Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich with Bacon is a flavorful and juicy meal that combines tangy honey mustard, smoky bacon, and tender grilled chicken on a toasted bun. Serve it alongside Homemade French Fries or Classic Pasta Salad for the ultimate outdoor feast everyone will love.
Jump to:
🍯 The Ingredients
Most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry, yet they come together to create one of the most delicious sandwiches of all time. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🧀 Substitutions and Variations
- Protein – Thin chicken breasts are excellent for this sandwich. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are wonderful, too. The dark meat is flavorful and grills wonderfully. Slices of pork tenderloin, thin boneless pork chops, or even bratwurst patties can all be substituted for the chicken.
- Dressing ingredients – We love the tang from classic yellow mustard; however, Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, or even Carolina Mustard Sauce are all amazing options. Store-bought Italian dressing is perfectly fine; however, Homemade Italian Dressing is great and always nice to have on hand. For the honey, your favorite brand is perfect.
- Cheese – You can’t go wrong here. We love sliced cheddar, but sliced Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss, smoked Gouda, or even mozzarella are all great choices. If you love blue cheese, that will be good, too, but very prominent.
- Bacon – Thick, center-cut bacon is our first choice. But crispy slices of pancetta or prosciutto. Pan-fried Canadian bacon is a delicious option, too!
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
Try and find thin, skinless, and boneless chicken breasts from the supermarket or your butcher. Don’t get chicken tenders because they contain a tendon that is tough and not pleasant. If you can’t find thin chicken breasts, purchase the larger cutlets, place them (one at a time) in a large freezer bag, and then use the side of a mallet and pound the meat until about a ¼” thick.
🔥 How To Make Grilled Honey Mustard Sandwiches with Bacon
- Step 1: In a bowl, whisk the honey, mustard, and dressing until combined. Save some for later.
- Step 2: Place the chicken cutlets in the marinade and turn until coated.
- Step 3: Bake the bacon in the oven at 400°F until crispy.
- Step 4: Grill the marinated chicken until browned, brushing more marinade as they cook.
- Step 5: Place the chicken on a baking sheet and top with bacon and cheese, and bake until melty.
- Step 6: Slather the extra sauce on toasted buns and add the cutlets. Add the top bun and serve!
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can cook the bacon and the marinade 4 to 5 hours in advance to save time when assembling the sandwich.
A fluffy, but sturdy bun or roll is recommended. Homemade hamburger buns are perfect! But store-bought are great, too. Bigger buns work best. Brioche or ciabatta rolls are great options, as well.
Absolutely! A grill pan works great and will give the chicken those delicious grill marks and smoky flavor indoors.
Yes, the chicken can be baked in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes until cooked through, making it a convenient alternative to grilling.
🍔 Other Epic Sandwich Recipes
Ready to make the best chicken sandwich on the block? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a picture of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and #HowToFeedaLoon!
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwiches
Video
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal grill
Ingredients
For the Marinade/Dressing
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup Italian dressing
For the Sandwiches
- 8 chicken breasts tskinless and bonelesshin,
- 16 slices bacon
- salt and pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for the hamburger buns
- 4 slices sliced cheddar cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl or dish, whisk together the honey, mustard, and Italian dressing. Reserve about half a cup of the dressing for slathering on the toasted buns when ready to serve.½ cup yellow mustard, ½ cup honey, ½ cup Italian dressing
- Place the chicken into the marinade are turn until all cutlets are well coated.8 chicken breasts
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the bacon on 1 (or 2) baking sheets and bake until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes (time will vary depending on how thick the bacon is). Flipping halfway through the baking. Set aside.16 slices bacon
- Meanwhile, turn your grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the marinated chicken until nicely browned. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the cutlets on each side as they cook. Brush more of the marinade over the cutlets until they are golden brown and the glaze has slightly caramelized. Remove from the grill.salt and pepper
- Smear softened butter on the cut side of the buns. Grill the buns until nicely browned.4 hamburger buns, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- On a baking sheet, place 4 chicken cutlets, then criss-cross two slices of cooked bacon, and repeat this. Place cheese slices on top. Turn your broiler on high and then cook just until the cheese has melted, about 1 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on this…don't let them burn!4 slices sliced cheddar cheese
- Slather a good layer of the reserved honey mustard dressing on the toasted buns. Add mayonnaise, too, if desired. Place the prepared chicken/bacon/cheese on the buns and serve them at once.½ cup mayonnaise
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in May 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks with new tips, and photography, and a fabulous new video in July 2025!
Vicki says
Thank you so much for this recipe – it’s my son’s absolute favourite & whenever we cook chicken burgers it always HAS to be this recipe with your recipe for Italian dressing too!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Vicki!! That fills our hearts with joy! This recipe means a lot to us. We used to make it in a tiny studio apt. in NYC on a small electric grill that we got as a Christmas gift one year. We still make it to this very day and love it so much. We are THRILLED that you and your son love it so much, too. And thank you for letting us know and for the wonderful review. That honestly means the world to us!! All the very best! Kris & Wesley
Becky says
This is one of my favorite recipes to make. I make it all the time. My husband and I love it! Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Becky!! You just made us smile from ear to ear! That’s been one of our most favorite sandwiches for many, many years! We are so happy you and your hubby love it, too! And thanks for letting us know and for the wonderful review! That truly means the world to us!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Amanda Davey says
Thank you for this amazing recipe!! I just made these honey mustard chicken sandwiches for Father’s Day and my husband and dad thought they were amazing. They are both not huge chicken fans but loved these sandwiches!! My dad even wanted the recipe. Also, your Italian dressing is the best I have ever had. Thanks again!!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Amanda! We are so thrilled that you made these sandwiches for Father’s Day and had such success with them! We have been making these for years and we’re just so glad you, your hubby, and dad all enjoyed them!! Thank you so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review! We appreciate that so so much!! Please stay in touch! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
VICKI says
THANK YOU FOR SUCH AN INCREDIBLE RECIPE! I USE YOUR RECIPE FOR THE ITALIAN DRESSING TOO & IT ALL TASTES SO DELICIOUS. I’VE MADE IT A FEW TIMES NOW & MY 18 YEAR OLD’ SON SAID IT’S THE BEST THING IVE EVER COOKED HIM!
Kris Longwell says
Vicki!! Woo hoo!!! That’s so amazing to hear! And CONGRATS on impressing your 18 year old!! That’s not easy to do!!! LOL!! We are so happy you and your son enjoyed the sandwich and Italian dressing!!! And thank you so much for letting us know! We truly appreciate that so much! Please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Jackie says
In the body of the post (not directions) the oven temp for baking the bacon is 4000 degrees. Wow!!
Kris Longwell says
LOL!! Well, we REALLY like our bacon extra crispy!! Thanks for the heads up! We’ve corrected that funny typo!!! Thanks again, Jackie!! Let us know if you make these sammies…we actually just made some last night, and they are soooooo good!