Fast food chicken sandwiches may be trendy these days, but it's hard to beat this tasty recipe prepared at home! Yogurt marinated chicken breast is grilled to perfection, topped with tahini sauce and served with fresh toppings. Trust me, this is a delicious sandwich for any time of the year.
We never run out of chicken recipes, especially when it comes to summer dinners. From grilled spatchcock chicken and chicken kabobs to Greek grilled chicken, there's a little something for everyone to enjoy. Today I'm going to show you how to make the best grilled chicken sandwich with bright Mediterranean flavors. Just like our grilled steak sandwich, this one is also packed with so much flavor in every bite! Read on for all my tips and tricks I used to make this recipe.
Table Of Contents:
The keys to a perfect Mediterranean grilled chicken sandwich
- Marinade: A good marinade is the key to a tasty grilled chicken sandwich. I recommend using a yogurt-based marinade similar to my chicken gyro since it keeps the chicken tender and moist. It's best to marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour up to 6 hours.
- Don't overcook: Overcooked chicken breast can be dry and chewy, so keep a close eye on it when grilling. The chicken is ready when an instant thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers at 165 degrees F.
- Not too thick: If the chicken breasts are too thick, slice them in half lengthwise using a sharp knife.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breast: Use boneless skinless chicken breast and make sure all the pieces are almost the same size for even cooking.
- Marinade: You need yogurt, olive oil, garlic, paprika, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Fixings: Enjoy this sandwich with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, green pepper and a yogurt tahini sauce.
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl mix the yogurt with the olive oil, garlic and the spices. Add in the chicken and make sure all pieces are well coated. Cover with a plastic wrap and marinate for 1 hour up to 6 hours.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat the grill to medium high and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Take the chicken breasts out of the bowl using a pair of tongs and shake to get rid of the excess marinade. Place the chicken on the grill grates and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Assemble: Make the tahini sauce by mixing yogurt, tahini, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toast the brioche buns if desired and spread the sauce on both sides. Top with the grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pickles and other toppings of your choice. Serve immediately.
Variations
Here are a few ways to jazz up your grilled chicken sandwich:
- Grill indoors: You can make this recipe using a grill pan or simply a skillet. Cook the chicken over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Make it spicy: Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the marinade to give the chicken a little bit of heat.
- Onions: For more flavor, grill the onion as the as the chicken or make Turkish sumac onions or quick pickled red onions to top the chicken.
- Use other sauces: There are a bunch of sauces you can use to assemble your sandwich. Our favorite are toum (Lebanese garlic sauce), zhoug (Yemeni spicy cilantro sauce), pesto, aioli and tzatziki.
Serving suggestions
I love serving grilled chicken sandwiches with grilled asparagus, Mediterranean grilled vegetables or Greek baked fries. If looking for salads as side dishes, try Greek salad, Mediterranean salad or cucumber tomato feta salad.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can reheat the chicken in the oven at 275 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing instructions: Once the grilled chicken breasts are completely cool, place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before heating.
What to do with the leftover grilled chicken?
There are several ways to use up the leftovers: Make another sandwich, a healthy chicken salad in no time or add it to fresh green salads or soups.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs to make this recipe. Cooking time might vary depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces.
It's best to marinate the chicken breasts for up to 6 hours in advance and then grill and assemble the sandwiches when you're ready to serve.
Yes, you can use non-dairy yogurt as long as it's plain and not flavored. You can also leave it out, but keep in mind that the yogurt keeps the chicken moist and tender. If leaving the yogurt out, use ¼ cup olive oil instead.
Yes, bake the marinated chicken in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lemon juice of
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless skinless
Tahini yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Assemble:
- 4 brioche buns
- 1 cup pickles
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 roma tomato sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 4 lettuce leaves
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix the yogurt with the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and make sure all pieces are well-coated with the marinade. Cover with a plastic wrap and marinate for at least 1 hour up to 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium high and brush the grates with some vegetable oil. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade using a pair of tongs. Shake the chicken pieces to remove the excess marinade. Place the chicken on the grates and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The chicken is ready once the internal temperature registers at 165°F.
- To make the tahini yogurt sauce, mix the yogurt with tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- To assemble the sandwiches, toast the brioche buns and spread the tahini yogurt sauce on the buns. Top with the grilled chicken, pickles, red onion, tomatoes, green bell pepper and lettuce leaves.
Video
Notes
- You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Cooking time may vary.
- If the chicken breasts are too thick, slice them in half lengthwise.
- If you don't want to use outdoor grill, use a grill pan or a skillet and cook the chicken over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes one each side. You can also bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- To make this recipe spicy, add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 275 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Serve the grilled chicken sandwiches with grilled asparagus, Mediterranean grilled vegetables or Greek baked fries. If looking for salads as side dishes, try Greek salad, Mediterranean salad or cucumber tomato feta salad.
Carrie Robinson
What a tasty idea for a sandwich! 🙂 I am loving that yogurt tahini sauce. Yum!