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This is the fresh, satisfying sandwich you’ll make on repeat. Grilled chicken tossed in a lemon thyme honey mustard dressing, layered with avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, and our favorite tahini ranch. The perfect ciabatta sandwich to serve up at your next backyard BBQ, afternoon picnic in the sun, or even at your desk on a good work day!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Lots of flavor without a ton of effort
- Easy swaps for busy days! Use leftover or rotisserie chicken, your favorite bread, and seasoning and herbs as you like.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: Works with grilled, roasted, poached, or rotisserie. Shred or slice against the grain for tenderness. If cooking from raw, go until the thickest part is opaque and juices run clear (165°F if using a thermometer).
Avocado: Use just-ripe fruit. Mash lightly with lemon/lime, salt, and pepper for brightness.
Bread: Sourdough, ciabatta, or sturdy multigrain toast
Creamy element: Mayo, Greek yogurt, or a yogurt-mayo mix. Add lemon, garlic, or a touch of Dijon for tang.
Fresh add-ins: Lettuce or arugula for crunch/ sliced tomato (pat dry)/red onion/ cucumber; herbs (basil, cilantro).
For a bit of heat: Chili flakes, pickled jalapeños, or a swipe of chipotle mayo.
I’m just going to say this right off the bat, I love this chicken sandwich. I know some people try to play things cool and not be so overly excited about things, but that’s not me. I’m so excited to share this sandwich. It feels perfect for spring and summer!
And most importantly, I think you guys will love it. The flavors are light for warmer weather, but it’s also super hearty with the grilled chicken, avocado, and ranch!
The details
- Grill the chicken: The chicken is tossed with my go-to oil-based honey mustard and herb dressing. It’s a little sweet and spicy with lots of lemon and fresh basil. Then grill up the chicken. Be sure to save some of the dressing for drizzling over the sandwich!
- Make the tahini ranch: You’re replacing sour cream and mayo with tahini. So it’s tahini, plus dried herbs, and then a little lemon. It’s delicious, and a nice lighter ranch option.
- Toast the ciabatta bread: Toast, grill or griddle a nice long loaf of ciabatta bread then spread over lots of tahini ranch.
- Assemble the sandwich: Layer with avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, and plenty of peperoncini (I’m obsessed right now). Then add the chicken and pour over the remaining herb dressing.
- Finish with arugula and more ranch! You could also add a yummy cheese like pepper jack or Swiss, or even blue cheese! Oh, and bacon would be great too!
Make-Ahead Tips
Prep ahead: Keep chicken and a simple avocado mash separate; press plastic wrap directly onto the avocado’s surface and refrigerate.
Assemble later: Toast bread just before eating. For lunchboxes, assemble in the morning and eat within the day; pack juicy add-ins (tomato, cucumber) separately.
Revive leftovers: If bread softens, re-toast briefly; add a fresh handful of greens for crunch.
I hope you love this sandwich as much as I do!
Add extra lemon/lime to the mash and press plastic wrap directly onto its surface. Assemble close to serving for the best color.
Choose a sturdy loaf like sourdough or ciabatta and toast it; softer breads are tasty but can get soggy faster.
Looking for other summer sandwich recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Everything Cheddar Tomato Bacon Grilled Cheese
Picnic Style Brie and Prosciutto Sandwich
Grilled Vegetable Burrata Sandwich
Spinach and Artichoke Pita Grilled Cheese.
Lastly, if you make this Honey Mustard Chicken Avocado Sandwich with Tahini Ranch, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Honey Mustard Chicken Avocado Sandwich with Tahini Ranch
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup mixed chopped herbs, (basil, parsley, dill)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- kosher salt, black pepper, and chili flakes
Sandwich
Tahini Ranch
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.2. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1/2 of the dressing. Let sit 10 minutes. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until lightly charred and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes. 3. To make the tahini ranch, combine everything in a bowl, whisking in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to thin the dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper.4. Rub each half of the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread, cut side down, for 3-5 minutes or until light grill marks appear. 5. Working with the bottom piece of bread, spread over some of the tahini ranch, then layer on the avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, and pepperoncini. Add the chicken, then drizzle the remaining dressing over the chicken. Add the arugula and cheese. Drizzle with the tahini ranch. Add the top half of the ciabatta and gently push down on the sandwich. Cut into 4-6 sandwiches. Enjoy with the remaining tahini ranch on the side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This was amazingly delicious! Thank you! 😃❤️😋
Hey Shelda,
Awesome! So glad this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Monday!
This is one of the most tasty things I’ve ever eaten! I can’t do gluten so I actually just make this deconstructed and it’s SO good.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win!
Happy Friday and have a great weekend!
Best sandwich I’ve ever had!
I made this on toasted focaccia bread and I used turkey breast instead of chicken (and fresh cherry tomatoes as I didn’t have any sun dried in the house).
Still, wow! Great sandwich!
Worth the little bit of effort it takes the first time!
Thank you Tieghan!
Wow thank you SO much Helen! So so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for giving it a try! Love to hear this was a great sandwich for you! 🙂 xT
Have made this several times and always a huge hit! Have even made it using individual Ciabatta bread rolls for on the go!
Thank you so much Laurel! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! xT
I am completely missing why are there 2 types of bread?
Hi Susan,
So sorry, I am not sure why the sourdough is listed, you can ignore that. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
The tahini “ranch” ruins this recipe.
Hey Alex,
So sorry to hear the dressing was not enjoyed, thanks for trying this recipe. xx
Hello,
I am confused by the sourdough bread listed in the sandwich section? Is it used in the recipe or just an alternative to the ciabatta?
Hi Anna,
So sorry for any confusion! You can ignore the sourdough:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Oh my.. these sandwiches were so good! I was skeptical of the flavor pairings, at first, but changed my mind immediately on the first bite! Funny thing, I underestimated the bread and left myself with out the “sandwich” part. 😉 It was fine, I layered my plate as if making a sandwich and used a fork and knife. It was just as good, in my opinion!
Hey Cathy,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it was enjoyed! x
This was so good and my hubby loved it! We went 100% plant based about 2 years ago – this with tofu is def going on the menu! Thanks so much for posting.
Hey Savana,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! Have a great weekend! xT
Is there thyme or dill in the dressing? I see that the description says lemon thyme but the ingredients state basil parsley and dill
Hi! In the ingredients it says 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, so you can use thyme and dill in there if you’d like! xT
Hi there! Can I make ahead the dressing and ranch? If so – can it sit in the fridge for a week?
Hi there,
Sure, that would be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
These sandwiches are amazing! I used the individual ciabatta rolls from Costco and I added in some marinated artichokes. So yummy, can’t wait to make again!
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your review!🍓🍑 xT
This takes a little time to make because of the combination of ingredients but once assembled this delicious combination has mind blowing taste and I have made it several times 10/10
Hi Mel,
Happy Sunday!!🏖️🌤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Is there an ingredient missing for the tahini ranch? What makes it creamy?
Hi Lulu,
Nope, no ingredients are missing, the tahini makes it creamy:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I’m confused with the 2 different types of bread. Why Ciabatta and sourdough in the list of ingredients?
Hey Lisa,
Sorry for any confusion, you can ignore the sourdough:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx