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Grilled Santa Fe Sandwich

45-MinutesBreadChickenCrunchyDinnerGrillHeartyHotLunchSaltySavoryStove-TopVegetable
Time :45 minutes
Yield :4 servings
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The Scoop

This sandwich doesn’t believe in playing it safe.
Grilled chicken, charred peppers, sweet caramelized onions, creamy avocado, and Pepper Jack get tucked between crisp sourdough with chili-herb mayo that brings just enough heat to keep things interesting.
It’s smoky, creamy, spicy, and gloriously messy, the kind of sandwich where napkins are less of a suggestion and more of a requirement.
Hack it:
Swap the chicken for grilled shrimp, sliced steak, or even black beans for a meatless version that still brings plenty of flavor.
Use poblano peppers instead of bell peppers for a deeper, smokier heat. • No Pepper Jack? Monterey Jack keeps the creamy melt, while cheddar brings a sharper contrast. For serious heat, try habanero Jack.
Give the mayo a different personality with lime zest and juice, smoked paprika, or a little chipotle in adobo instead of chili powder.
If you’re short on time, skip the slow caramelized onions and quickly char thin onion slices on the grill alongside the peppers.
Leftovers:
Loaded Santa Fe Bowl: Slice everything into bite-sized pieces and serve over rice with black beans, corn, avocado, and a spoonful of the chili-herb mayo.
Spicy Chicken Wraps: Chop the leftovers and roll them into tortillas with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and extra mayo.
Grilled Chicken Nachos: Scatter chopped chicken, peppers, onions, and cheese over tortilla chips and bake until bubbling. Finish with avocado and the leftover herb mayo.

Ingredients

For the herb mayo:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

For the grilled chicken sandwich:

  • 1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless, thinly cut
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 4 slices sourdough bread
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese

Directions

  • In a small bowl, mix the basil, the cilantro, the chives, the mayonnaise, and the chili powder.
  • Season the herb-mayo with the salt and the pepper. Set the herb-mayo aside.
  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  • Brush the chicken and the bell pepper slices with the extra olive oil.
  • Season the chicken and the bell peppers with the salt and the pepper.
  • Add the chicken and the bell peppers to the grill and cook until the peppers begin to char and the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 4 minutes per side.
  • In a small skillet, add the remaining 1/3 cup of the olive oil and heat over medium-low heat.
  • Add the onions and stir until they begin to brown and are soft, for about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat a skillet on low heat.
  • Spread a layer of the herb-mayo on 1 slice of the sourdough.
  • Add 1/2 of the caramelized onions, 1/2 of the bell peppers, 1/2 of the avocado, 1/2 of the grilled chicken, and 1/2 of the pepper jack.
  • Cover the sandwich with the 1 slice of the sourdough.
  • Brush the sandwich with the extra olive oil.
  • Repeat the sandwich-making process with the remaining ingredients.
  • Cook the sandwiches in the preheated skillet, flipping once halfway through, until the cheese begins to melt, for about 5-7 minutes.
  • Slice each sandwich in half and serve.
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