Southwest Grilled Chicken Sandwich

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Southwest Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This Southwest Grilled Chicken Sandwich is juicy and flavorful! It's marinated and topped with Pepper Jack cheese and chipotle mayo sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Marinating Time:2

Total Time2 40

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: Southwest

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: marinated grilled chicken sandwich, chipotle chicken sandwich, southwest chicken sandwiches

Servings:

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Grill Charcoal or Gas

Ingredients

For The Chicken Sandwich:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano or Italian seasoning
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 package Pepper Jack cheese slices or cheese of choice
1-2 packages gluten free burger buns or regular burger buns if not gluten free
1-2 tomatoes sliced, optional
lettuce or greens of choice, optional

For The Chipotle Mayo:

½ cup mayo
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2-3 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce depending on preferred spiciness
¼ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Chicken Sandwiches:

Mince 4 cloves of garlic.
In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, 2 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. oregano (can sub Italian seasoning), ½ tsp. of kosher salt, ¼ tsp. of black pepper, and the minced garlic.
Whisk all of these ingredients together until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
Place 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a large bowl (butterfly the chicken breasts only if they are super thick) and pour the marinade over the top. Toss the chicken breasts in the marinade until completely coated.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 6 hours.
To grill the chicken breasts, heat a charcoal grill or a gas grill to 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the marinated chicken breasts directly over coals (or the hottest part of the grill), cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side.
Flip the chicken breasts over and repeat. Cook over direct heat for 3-5 minutes on the second side.
Move the chicken breasts to indirect heat and cook covered for another 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Test the temperature by sticking a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
Place 1-2 slices of Pepper Jack cheese (or cheese of choice) onto each chicken breasts, cover, and allow to melt for 1-2 minutes.
Allow the chicken to rest for 3-4 minutes and then slice the chicken breasts in half.

For The Chipotle Mayo:

To make the chipotle mayo, start by mincing 1-2 of the adobo peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you prefer your sauce).
Add ½ cup mayo, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 1 Tbsp. of just the adobo sauce, ¼ tsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt to a small bowl.
Stir the sauce until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
Adjust the sauce to taste. If it's too spicy, add a little bit of sugar. Add more adobo sauce if you prefer it even spicier.

Serve The Sandwiches:

Toast the buns on the grill or a skillet on the stove top for a minute or two.
Place some lettuce (or greens of choice) and a few slices of tomato onto the bottom portion of the bun. Add the sliced grilled chicken breast and drizzle with a generous amount of the chipotle mayo. Place any additional desired toppings on the sandwich and serve.

Notes

Cooking times may vary depending on the type of grill used and the thickness of the chicken. Make sure to use a food thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to check if it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

See instructions above on how to cook the chicken indoors on a grill pan.

The chipotle mayo can be made the day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Any leftover chipotle mayo may be store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutrition