Grilled Chicken Sandwich

At a glance

What stands out: A grilled chicken sandwich is a summertime favorite and this version is packed with flavor. Look for the secret ingredient in the marinade that makes it extra rich!

How long it takes: 25 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: grill or grill pan
Servings: 4

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It

What Makes This Sandwich Special

A flavorful marinade! This isn’t just any old grilled chicken sandwich. This chicken sandwich has FLAVOR, and not just flavor from the grill. This chicken gets its flavor from a smoky, savory marinade. The marinade is seasoned with smoked paprika and garlic powder but the ingredient that makes it shine is… pickle juice!

Dill pickle flavor. Yes, dill pickle brine adds brininess, zip, and zing. It also helps keep the chicken moist and juicy. It’s basically magic. So magical, in fact, that we also add pickle juice to the from-scratch sauce for this grilled chicken sandwich.

Just that little tweak to the classic recipe makes this version a standout. For a different spin on chicken sandwiches, try our Buffalo chicken burger!

Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Straightforward to mix. The chicken just needs a speedy marinade and a few minutes on the grill, and your dinner is ready to devour! A grilled meal means little clean-up, too!

The reliable summer dinner. Grilled chicken sandwiches are the quintessential summer dinner. You cook them outside, you can sit on your patio to eat them (preferably with a orange mojito in hand), and you don’t even need a knife or fork to dig in. (Don’t have time for a marinade? Try our BBQ rub! It adds so much flavor to chicken and gives it a nice caramelized “crust”!)

Great for cookouts and weeknight meals. This grilled chicken sandwich recipe is reliable for an everyday weeknight meal, or you can scale up the recipe and make grilled chicken sandwiches for a crowd. Pretty much everyone loves a grilled chicken sandwich! You can serve the sandwiches simply with chips, or offer a couple of deli salads to go with the sandwich.

Kid-friendly. Kids love chicken and kids love sandwiches—and kids ALSO love being able to customize the toppings and add-ons for their meals, so this chicken sandwich recipe is destined to be a hit.

Tia Said:

“This chicken was so juicy and flavorful! Loved the sauce as well! Such a great recipe!”

See More Reader Reviews

What goes in

This is not a complete list of ingredients. Refer to the recipe card below for ingredients and measurements.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: To make four sandwiches, you’ll need two large chicken breasts, which you’ll slice in half horizontally.
• Dill pickle juice: The vinegary brine in the jar with the pickles tenderizes the chicken and adds a bright, tangy flavor. The dill pickle brine is also added to the sauce.
• Mayonnaise: The base of the sauce is mayonnaise which forms a rich, creamy spread. Use whatever brand you like.
• Dijon or yellow mustard: Along with the pickle juice, mustard gives the sauce a tangy punch of flavor.

How it comes together

Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken breasts in half like you would to butterfly them, but slice all the way through so you have 4 cutlets.

Marinate the chicken. Whisk together the pickle brine, oil, and seasonings in a medium-sized bowl, then add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes minimum, or up an an hour (refrigerated) if you have the time. We wouldn’t marinate the chicken much longer than an hour because the acidic vinegar may make the chicken mushy.

Cook. Put the chicken on a preheated grill (or grill pan if the weather is inclement) and cook it four to five minutes, flip it over, and continue to grill it for an additional 4 to five minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer.

Recipe Tip

Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes after grilling. This helps to lock in the juices, keeping the chicken moist and flavorful. By the time you assemble your sandwiches and serve, 5 minutes should have elapsed, but if not, just let them rest a bit more!

Make the sauce. While the chicken is cooking, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle juice in a small bowl.

Assemble the sandwiches. Toast the sandwich buns on the grill (they’re so much better when toasted!), then spread the sauce on both sides. Arrange the lettuce, tomato, and pickles on the bottom half of the bun, then set the grilled chicken on top. Add the top half of the bun, and serve immediately.

Ways to change it

• Add avocado. Creamy avocado slices are a rich addition to any grilled chicken sandwich! You can add avocado instead of, or in addition to, the mayo spread.
• Intensify the dill. If you’re into dill, add chopped fresh dill to the sauce.
• Make it cheesy. Put a slice of cheese on each piece of chicken during the last minute of cooking time. Monterey Jack or Swiss would be good options.
• Experiment with marinades. If you’re not fond of dill pickles, try our chicken thigh marinade, Greek chicken marinade, lemon pepper chicken marinade, or tequila lime chicken marinade. BBQ chicken marinade is another great option for grilled chicken sandwiches. Slather the sandwiches with additional BBQ sauce and maybe even add a few strips of bacon!

Ways to serve it

Fries. A classic pairing! Try our air fryer French fries or air fryer sweet potato fries. Make extra sauce to dip the fries into.

Side salad. Go with a deli-style salad like dill potato salad, green pea salad, or a crisp green salad like this house salad. Broccoli cauliflower salad is always a hit, too. If you’d rather keep things simple with finger foods, cut up carrots and celery, and serve them with from-scratch dill vegetable dip.

Fruit salad. Summer brings fabulous fresh fruits. Try a fruit salad or these patriotic fruit kabobs with cream cheese fruit dip.

Corn on the cob. Instant Pot corn on the cob is one of our favorite summer sides! It’s so straightforward to mix! Sautéed fresh corn is wonderful if you don’t like biting the corn off the cob.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the sauce and toppings separately to keep everything fresh.

Freeze: For longer storage, leftover chicken can be frozen in freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags for up to 3 months. We recommend wrapping the chicken breasts in plastic wrap before storage to protect against freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat: Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave, on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the oven at 325ºF. To keep the chicken from drying out in the oven, we like to place the cutlets in a pan with a splash of water or broth, and cover it with foil.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 28 minutes

Ingredients

For chicken:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice (brine from pickle jar)

For sandwich:

• 4 sandwich buns (brioche, potato rolls, or sesame seed buns)
• ½ cup sliced dill pickles (or 8 sandwich sliced pickles)
• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• leaf lettuce

For sauce:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice (brine from pickle jar)

Method

1. Cut each chicken breast in half as if you were going to butterfly it, but cut all the way through to make two thin flat pieces (4 total). The thinner pieces of chicken soak in lots of the marinade, grill more quickly, and work better on a sandwich.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and pickle juice to make marinade.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, and coat evenly with marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour for extra tenderness.
4. Preheat grill to 400ºF-450ºF, or preheat grill pan on stove over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, and 1 tablespoon pickle juice for sandwich spread.
6. Lightly toast the sandwich buns on the grill for about 1 minute.
7. Spread the pickle mayo sauce on both halves of the toasted buns. Layer lettuce, tomato slices, and pickles on the bottom bun, and place the cooked chicken on top. Cover with the top bun and serve immediately.

Notes

Pickles: we like to use the refrigerated fresh pickles but any type of dill pickle works. To measure, just strain some juice out of the jar, or dip your measuring spoon in.

Cheese: If you’d like, add cheese. Use sliced cheese and place on chicken in the last minute of grilling time to melt the cheese.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the for up to 4 days. Store the buns, sauce, and toppings separately to keep everything fresh. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap the chicken pieces separately so you can remove one at a time. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.