This BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe is one our family comes back to again and again. It's fast, flavorful, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Juicy chicken breasts are seasoned, cooked until tender, topped with bacon, onions, melty Colby Jack cheese, and finished with your favorite barbecue sauce for an easy sandwich recipe that works just as well for busy weeknights as it does for feeding a crowd.
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Why Everyone Loves This Sandwich
This BBQ chicken sandwich recipe is one I've made countless times, and honestly, it doesn't need much explaining — just look at it. Juicy chicken, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and crispy bacon do most of the talking.
I developed this recipe while working on my my easy homemade BBQ sauce, which I make regularly for backyard barbecues at our house. My husband is one serious Texan barbecue purist who usually prefers his meat plain, but even he couldn't resist this sandwich. Between the smoky sauce, tender chicken, and bacon, it's a combo that wins over sauce-lovers and purists alike.
Why This Recipe Works
- Built-In Flavor | The flavor builds layer by layer in the same pan, starting with bacon, moving to chicken, and finishing with onions that soak up every last browned bit.
- Chicken Breasts, Perfected | This recipe calls for thinly sliced chicken breasts (also known as chicken cutlets), which cook quickly and evenly — no dry chicken here. We use the same cut of poultry in our ciabatta chicken sandwiches and it never fails.
- Sauce Timing | Instead of cooking the chicken directly in the bbq sauce (like pulled chicken), the chicken is pan-seared until perfectly juicy then finished with sauce just before serving. This keeps the texture intact and barbecue flavor full throttle.
- Simple Seasoning | The all-purpose spice blend for this restaurant-quality sandwich is likely already in your spice cabinet. Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder are all you need.
BBQ Chicken Sandwich Ingredients
- Chicken Cutlets | Cutlets are typically found alongside boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the meat section of the grocery store. If you can't find them, purchase boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them to an even thickness.
- Oil + Seasoning | Any neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, works great for this recipe. Its purpose is help the seasoning adhere to the chicken while searing. For seasoning, you'll need Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. For extra flavor, try our chicken seasoning!
- Bacon | Here's where the flavor bomb comes in. Thick-cut bacon adds a hearty, smoky bite that pairs perfectly with BBQ sauce.
- Onions | Red or yellow onion both work beautifully in this BBQ chicken sandwich recipe. When sauteed, they add a subtle sweetness and savory depth to just about any and all toasty sandwiches. Our steak sandwich and prime rib sandwich provide further proof if you need to see with your own eyes.
- Cheese | Colby Jack is buttery, mild, and an amazing melter, making it our go-to pick for this sandwich. Cheddar or American cheese will also work. Freshly grated cheese is preferred for the best melt and major cheese stretch vibes, but sliced cheese is a fine substitute.
- Buns | Hamburger, kaiser, or potato buns work great — use what you love!
- BBQ Sauce | You can use homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Cook the Bacon | This sandwich is basically flavor, on flavor...on flavor. It begins with thick-cut, pan-seared bacon. Cooking the bacon first not only gives you the ultimate topper for your BBQ chicken sandwich, but leaves behind liquid gold in the pan. AKA — the base layer of flavor for everything that follows.
- Cook the Chicken | Once bacon comes out, the seasoned chicken cutlets go in. Seasoned chicken cutlets cook quickly and evenly, making them ideal for sandwiches. Let them sear undisturbed so they develop a golden exterior, then flip and finish cooking through.
- Cook the Onions | Once the chicken is cooked through, they come out of the pan and the onions go in. Not only taking on the leftover savory goodness left behind from the bacon but now have the added bonus of taking on all those beautiful, browned bits of chicken as well. Cook until softened and deeply flavorful.
- Assemble | Pile everything onto a soft, pillowy bun. Juicy chicken, crispy bacon, melty cheese, those savory onions, and a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce. Top it with melty cheese and a drizzle of barbecue sauce.
Simple, bold, and wildly satisfying. Exactly how a BBQ chicken sandwich should be. If you love one-pan, hearty dinner combos, try my meatloaf sandwiches next.
Grilling vs Pan-Searing
You can grill or pan-sear the chicken for this sandwich. Grilling adds smoky flavor, while pan-searing is faster and more reliable for weeknights. Both methods work; just choose whatever fits your day best!
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Storage | Store leftovers refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Make-Ahead | The bacon, chicken, and onions can be cooked and refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 2 days.
- Reheat | Reheat at 30-second intervals in the microwave until warmed through, then assemble sandwiches.
BBQ Chicken Sandwich FAQs
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (especially cutlets) cook quickly and stay juicy when sauced. Use chicken cutlets or pound out the breast to even thickness for best results.
You can, but sliced chicken breast gives the best sandwich texture.
Yes! The bacon, chicken, and onions can be cooked and refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Just before serving, reheat each item at 30-second intervals in the microwave until warmed through. Then assemble sandwiches as desired.
Both work, but pan-searing is a great way to build flavor quickly and works especially well for weeknight cooking.
More BBQ Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- BBQ Chicken Tostadas are quick-fix, gluten-free dinner idea featuring made-from-scratch tostada shells, chicken, BBQ sauce, and Colby Jack cheese!
- Baked BBQ Chicken Legs and Thighs with crisp skin and a BBQ sauce coating that actually stays put is guaranteed to be the best you have ever had!
- BBQ Baked Chicken Quarters require only a few ingredients and are perfect for any night of the week. This chicken dinner requires only 5 minutes of prep time and baking up tender and juicy!
BBQ Chicken Sandwich | Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken cutlets (thinly sliced chicken breasts)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, separated
- 1 tablespoon TAK House Seasoning or your favorite spice blend
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon halved
- 1 red or yellow onion halved and cut into ¼" slices
- 6 hamburger or kaiser buns warmed
- ¾ cup freshly grated Colby Jack cheese
- ⅓ cup TAK's Blender Barbecue Sauce or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce
Instructions
- On a large work surface, pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of canola oil, sprinkle with TAK Seasoning and rub in on all sides to adhere. Set aside until ready to use.
- Have ready a large plate lined with paper towels. In a large saute pan, fry bacon over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Flip and fry for 3 minutes more, or until deeply browned and crisp. Transfer to plate and set aside to cool.
- Turn off the heat and spoon out the majority of the bacon grease, leaving behind only enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Wipe away any drippings from the pan, and return to medium-high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the pan. Add the cutlets and sear for 5 minutes. Do not jostle, and take care not to overcrowd the pan, cooking cutlets in batches if necessary. Turn over and cook for 3-4 minutes more, or until cooked through. Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and the onion to the pan. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Set aside until ready to use.
- Slice chicken in ½" strips, cutting against the grain. Divide the chicken amongst the buns, add bacon, a healthy pinch of Colby Jack cheese, onions and top with a generous spoonful of barbecue sauce. Serve and enjoy.
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Mignone says
Thanks my son loved it and I had some leftovers, just freezed them.