Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich
Grilled, peppery chicken breast with pickled jalapeños, a honey drizzle, and a cold, creamy pimento cheese spread on soft potato buns.
Equipment
- Grill (for 2-zone cooking)
- Small bowl
- Mixing Bowl
- Tongs
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Chicken Base
- 4 chicken breast fillets, boneless & skinless
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Assembly
- 4 potato rolls or buns
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Quick Pickled Jalapenos
- Pimento cheese (recipe below)
Pimento Cheese Spread
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces jarred pimentos, drained
Instructions
Mix the pimento cheese spread
- Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar, paprika, ground mustard, salt, sugar, black pepper, and drained pimentos in a bowl.
- Taste and adjust until it’s smoky, tangy, and a little sweet. Cover and refrigerate if not using right away.
Season the chicken and get the grill ready
- Stir the kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and MSG (if using) together in a small bowl. Generously season all sides of the chicken (flatten thick fillets a bit so they cook evenly).
- Drizzle the oil over each fillet and pat gently to coat. Let the chicken rest at room temperature while you preheat the grill.
- Set up the grill using a 2-zone method, light the coals and bank them to one side. Aim for about 400–450°F for direct searing, then clean the grates.
Grill with a 2-zone method for juicy chicken
- Grill the chicken directly over the coals, then flip after 3–4 minutes once char marks have developed.
- Repeat this again, flipping one more time to ensure each side has been directly grilled, then check the temperature.
- If the chicken needs more time to cook, move it to the cool side away from the coals to finish gently. Pull it at about 160°F internal temperature so carryover heat brings it to 165°F.
Toast and assemble
- Toast the buns.
- Layer pickled jalapeños and grilled chicken on each bun, drizzle the hot chicken with honey, then finish with a generous dollop of cold pimento cheese spread.
Notes
Drain the pimentos very well so the spread stays thick. Keep the pimento cheese chilled and add it last so it doesn’t melt. Pull chicken at 160°F and let carryover heat finish to 165°F.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.