Fridays mean no more work (hopefully for most of you) and it means brunch on the weekends and drinks in the evening to celebrate. Fridays also mean it’s time for another installment of my favorite segment on the blog, Cheers to the Weekend! This week, I’m tackling another sandwich recipe because they’re delicious and because they happen to be my go-to easy lunch or dinner option; making them the perfect meal to make over the weekend. These are filled with grilled buffalo chicken, ranch, and a crazy good celery slaw that balances everything out perfectly. Also what can be better than marinating chicken in BUTTER and hot sauce and then grilling it for that optimal flavor?! Nothing! We already know that butter makes everything better when it comes to baking, but it’s also better for savory sandwiches. This month’s Go Bold With Butter collaboration proves it!
These Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches are the best way to say goodbye to summer, with one final use of the grill, and welcome autumn with open arms. Sure it’s officially fall, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hold on to summer grilling season for just a tiny bit longer. So crank up that outdoor grill once more, or heat up a stovetop grill pan and make the perfect farewell to summer meal that everyone will go crazy for. If you’re like me and like to hoard boneless skinless chicken breasts in the freezer all the time, but don’t exactly know how to use them all up, these sandwiches (or sammiches as I used to say as a kid) are a great way to use up that freezer chicken. Make them soon and remember that it’s always time to Cheers to the Weekend!
The first thing we have to do is get that chicken marinading so that it has all of the flavor we’re looking for. In a large bowl, combine garlic, ketchup, buffalo hot sauce and lots of melted butter.
**Note: You want a hot sauce that isn’t too spicy, but still has a bit of a kick. I recommend using Frank’s Red Hot for this, as that’s what I usually use when I make fried hot wings.**
Give it a good whisk (save some for brushing the chicken while it cooks) and then drop in the chicken cutlets, making sure they’re well coated and evenly submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before grilling. This will give it a chance to lose some of that chill and cook evenly.
**Note: It can be marinate for longer, but just know that when the butter gets cold it’ll firm up and look like little bits throughout the chicken. That’s okay!**
While the chicken marinates, let’s put together the slaw that will go on top. I’m all about textures when I’m eating, so whenever I have something soft I like a good crunch to go with it. Or if I have something hot and spicy, I like something cool and creamy to offset it. It cuts through that spiciness nicely. So we’re making a quick cabbage celery slaw. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, celery, radishes, shallots, parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper and ranch dressing.
Grill the chicken on a very hot stovetop or outdoor grill, for about 6 to 8 minutes in total. Flip 0ver every minute or so and brush the chicken with the reserved un-chickened marinade each time you flip it. Continue to cook the chicken until fully cooked through (about 160 to165 degrees F internal temperature).
Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer to to a baking sheet or platter and brush with a final bit more of that reserved marinade. Then allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
**Note: Allowing the chicken to sit before eating will ensure that it stays juicy. If you serve it right away, well, you’ll get burned but also, the juices will all come out into your sandwich, making it soggy.**
Toast the rolls on a hot buttered griddle to get that charred crispiness on the inner cut of the bread. Then assemble the sandwiches by spreading ranch on the bottom of the rolls, place a piece of chicken on top, a scoop of the slaw and some crumbled blue cheese.
**Note: Feel free to use whatever rolls or hamburger buns you have on hand or can find at your grocery store. I used an onion roll because it just felt right to me. That onion flavor goes so well with the buffalo chicken and slaw.**
These sandwiches are amazing as a hearty lunch on the weekend because they can be served warm, room temperature or even cold. Who doesn’t like cooked cold chicken? Am I the only one? I love cold chicken, especially fried chicken. They’re also great for dinner if you want a quick and easy no fuss dinner that isn’t too fancy. Serve with chips or fruit (if you want to be healthy) on the side.
If you’re not a fan of blue cheese (a classic buffalo chicken ingredient), it’s okay. I feel ya. Try using crumbled feta instead! It’ll still give the sandwich that little bit of saltiness on top that you’re looking for.
If I did my job correctly, right about now you’re craving these and you’re telling yourself that you HAVE to make this recipe this week. And if that’s the case, which I’m sure it is, be sure to grab the recipe for these sandwiches from THE GO BOLD WITH BUTTER SITE!
If you make this recipe, along with any other recipe from the site, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram or Facebook and tag me and hashtag it with #CandidAppetite or #TheCandidAppetite. Once you start making these Cheers to the Weekend recipes, be sure to also tag it with #TCAweekend! I’ll be monitoring it all closely and share my favorites throughout! Happy Cooking!
**Thank you for your continued support of the occasional sponsored post on this site. They help keep the blog going, allowing me to continue to share my recipes with you on a weekly basis. I never want my sponsorships to feel forced, which is why I only partner with companies I feel very passionate about and actually use on a regular basis.**
