Grilled Caesar-Style Chicken Sandwich

There’s still time to grill

Summer seems to be winding down. That means my grill begins it SLOW hibernation into its deep fall/winter sleep. But wait…I’m not ready yet!

After all, there’s still plenty after-work daylight. And there’s still time one more weekend BBQ (or two) before the fall sets in.

So that means this veggie and herb-filled Grilled Caesar-Style Chicken Sandwich can make one last summer appearance.

The Extra Healthy Parts

I love this sandwich! And not just because it tastes great. It’s also loaded with herbs (basil, garlic, and fennel) and green veggies (spinach/lettuce). Even the delicious fresh-from-my-garden tomato has an honored spot on this sandwich.

But the secret in the taste is in the herb-y dressing that goes on the salad. The basil, garlic and fennel adds freshness and a crunchy crispness to the sandwich. It almost tastes like a Caesar salad dressing, but I skip the raw egg and anchovy, though.

Even better is that there’s so much nutrition in the “salad” part of this sandwich.

• Basil is an excellent source of antioxidants to fight all those nasty free radicals floating through your body. Basil also has many anti-inflammatory (the root of many diseases) effects. Meaning that it may help fight of cancer and heart disease. Some studies show basil may even lower even your stress level.
• Garlic. Not to be outdone by basil, garlic is also loaded with antioxidants along with anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Experts believed it’s best when the garlic is fresh and each clove is smushed up to release all the nutrients.
• Fennel is making a grand appearance here. It’s chock full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, too. Fennel is super good for the digestive system–lessening abdominal pain, colic and flatulence.

How to Make this Grilled Caesar-Style Chicken Sandwich

• For the Marinade: 
  • Combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and black pepper in a medium-size bowl.
  • Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until everything is well combined.
• For the Chicken: 
  • Place half of marinade/dressing in a small bowl and ADD mayonnaise and pickle. MIX to combine. SET ASIDE.
  • ADD chicken to the marinade. TOSS chicken to evenly coat. MARINATE chicken for at least 1 hour up to 5 hours.
  • HEAT grill on medium-high heat. OIL the grates. GRILL chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through (after cooking for 4 minutes).  PLACE grilled chicken on a platter and let REST for 5 minutes.
• For the Salad:
  • In a medium bowl, COMBINE sliced fennel, fennel fronds, basil, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
  • Add some salt and black pepper to taste.
• For the Sandwich:
  • Place the buns on the grill for about 30 seconds (optional).
  • Spread what’s left of the marinade/dressing on the inside of each bun.
  • Place lettuce or spinach leaves along with a slice of tomato on bottom half of the bun.
  • Place chicken on top of the tomato and the the fennel/basil salad on top of the chicken.
  • Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy!

Other Fun Sandwiches to try

Cuban-Style Pork Sandwich (Cubano)

Grilled Apple, Ham and Swiss Cheese

Print Recipe

Grilled Caesar-Style Chicken Sandwich

Author: Anita's Table Talk

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon salt (or seasoning salt)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (plus an additional 2 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus additional 2 teaspoons)
• 6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/8-1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (or dill pickle relish)
• 4 boneless chicken thighs or breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
• 4 brioche buns (or buns of choice)
• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
• 1 cup basil leaves, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4-6 romaine lettuce leaves or spinach leaves (or my favorite, a combo)
• 1 medium tomato, sliced

Instructions

For the Marinade

• In a medium bowl, WHISK together the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and black pepper.
• WHISK in ⅓ cup olive oil until well combined.

For the Chicken

• PLACE half of marinade/dressing in a small bowl. ADD mayonnaise and pickle. MIX to combine. SET ASIDE.
• ADD chicken to the marinade. TOSS chicken to evenly coat. MARINATE chicken for at least 1 hour up to 5 hours.
• HEAT grill on medium-high heat. OIL the grates. GRILL chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through (after cooking for 4 minutes). 
• PLACE grilled chicken on a platter and let REST for 5 minutes.

For the Salad

• In a medium bowl, COMBINE sliced fennel, fennel fronds, basil, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. ADD salt and black pepper to taste.

To prepare sandwich

• SPREAD reserved marinade on inside of each bun.
• PLACE tomato and lettuce/spinach leaves on bottom half of the bun.
• TOP with chicken and then the fennel/basil salad.
• TOP sandwiches with top buns.

Notes

Notes:  Buns taste great toasted for about 30 seconds on the grill before loading up your sandwich