Asian Chicken Sandwiches
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Simple grilled chicken marinated in tangy lime, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. Crisp carrot salad with toasted peanuts, rice vinegar, mirin, and a hit of chili paste for warmth. Layered in crusty sub rolls with blanched green beans, fresh cilantro, and a smear of mayo. Balanced salty, sour, sweet, spicy notes. Cook chicken by feel and sight, marinade adds punch and tenderizes. Quick assembly, fresh textural contrast. No nuts? Swap peanuts with crunchy roasted chickpeas or toasted sesame seeds. Use tamari if fish sauce is missing. Brings smoky, zesty, fresh. Great for summer barbecues or fast weekday meals.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Asian fusion
#sandwich
#grilled chicken
#carrot salad
#quick meals
#marinade
#summer food
Got this one down to a science after botched dry breasts and watery carrot slaw experiments. The lime juice punch means marinade’s not just for flavor but to tenderize; garlic and ginger get mellow after 45 minutes but don’t overdo or chicken texture gets weird. Brown sugar caramelizes right on grill so edges crisp, smells kill. Carrot salad crunchy-contrasty, hits sweet, tart, chili kick all at once. Tried peanuts swapped for cashews - too soft, no good. Blanched green beans add fresh snap, don’t skip. Mayonnaise binds sandwich but not too much or drown the zing. Wrap halves tight or sandwich turns flop. Flavors zing better rested 10 min but don’t wait too long or carrot soggy and bread mushy. Takes 45 mins total but active time’s brief. Grill or pan works. Watch chicken not to dry-out - resist poking too much. Real test on picky kids - here they dove right in.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 lime zest grated
- 40 ml (2 ½ tbsp) lime juice
- 25 ml (1 ½ tbsp) vegetable oil
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) tamari soy sauce
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) grated fresh ginger
- 20 ml (1 ½ tbsp) dark brown sugar
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally
Carrot salad
- 3 medium carrots peeled, coarsely grated
- 40 g (¼ cup) roasted peanuts crushed plus extra for garnish
- 25 ml (1 ½ tbsp) rice vinegar
- 20 ml (1 ½ tbsp) mirin
- 3 ml (½ tsp) sambal oelek or chili paste
Sandwiches
- 4 sub rolls or 2 baguettes cut in half then each half again
- Mayonnaise as desired
- 115 g (¼ lb) green beans blanched
- Fresh cilantro leaves as desired
About the ingredients
Lime juice and zest aren’t interchangeable; zest brings oils and brightness, juice bright acidity. Use fresh ginger, powdered is flat and harsh. Brown sugar better than white; adds molasses depth and caramel crust. Fish sauce is essential for umami, but tamari works fine here - final flavor shifts a bit but still tasty. Mirin is sweet rice wine vinegar; if no mirin, mix light honey plus a squeeze of vinegar or dry sherry. Peanuts add crunch and richness; swap for roasted chickpeas for nut allergy or toasted sesame seeds for warmth. Carrots shredded coarse for texture. Green beans bright color and fresh bite—flash blanch timed precisely or turn mushy and dull. Mayonnaise coats bread for moisture barrier so it doesn’t soak soggy. Bread choice vital; baguette too crusty can break sandwich, soft sub roll best generally. Cut chicken thin across grain; avoids strings.
Method
Chicken
- 1. Mix garlic, lime zest, 40 ml lime juice, oil, tamari, ginger, and dark brown sugar in a glass dish or resealable bag. Add chicken, coat thoroughly. Covered, fridge 45 min to 8 hrs. Don't skip marinating or chicken stays bland and dry. The brown sugar caramelizes, so keep watch grilling.
Carrot salad
- 2. Toss carrots, peanuts, rice vinegar, mirin, sambal in bowl. Chill while prepping chicken and sandwich. Crunch and acidity key here; tastes better cold.
Sandwich assembly and cooking
- 3. Heat grill to medium, oil grates well to avoid sticking. Grill chicken about 6-8 min each side. Look for golden edges, juices clear, firm yet springy touch. Overcooked = dry. Residual heat finishes it. Rest 5 min tented.
- 4. Slice chicken lengthwise into ½-1 cm strips against grain. Easy pull-apart bites and tender fork bites.
- 5. Split rolls, slather mayo inside. Layer chicken slices, carrot salad—crunch is essential. Add blanched green beans for pops of vibrancy, handful peanuts, then cilantro leaves. Press sandwich gently but not mashed.
- 6. Eat immediately. If needed, wrap in parchment to hold shape. Great cold next day; flavors meld and sandwich gets juicier.
- 7. No grill? Pan-fry chicken in a hot skillet with minimal oil. Use cast iron for nice crust. Cook door open to avoid steaming.
- 8. Missing fish sauce? Tamari or light soy sauce plus a dash of lime compensates well. No mirin? Substitute with light honey and a splash of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- 9. For crunch alternative to peanuts, try roasted chickpeas or toasted sesame seeds. Allergies are things.
- 10. Blanch green beans in boiling salted water till bright green and slightly tender but still crisp - 2 minutes usually, dunk in cold water to stop cooking instantly.
Cooking tips
Marinate minimum 45 minutes but no longer than 8 hours. Over marination breaks down texture too much; chicken can fall apart. Prepare carrot salad while marinade does its magic; chill to marry flavors. Grill chicken over medium, not high, to avoid burning sugar; look for golden edges and firm touch. Rest chicken under loose foil 5 minutes; juices redistribute, slicing easier. Slice thin strips against grain for tenderness and neat bites. Toasted peanut crunch the textural counterpoint to soft chicken and slaw. Spread mayo sparingly on bread for moisture barrier—not flavor bomb; controls sogginess. Blanch green beans in boiling salted water 2 min; shock in ice water to freeze color/crispness. Assemble just before eating to keep textures distinct. Pan-fry alternative: heat skillet, dry and oil chicken well; cook until golden crust forms; flip gently once. Don’t overcrowd pan or chicken steams. Throw sandwich halves in parchment or foil for handheld ease; moist but never mushy. Watch timing, yes, but final doneness judged by sight, feel, aroma—trust instincts over clock.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Marinate chicken minimum 45 minutes but max 8. The sugar caramelizes on grill—watch closely. Too long marinade = mushy texture. Use sensory cues; golden edges, smell sweet caramelizing, juice runs clear. Heat medium, not high or burn sugar quick. Rest chicken 5 min; juices settle, slice easier.
- 💡 Carrot salad coarsely grated for crunch. Avoid fine shredding or mushy slaw. Peanuts add textural pop; swap with roasted chickpeas if allergies. Mirin sweet but subtle; if missing, mix honey plus white or apple cider vinegar. Sambal small dash. Chill salad while chicken cooks, flavors marry cold crispness.
- 💡 Rolls choice affects sandwich structural integrity. Soft sub rolls hold moisture but risk sogginess if too much mayo; crusty baguette can break or crumble mid-bite. Slather mayo sparingly inside bread acts as moisture barrier; stops bread soaking but don’t drown the zing from marinade or salad.
- 💡 Blanch green beans precisely 2 minutes in salted boiling water, then shock in ice water immediately. Keeps vibrant green and snap. Overblanch = dull color, mushy texture. Beans add vibrant bite contrast to tender chicken and crunchy salad. Assemble sandwiches just before eating; prevents soggy layers.
- 💡 Grill or pan-fry chicken; cast iron preferred for crust. Oil grates or pan well to prevent sticking. Don’t overcrowd pan or grill, chicken steams not sears. Cook 6-8 min per side, feel for firm but springy touch, juices run clear. Final doneness by sight, smell caramel crust, texture touch.
Common questions
How long to marinate chicken?
Minimum 45 min. Over 8 hours breaks protein down too much—textural mush. Marinate cold fridge, flavors build slowly. Not skipping saves dryness but careful grabbing sweet, ferment stage starts after long.
What if no fish sauce?
Use tamari mostly. Slight flavor shift but keeps salty umami. Add lime juice dash to keep fresh tang. Soy sauce sometimes too dark. Can mix light honey with vinegar if replacing mirin. Sambal or chili paste adds needed heat punch.
How to avoid soggy sandwiches?
Mayo inside bread acts barrier, use sparingly. Assemble close to serving time. Blanched beans shouldn’t be wet; shake off water well. Crunchy carrot salad shredded coarse keeps salad water content low. Wrap in parchment if holding but don't store long assembled.
Best storage for leftovers?
Keep components separate if possible. Chicken stored cool, carrot salad cold in sealed container. Roll or bread wrapped in paper towel inside tight bag to control moisture. Reheat chicken gently or eat cold. Next day taste melds but bread can soften; toast if needed.
