Grilled Chicken Avocado Sandwich (Printable version)

Juicy grilled chicken with mashed avocado, tomato, onion, spinach and Dijon-mayo on toasted rolls—flavorful lunch.

# What you need:

→ Chicken Marinade

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Sandwich Assembly

08 - 4 sandwich rolls or ciabatta buns, split
09 - 1 large ripe avocado
10 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1 medium tomato, sliced
12 - 1 cup baby spinach or lettuce
13 - 4 slices Swiss or cheddar cheese (optional)
14 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
15 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

# How To:

01 - Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally through the center, yielding 4 evenly thin cutlets for faster, more uniform grilling.
02 - Whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cutlets and toss to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes per side until fully cooked through and nicely charred with distinct grill marks.
04 - Halve and pit the avocado, then scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Mash with a fork, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Combine the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a small bowl, stirring until smooth and well blended.
06 - Lightly toast the split sandwich rolls on the grill or in a toaster until golden and slightly crisp on the cut sides.
07 - Spread Dijon mayo on the bottom half of each roll. Layer with spinach or lettuce, a grilled chicken cutlet, a slice of cheese if desired, tomato slices, red onion, and a generous spoonful of mashed avocado. Cap with the top half of the roll.
08 - Serve the sandwiches immediately while the chicken is still warm and the rolls are fresh and crisp.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoked paprika marinade does most of the heavy lifting so you look like a genius with barely any effort.
  • Creamy avocado smashed right on the sandwich means you never need a separate sauce recipe.
  • It scales effortlessly from a solo lunch to a crowd pleasing dinner with zero extra thinking.
02 -
  • Do not skip butterflying the chicken because thick breasts take twice as long to cook and dry out before the center is done.
  • Let the avocado sit with a squeeze of lemon juice after mashing to keep it from turning brown if you are prepping ahead.
  • Press down lightly on the assembled sandwich with your palm for a few seconds so everything holds together when you pick it up.
03 -
  • Let the grilled chicken rest for two minutes off the heat before assembling so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the bun.
  • Use the back of a spoon to spread the mashed avocado all the way to the edges of the bread because every bite deserves that creamy contrast.

Go back