Chipotle Grilled Chicken Avocado Sandwich (Printable)
Smoky chipotle chicken, creamy avocado, crisp lettuce and lime mayo on toasted rolls—zesty, quick handheld.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chipotle Chicken Marinade
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Sandwich Assembly
10 - 4 sandwich rolls or ciabatta buns, split (gluten-free if desired)
11 - 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
12 - 4 romaine lettuce leaves
13 - 1 ripe tomato, sliced into rounds
14 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
15 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
17 - Pinch of kosher salt
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
# Steps:
01 - In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk until a smooth marinade forms.
02 - Place chicken breasts into the marinade, turning to coat evenly on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until fully cooked through with pronounced char marks and an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
04 - While the chicken rests, lightly toast the sandwich rolls on the grill or in a toaster until golden and slightly crisp on the cut sides.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, lime juice, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Fold in chopped cilantro if using.
06 - Spread lime mayo generously on the bottom halves of the toasted rolls. Layer each with a romaine lettuce leaf, sliced grilled chicken, avocado slices, tomato rounds, and red onion rings. Cap with the top roll halves and serve immediately with an optional squeeze of fresh lime.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The smoky heat from chipotle peppers balances perfectly with creamy avocado and cool lime mayo.
- It comes together fast enough for a weeknight dinner but tastes like you spent all day cooking.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting step for the chicken because slicing too early causes all the juices to run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- The marinade can overwhelm the chicken if left longer than four hours because the acid starts breaking down the texture too much.
03 -
- Reserve a spoonful of the adobo sauce from the can and stir it into the lime mayo for an extra smoky punch that people will not be able to identify but will absolutely love.
- Slice the avocado right before assembling to keep it from browning and squeeze a tiny bit of lime juice over the pieces as insurance.