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A close up image of a copycat Chick-fil-A grilled chicken sandwich
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4.31 from 55 votes

Clean Eat Copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich

A clean-eat copycat version of Chick-fil-A's Grilled Chicken Sandwich that is just as good if not better than the original!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 58kcal
Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups homemade pickle juice (see recipe for homemade pickles)
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp raw cane sugar
  • 1/2 tsp potato starch
  • extra light olive oil (for brushing the fillets and spritzing the cook surface)

For serving: Homemade Hawaiian buns, homemade pickle slices (optional), lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and cheese

Instructions

Marinate

  • Wash, clean and slice your chicken into pieces that are just slightly larger than your bread/rolls. (I butterfly mine and then split it halfway producing 4 pieces per breast)
  • In a large bowl or baking dish, mix the milk into the cooled pickle juice brine (made from water, distilled white vinegar, fresh dill, raw organic sugar, salt, garlic, red pepper flakes and black peppercorns) and pour over the chicken fillets, ensuring that the pieces are fully submerged in the liquid. Set the chicken into the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Prepare Seasoning

  • Add the spices (salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, raw organic sugar, garlic powder and potato starch) to a high powdered blender or grinder and blend until combined into a fine powder.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat each piece dry. Cover the back and front of each fillet in a (light) coat of olive oil and an even coating of the spice blend.

Grilling

  • Spritz a grill pan or grill plate with a light coating of oil. You can also cook this on a BBQ grill or even a flattop if you like.
  • Grill the chicken until cooked and grill /sear marks form. Once cooked, remove and set aside to rest for a few minutes.

Assembly

  • Grilled Chicken: Slice a Hawaiian Roll in half and place lettuce, tomato, a piece of grilled chicken, and finally the top bun to complete this sandwich.
    Club Sandwich: Add freshly sliced cheese (I love Colby for this recipe) and 1-2 bacon slices to the Grilled Chicken version before setting the top bun into place.
    Condiments: Homemade Mayonnaise or a clean eat honey BBQ sauce pairs perfectly.

Notes

  • *Note that the nutrition information provided is an estimate per chicken fillet and not for the whole sandwich.