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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!
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!
How do I keep avocado from browning if I make this ahead?
Add extra lemon/lime to the mash and press plastic wrap directly onto its surface. Assemble close to serving for the best color.
What is the best bread for this sandwich?
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 425 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
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.
This post was originally published on May 18, 2022
I made this last night. Absolutely delicious! My husband said it was the best sandwich he had ever had. I put extra arugula on my plate with some of the 2 sauces as dressing and used that to catch my sandwich drippings. Then ate that as a salad. So good!!
Hey Christine,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best week:) xxT
This was 7 layers of fantastic flavors, just made it tonight it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had… such a good blend of flavors, had to use the substitute for the Tahini Ranch but it didn’t matter still Awesome!!!!
Hey Andrew,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
This sandwich has amazing flavors and my husband and I both enjoyed it!
I used pickled peppers I pickled last year instead of pepperoncinis since I had those handy.
Our biggest problem was eating it without wearing it!?
Next time I may use a thinner bread but it’s a repeatable recipe in this house! Thank you for sharing your culinary creativity!
Hey Donna,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
This delicious sandwich is a meal in itself. Loaded with so many flavors and textures which I’ve discovered is your trademark! I used my seeded sourdough instead of ciabatta.
I am a fairly new follower of you, Tieghan, and must share that you have provided me with the culinary spark I was missing. Been wanting to be more creative in the kitchen especially with fresh ingredients, but also wanting to have success with my efforts. Love the positive vibe you give with each recipe and love ingredients list and photos. Now all I need is someone to clean up for me!?
Hey! Just checking that we only use half the dressing?
Hi Crystal,
You are using the remaining dressing in step 5:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hey Eileen,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! Thanks so much for your kind message:) xTieghan
What an amazing combination of flavors in this sandwich! It was fabulous and my husband LOVED it! It was a fun summer-weather dinner.
Hey Patti,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
Hello! couldn’t seem to find pepperoncini what would you recommend as a substitute?
Hi Claudia,
Any other pepper that you enjoy would work:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xx
This is really good! It also used a few ingredients I’ve had in my pantry (Tahini and sun dried tomatoes in oil) that I never know what to do with. This is a great summer recipe because if you grow your own herbs and arugula, it’s not too expensive. Imo while avocado is always amazing, you could probably skip it and not miss it too much. It’s just bursting with so much flavor, and the tahini ranch adds that fattiness. This is my new summer favorite, thanks for sharing!!
Hey Sara,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xxT
Omgggg this is soo good!! Totally scratched my itch for noodles!! New top fave. Pregnant mama is happy ?
Hey Kaitlyn,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! ☀️xxT
Yum!!! I had to make one substitution though. I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes so I used Trader Joe’s Pesto Rosso instead ? No regrets, it was amazing.
Hey Caitlin,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! ☀️xxT
Hi Tieghan,
This was delicious! Do you make your own ciabatta or buy it? If so do you get it from a specialty bakery? I have a hard time finding fresh ciabatta in my area so was curious.
Hey Jackie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that it was a hit! I use store bought ciabatta typically from Whole Foods or Kroger:) xTieghan
OMG this looks amazing! I know that you hate photographing sandwiches but they seriously look so mouthwatering, and I can’t wait to make this! I have everything but the ciabatta, which I will grab on my way home from work. Thanks for stepping out of your comfort zone and posting this scrumptious looking recipe!! Sandwiches forever!
LOL thanks so much for your kind message Lindsay!! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I made this using leftover pork roast sliced thin instead of raw chicken and marinated the meat for about an hour since it was already cooked. We wanted to make a quick lunch.
It was the perfect way to use up leftover meat and tasted incredible! We used a wrap instead of bread, and pickled jalepenos from my garden instead of banana peppers as I had none on hand, and piled on the arugula as my garden is overflowing with it.
Thank you for such flavorful recipes that use all the herbs I grow, and I look forward to making this again with chicken as written.
Hey Sharon,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that it was a hit! xTieghan
Absolutely LOVE your recipes and want to try this one!!
When I clicked on the Tahini, it show that it is temporarily out of stock. Do have another alternative?
I used hummus as we had no tahini.
Hi Elizabeth,
Any other tahini from your local grocery store that you enjoy will work:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Got to try this one. Love your Brie and procuitto one!! Xx
Thanks!! I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xx
The initial description of the dressing you toss the chicken with mentions lemon and thyme, but further on it changes to lemon and basil and the actual recipe spells out basil, parsley, and dill. Did you try a version with thyme but then decide against it? The honey mustard and lemon thyme was the combination that caught my attention but if you found basil suited the end results better…just curious!
Hey there,
You can really use a variety of herbs in this recipe, they are all great to use! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Took you at your word that any herbs would do and used fresh thyme and tarragon with just a smidge of rosemary since it was growing there right next to the tarragon. The chicken looked and smelled so fantastic we inhaled just that and nibbled on the bread on the side. Will be slathering that dressing on chicken all summer.
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! LOL thanks for giving the recipe a try and your comment, love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan