How to Make The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich

A flavor-packed marinade and the best toppings make this the Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich recipe. After marinating for a few hours, your chicken breasts will pick up loads of flavor. Serve on a toasted bun with your favorite toppings for a quick weeknight dinner.

Photo byThriving Home

Why We Love This Recipe

• Incredible family meal. All ages love it.
• Great recipe to serve to groups of people. Simply double or triple the recipe, grill or bake a large amount of chicken at once, and serve in a buffet style with the buns and all the toppings.
• It’s freezer-friendly. Double or triple it for your future self. Here are more Chicken Freezer Meal Ideas.
• Simple Ingredients.

Ingredients Needed

Now it’s time for a store run. Here’s what you’ll need on hand to make this super flavorful grilled chicken sandwich.

Photo byThriving Home

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 6 slices of cheddar cheese
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and broken in half (try our No-Fail Way to Cook Bacon)
• 6 whole wheat hamburger buns (or make your own Homemade Hamburger Buns)
• Optional toppings: BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato slices, onion slices, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard

Ingredient Notes:

• Bacon – Try our No-Fail Way to Cook Bacon
• Whole wheat hamburger buns – Make your own Homemade Hamburger Buns.
• Optional toppings: BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato slices, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard

How to Make a Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Peruse this quick overview of how the recipe comes together. Specific directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make the Marinade

In a gallon-sized freezer bag, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ginger, and paprika. Gently shake the bag to mix. Then set aside. Here are 7 more Amazing Chicken Marinades.

Slice the Chicken into Cutlets

Next, carefully cut the chicken breasts lengthwise through the center to create two thin halves out of each breast. To do this, place your hand firmly on top of the chicken and slice back and forth lengthwise using a sawing motion. Make sure to use a sharp knife! You can find one of our favorites here.

There are two reasons we cut the chicken like this: 1) more surface area for the marinade to reach (meaning more flavor infusion), and 2) the chicken will cook faster and more evenly. We do the same thing for our Honey Dijon Chicken Sandwiches.

Marinate (or Freeze) the Chicken

Place the 6 chicken cutlets in the bag with the marinade, seal the bag, and shake to ensure the breasts are coated. (Freezing instructions begin here.) Set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours to marinate.

Photo byThriving Home

Cook the Chicken

We prefer grilled chicken for this recipe, but you can also use our baking instructions in the recipe card below.

Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade using tongs and add to the grill. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side or until done. (Chicken is done when juices run clear or the internal temperature is 165° F.)

Assemble the Sandwiches

On top of a bun, place 1 chicken breast, 1 slice of cheese, some bacon, and optional toppings.

Photo byThriving Home

Make It a Freezer Meal Kit

Not only are these Grilled Chicken Sandwiches great for a group, but they also work as a make-ahead freezer meal or a meal to take to a friend in need. I like to pack mine up as a little kit and freeze it all together. That way I have everything I need on a busy night!

Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-3 in the recipe (do not marinate in the refrigerator though). Package the bacon and cheese slices separately in small freezer bags. To make a freezer meal kit, freeze the chicken in marinade alongside the bacon, cheese, and buns.

Photo byThriving Home

Prepare From Frozen: You’ll need the sandwich toppings on hand to complete this meal. Thaw the meal kit in the refrigerator using one of our safe thawing methods for chicken. Follow the recipe beginning with Step 4.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Oh man, I have so many great ideas for you! Here are a few side dishes that would go well with this recipe…

• Jane’s Grilled Peaches
• How to Grill Asparagus
• How to Grill Corn
• Steak Fries

Grilled Chicken Sandwich Toppings

If you serve as a sandwich, here are some toppings you’ll want to have on hand:

• Cooked bacon slices (here is how to bake bacon in the oven, FYI)
• Lettuce
• Tomato Slices
• Mayonnaise
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• BBQ Sauce (Use our homemade BBQ Sauce recipe)
• Cheddar cheese slices
• Whole Wheat Buns or Brioche Buns (or make your Hamburger Buns)

Another idea is to serve this chicken on top of a salad. It would be delicious on a recipe like our Cobb Salad!