Alabama BBQ Chicken Chopped Sandwich (Printer-Friendly)

Grilled chicken in creamy white BBQ sauce with coleslaw on soft buns

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ For the Alabama White BBQ Sauce

08 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
09 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
12 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - Salt to taste

→ For Assembly

18 - 4 soft sandwich buns
19 - 1 cup coleslaw
20 - 1/4 cup sliced pickles (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Grill chicken for 6–8 minutes per side, or until fully cooked (internal temp: 165°F). Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
04 - While chicken rests, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Adjust salt and vinegar to taste.
05 - Chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a bowl and toss generously with the Alabama white BBQ sauce (reserve a little sauce for drizzling if desired).
06 - Toast sandwich buns lightly, if desired.
07 - Pile chopped BBQ chicken onto the bottoms of buns. Top each with a generous spoonful of coleslaw and sliced pickles.
08 - Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce, close sandwiches, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The white BBQ sauce creates an incredibly creamy tang you cant get from traditional tomato-based sauces
  • Chopped chicken means every bite is perfectly coated and easier to eat than a whole breast
  • The coleslaw adds the perfect crunch that cuts through all that rich sauce
02 -
  • Letting the chicken rest before chopping keeps it juicy instead of dry and mealy
  • The white sauce tastes better after sitting for 30 minutes, so make it first
  • Do not skip the coleslaw, that crunch is what makes the texture sing
03 -
  • Make the sauce a day ahead so the flavors have time to meld together
  • If grilling outside, add wood chips to take the smoky flavor up a notch

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