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The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Create the ultimate grilled chicken sandwiches for any weeknight by prepping and freezing all the components ahead of time. This well-seasoned, versatile grilled chicken also works to top pasta or salads.
Ingredients
- 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 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
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- 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.
- Slice the Chicken: (Note: This step is essential for even cooking.) Carefully cut the chicken breasts lengthwise through the center to create two thin halves out of each breast. If needed, pound down the thicker parts to create cutlets that are the same thickness. (See instructions about how to do this in the blog post above.)
- 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.
- Cook the Chicken: Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade using tongs and add to grill. Discard 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 cheese, some bacon, and optional toppings.
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-3 (do not marinate in refrigerator). Package the bacon and cheese slices separately in small freezer bags (or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil). To make a freezer meal kit, freeze the chicken in marinade alongside the bacon, cheese, and buns.
Prepare From Frozen: You’ll need the optional toppings on hand to complete this meal. Thaw the meal kit in the refrigerator. Follow the recipe beginning with Step 4.
Notes/Tips
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The bacon is uncured, contains no sugar, and is absolutely delicious! The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat and have used it for years ourselves.
Baking Instructions: You can bake the chicken cutlets in the oven, if you don’t want to grill it. Bake at 400°F on a rimmed sheet pan or in a casserole dish for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F internally or there is no more pink inside.