Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich – delicious layers of flavors with homemade garlic aioli, pancetta, grilled chicken, and parmesan-crusted bread!
One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to take some of our favorite dishes and make them into something else. A pie into a cookie, a cookie into a crème brûlée, or a pasta into a sandwich. My husband, Jake, has been asking me to make Chicken Carbonara. While I like this dish, there are other pasta dishes I prefer. So I decided to please us both and turn it into a sandwich.
The result: my favorite sandwich ever. Literally, I was so in love with this that I called my husband, dad, and sister to see if I could bring them lunch. While my dad was the only one who could come over and try it, I also made one for my husband that evening. I was so excited, it was a perfect melody of flavors.
A traditional Carbonara is made with an egg-based sauce with garlic, pancetta, and parmesan cheese. Using the egg and garlic I made a homemade aioli to spread on inside of the sandwich. I then used the parmesan element of the dish by using it to crust the outside of the sandwich, this turned out beautiful. I layered the pancetta with a chicken breast, making the duo the “meat” of the sandwich. Layering the parmesan-crusted Italian bread, aioli, chicken breast, pancetta, cheese and a touch of lemon zest brought this sandwich to a whole new level of A-MAZING!
I literally can’t wait to make this again. It was easy to prepare, has a stunning presentation and eating it was more than incredible.
Enjoy! XOXO San
How do you make this Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich?
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Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. Place them in a Ziplock bag and proceed to pound the chicken breast so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until completely cooked through. My grill took about 7 minutes.
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While chicken is grilling make the aioli. Place the egg, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley into a blender. Blend until mixed and there are no garlic chunks, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, a sprinkle of lemon juice may also be added. Blend until thickened. Set aside.
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Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter.
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Generously butter 8 slices of bread on only one side. Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of parmesan on buttered side of bread. Push down to stick the cheese to the butter.
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Reduce heat to medium-low. Place 2 slices of bread in skillet, cheese side down. Spread aioli on bread, then top with chicken, pancetta, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and a pinch of parmesan and lemon zest. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
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Once it is golden brown, after a few minutes, flip over sandwich and bake until cheese in the sandwich is melted and the bread is a golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat process with remaining sandwiches.
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Cut sandwiches in half and serve with a green salad. If you have extra aioli, have it on the side for those who want more.
For more tasty sandwich ideas, try these Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Sliders, French Onion Meatball Sandwiches, and Grilled “Ranch” Style Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich
Ingredients
- 8 slices Italian bread
- 1/4 cup butter
- 4 slices pancetta
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
Garlic Basil Aioli
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1 small lemon zested
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. Place them in a Ziplock bag and proceed to pound the chicken breast so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until completely cooked through. My grill took about 7 minutes.
- While chicken is grilling make the aioli. Place the egg, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley into a blender. Blend until mixed and there are no garlic chunks, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, a sprinkle of lemon juice may also be added. Blend until thickened. Set aside.
- Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter.
- Generously butter 8 slices of bread on only one side. Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of parmesan on buttered side of bread. Push down to stick the cheese to the butter.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Place 2 slices of bread in skillet, cheese side down. Spread aioli on bread, then top with chicken, pancetta, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and a pinch of parmesan and lemon zest. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
- Once it is golden brown, after a few minutes, flip over sandwich and bake until cheese in the sandwich is melted and the bread is a golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat process with remaining sandwiches.
- Cut sandwiches in half and serve with a green salad. If you have extra aioli, have it on the side for those who want more.
Dads Review: When I called my dad about the sandwich he headed right over there was no hesitation. When he walked in he remarked how amazing the plate looked. He loved this sandwich and thought a tomato would pair well with it. The next time I have my parents over for lunch, this will be on the menu.
Oh my goodness does that ever look AWESOME. I would love one of those sandwiches right now!
I may have to have an early lunch today. That looks delicious!!
I would have ran over to eat that.. It looks really good!
Yum yum yum! I want to take a big bite out of your grilled chicken carbonara sandwich!
I love chicken carbonara, and I am sure it makes a delicious sandwich! I love switching things up like this!
I am always looking for new chicken recipes. Thanks for sharing. I will have to give this a try.
I never thought a sandwich can make me drool, and I am a sandwich person. But the power or your words paired up with the garlic factor and such delicious looking photos have that effect on me. I’ve got to make that sandwich now.
Looks like a yummie recipe! I’ll have to try it out, this one made me hungry just now!
You have a winner. This looks great. I think I would like it better than the pasta dish.
Oh yum, this sandwich sounds amazing. That garlic aioli dripping off that sandwich is making me drool!
Okay, that looks awesome! I like chicken carbonara as a past dish, but as a sandwich…? Even better!
Pam – this is much better as a sandwich to me as I sometimes don’t like how people use the eggs in the dish. You’ll love this. xo San
Oh does that look delicious! I might have to make that when my kids are in for Mother’s Day weekend.
Ok that looks really really good! I know its not avocado because you didn’t list it, but whatever the green spread is, it looks good. This looks so tasty!
Heather it is the homemade aioli. Enjoy! xo San
This looks really, really good! I love anything with aioli!
Me too!!!
xo San
That sounds so good. I could eat sandwiches for most of my meals.
You should have called ME because I would have gladly come over to review your sandwich!! 😀 OMG that looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!
Next time I will message you…lol! xo San
Oh my, your grilled chicken carbonara sandwich looks amazing! The garlic aioli looks delicious and the parmesan-crusted bread sounds divine!
Yum! Sandwiches are one of our favorite weeknight dinners (my husband especially loves them), so I’m always looking for a new way to keep them interesting. These look delicious. Pinned!
Oh goodness that sounds soooo tasty!
Hubby loves, loves, loves chicken carb, so I know he would love this. Will have to surprise him with it.
This looks like such a delicious sandwich that I would love to make! Great job!
looks mouthwatering. i LOVE a good sandwich!
You remind me of the chefs on “Chopped”! I love the idea of transforming one dish into another. This looks great!
The sandwich looks delicious and I think you are amazingly talented to be able to take recipes that are already made and recreate them into something else even more delicious. Wish I could do that.
Leslee – that was so sweet of you to say, thank you! xo San
That sandwich looks delish!! I have to make it!