Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich
Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich – chicken breasts are marinated with Asian flavors, then grilled and topped with an Asian style coleslaw.
Here in the South, grilling outdoors is a year-round activity. Our grill sometimes sees more use than our oven, especially when the weather is warm. Although, we have been known to throw on a sweater and start up the grill even on cold days.
Even when we were very young and living in Maine, BeeBop and I could be seen firing up our grill in the middle of winter. Sure, the neighbors thought we were slightly unbalanced, but did we care? Nope.
One of our favorite things to enjoy from the grill has always been chicken and, because I wanted to try combining grilled chicken with classic Asian flavors, I came up with this Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich.
It’s inspired by the barbecue sandwiches you find in the south served with a generous portion of coleslaw, except that this version has loads of Asian influence. Hope you enjoy it!
How to Make Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich
I chose boneless, skinless chicken breasts for our Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich, but you can also use boneless, skinless thighs if you’d rather. Either choice will be delicious!
This first step is optional, but something I like to take the time to do. I place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper and lightly pound them until they’re a consistent thickness. Having them the same thickness throughout means that they’ll cook through in the same time without one side being done while the other is still undercooked. Here I’m using the flat end of a meat mallet, but you can use a weighty rolling pin or a heavy bottomed pan to do the same.
Marinate the Chicken
Combine the remaining ingredients for the chicken, except buns, and stir together until well mixed. Add the breasts and the marinade to a large re-sealable plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn occasionally to redistribute the marinade around the chicken.
Get it on the Grill
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-low heat cooking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade. Reserve the marinade and set it aside. Grill until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Make the Sauce
Optional but highly recommended: to make a sauce for the sandwiches, strain the marinade through a fine-meshed sieve into a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and cook until reduced to a thick, syrupy sauce.
Note: If you are at all concerned about using the leftover marinade as a sauce, simply make twice the amount of marinade called for in the recipe. Reserve half of the marinade before applying to the chicken and then reduce it as instructed above.
Make the Asian Style Slaw
When ready to serve, prepare the coleslaw. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until everything is evenly combined.
Assemble the Sandwiches
Cut each breast in half cross-wise and serve on a whole wheat bun topped with a spoonful of the sauce and a mound of coleslaw.
Enjoy!
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Roasted Tomato Sandwich
- Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Peppers and Onions
- Grilled Chicken, Apple, and Gouda Sandwich
- Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom Sandwich
- Garlic BLT Stacks
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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Asian Style Barbecue Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
For the barbecue chicken:
- 2 pounds approximately boneless, skinless Tyson chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Asian hot chili-garlic sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 whole wheat sandwich buns
For the slaw:
- 1 lb coleslaw mix
- 3 large green onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger about 1-inch
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly pound the breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper until they are a consistent thickness.
- Combine remaining ingredients, except buns, and stir together until well mixed.
- Add the prepared breasts and the marinade to a large re-sealable plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn occasionally to redistribute the marinade around the chicken.
- Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-low heat cooking.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade. Reserve the marinade and set it aside.
- Grill until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- Optional: to make a sauce for the sandwiches, strain the marinade through a fine meshed sieve into a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and cook until reduced to a thick, syrupy sauce.
- When ready to serve, prepare the coleslaw. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until everything is evenly combined.
- Cut each breast in half cross-wise and serve on a whole wheat bun topped with a spoonful of the sauce and a mound of coleslaw.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally sponsored by Tyson Foods
Love the flavors and textures of this fab grilled chicken sandwich. YUM!
Loving this grilled chicken sandwich! Great flavors Lana.
YUM! I love everything about these sandwiches! Slaw, Asian flavours? Yes, please!
looks delicious, lana!
and I think I might need to tuck that coleslaw recipe away for other uses, too! yum!
The slaw looks mouthwatering piled on top of that chicken! My parents grilled year round too. They run out in the winter, start the grill, run in, run back out, put water needed to be cooked on there and watch from inside.
Your parents sounds just like us, Susan!
Mmmmmm amazing and what great flavors!! I could do this in my kitchen… no need for a grill! Perfect sandwich!
Of course you could, Jamie, but the flavor that the grill imparts is hard to beat!
Goodness when you set out to make a sandwich, you don’t stint. This is wild. Asian fusion with barbecue—-brilliant. Geez it looks sooooo good.
You know, I’m not crazy about cold cuts and I really despise a wimpy sandwich. This one really satisfies!
Pity I can’t grill year round, otherwise this delicious sandwich would be on dinner rotation. Yum!
I am so glad that you included pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness. That makes the cooking process so much easier. I use my rolling pin, and just a couple of whacks will do the job.
Tyson products are the best! Always ensured to be fresh and free of additives. I love knowing that I can trust anything with the Tyson label.
Miss P
The pounding makes a huge difference in the way they cook, doesn’t it?
This sandwich looks flavorful and super delicious. It’s a great change up to the normal weekday recipe.
Oh good heavens that slaw is calling my name! Yummmm!
This is incredible. I want to cook it right now and it’s 4 am. Totally acceptable right.
Totally, Kim. Who doesn’t cook barbecue at 4 a.m.?
Oh, Lana…it’s way past dinner time, but all I want is one of your sandwiches! Just fantastic!!
I’m loving that slaw and the Asian flare going on here
Loving that sauce and slaw. I will be making it ASAP! Thanks!
Looks delicious! Love the Asian twist you’ve put on this recipe!
This is my kind of sandwich! Great flavors!
Love the Asian twist on the BBQ chicken!!
Yum, just thinking about the amazing flavor in this sandwich has my mouth watering in anticipation! I grill year-round, too – even in the snow.
My mouth’s watering even now remembering this sandwich, Heather. Yum.