Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Sandwich
Yield: 4 servings
This easy Grilled Chicken Sandwich recipe features grilled juicy chicken and sweet pineapple, plus a quick creamy basil sauce. It's hearty yet light, and fantastically fresh-tasting - a delightful combination of savory and sweet!
Ingredients
- 16 large basil leaves, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup good quality mayonnaise
- ¾ teaspoon powdered garlic (not garlic salt)
- 8 thin vertical spears fresh pineapple
- 2 chicken breasts, 6-8 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 elongated ciabatta rolls (or your favorite elongated sandwich bread)
- 8 thin slices fresh tomato
- 8 thin slices fresh red onion
Instructions
- Prepare the creamy basil sauce by blitzing the basil, mayonnaise, and powdered garlic in the bowl of a small food processor, or with an immersion blender, until smooth. Set sauce aside.
- Heat grill to medium to medium-high heat. Scrub the grates clean and then oil them well. (See Notes.)
- Place each chicken breast in a sealable plastic baggie and pound as thinly as you can without breaking up the breast. Rub a little olive oil over both sides of chicken breasts and then season fairly generously, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Place pineapple spears on hot oiled grates and grill 1-3 minutes per side, or until nicely charred. Remove from grill; set aside.
- Place the cut side of the ciabatta rolls on the hot grates for about 1 minute, or just until lightly charred. Remove from grill; set aside.
- Clean and oil grill grates again. Place chicken breasts on the grates and cook for just 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely charred. The chicken is thin, so be careful to not overcook. Grilling time will depend on size and thickness of individual chicken breasts and grill temperature, so this may take more or less time. When the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°F with an instant-read thermometer, the chicken is done. Take care to not overcook, as that will make the chicken dry and tough. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for a couple minutes, then slice each breast in half to best fit onto ciabatta.
- To assemble sandwiches, spread some creamy basil sauce onto the bottom of each ciabatta roll. Add two slices of tomato, half of a grilled chicken breast, two slices of red onion, and 2 spears of grilled pineapple to each roll. Add the top portion of the roll. Enjoy right away.
Notes
To oil grill grates: Scrub the grates clean. Then add some vegetable oil to a small bowl. Fold a heavy paper towel a few times to make a smaller square. With a tongs, grasp the folded paper towel and dip it into the oil until the paper towel is drenched. Then run the paper towel over the grates, repeating until all grill grates are thoroughly oiled.
Inspired by a similar sandwich served at the International Cafe on the Coral Princess during our Panama Canal Cruise.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 546kcal Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 23g Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 6g Polyunsaturated Fat: 31g Cholesterol: 68mg Sodium: 648mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.