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From Our Kitchen

Grilled Chicken
Thigh Sandwich

Thighs marinated in the hot sauce, grilled with pineapple, and built with a hot-sauce mayo.

Makes
2 sandwiches
Grill
400 to 425°F
Cook
About 15 minutes
Uses
The hot sauce

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 5 to 6 ounces each
  • 2 tablespoons Red Dragon Fruit Hot Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Hot-Sauce Mayo

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Red Dragon Fruit Hot Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • A pinch of salt

To Build

  • 2 brioche or Hawaiian-style hamburger buns
  • 2 slices pepper jack or sharp cheddar, optional
  • 2 pineapple rings, fresh or drained
  • 2 lettuce leaves
  • 4 tomato slices
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon softened butter or oil for the buns

Method

  1. Marinate

    Trim the excess fat from the thighs and pat them dry. Mix the hot sauce, oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper, add the chicken and coat it thoroughly.

    Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours, then take it out about 15 minutes before grilling.

  2. Grill

    Heat the grill to 400 to 425°F and oil the grates. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, let the excess drip off, and throw the used marinade away.

    Grill with the lid closed for 5 to 6 minutes, turn, and cook another 4 to 6 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F. If you are using cheese, lay it on for the last minute.

  3. Pineapple and buns

    Grill the pineapple about 2 minutes a side, and the buttered buns cut side down for 30 to 60 seconds. Rest the chicken for 3 minutes.

  4. Build

    Mix the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime juice and salt, and spread it on both cut sides of each bun. Layer lettuce, tomato, chicken, pineapple and red onion, add a last drizzle of hot sauce, and serve straight away.

Two jobs, two bowls. The marinade has been on raw chicken and goes in the bin. The mayo and the finishing drizzle are made separately and never meet a utensil that touched the raw meat.

How to Tell When It Is Done

Chicken thighs want an internal temperature of 165°F. They are more forgiving than breast, so a minute either way will not dry them out.

Take It to the Kitchen

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A one page PDF with the ingredients, the timings and the method, sized to print at home.

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