the chicken is grilling, make your BBQ/Garlic Aioli sauce, cook your bacon and prepare/slice the toppings.
- To make your sandwich, spread the BBQ/Garlic Aioli sauce on the bun (top and bottom). Add the rest of the toppings.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use canola oil, olive oil or vegetable oil to mix with the seasonings. If you are completely against using oil (this helps the chicken not stick to the grill and helps the seasonings cover the chicken evenly), you can just sprinkle the seasoning dry on the chicken. If you are not using oil with the seasonings make sure to grease/oil your grill so the chicken won’t stick to the grill.
- You can use any BBQ sauce you prefer. You don’t have to mix it with the garlic aioli. You can use just BBQ sauce or just Garlic Aioli, or any sauce you prefer.
- I cook 8 -10 pieces of bacon and cut them in half giving you 16-20 pieces which is 4-5 pieces of bacon for each sandwich. (More is always good in my book so cook more if you want more!)
- You do not have to toast your bun. Toppings for this sandwich can be changed to your liking!
- Use any kind of cheese you like- cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack or Colby jack.
