Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich – delicious layers of flavors with homemade garlic aioli, pancetta, grilled chicken, and parmesan-crusted bread!

Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to take some of our favorite dishes and make them into something else. A pie into a cookie, a cookie into a crème brûlée, or a pasta into a sandwich. My husband, Jake, has been asking me to make Chicken Carbonara. While I like this dish, there are other pasta dishes I prefer. So I decided to please us both and turn it into a sandwich.

The result: my favorite sandwich ever. Literally, I was so in love with this that I called my husband, dad, and sister to see if I could bring them lunch. While my dad was the only one who could come over and try it, I also made one for my husband that evening. I was so excited, it was a perfect melody of flavors.

A traditional Carbonara is made with an egg-based sauce with garlic, pancetta, and parmesan cheese. Using the egg and garlic I made a homemade aioli to spread on inside of the sandwich. I then used the parmesan element of the dish by using it to crust the outside of the sandwich, this turned out beautiful. I layered the pancetta with a chicken breast, making the duo the “meat” of the sandwich. Layering the parmesan-crusted Italian bread, aioli, chicken breast, pancetta, cheese and a touch of lemon zest brought this sandwich to a whole new level of A-MAZING!

Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich - delicious layers of flavors with homemade garlic aioli, pancetta, grilled chicken, and parmesan-crusted bread!

I literally can’t wait to make this again. It was easy to prepare, has a stunning presentation and eating it was more than incredible.
Enjoy! XOXO San

How do you make this Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich?

  • Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. Place them in a Ziplock bag and proceed to pound the chicken breast so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until completely cooked through. My grill took about 7 minutes.

  • While chicken is grilling make the aioli. Place the egg, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley into a blender. Blend until mixed and there are no garlic chunks, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, a sprinkle of lemon juice may also be added. Blend until thickened. Set aside.

  • Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter.

  • Generously butter 8 slices of bread on only one side. Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of parmesan on buttered side of bread. Push down to stick the cheese to the butter. 

  • Reduce heat to medium-low. Place 2 slices of bread in skillet, cheese side down. Spread aioli on bread, then top with chicken, pancetta, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and a pinch of parmesan and lemon zest. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up.

  • Once it is golden brown, after a few minutes, flip over sandwich and bake until cheese in the sandwich is melted and the bread is a golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat process with remaining sandwiches.

  • Cut sandwiches in half and serve with a green salad. If you have extra aioli, have it on the side for those who want more.

 

For more tasty sandwich ideas, try these Cheesy Buffalo Chicken SlidersFrench Onion Meatball Sandwiches, and Grilled “Ranch” Style Chicken Sandwiches

Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!

Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 995 kcal
Grilled Chicken Carbonara Sandwich - delicious layers of flavors with homemade garlic aioli, pancetta, grilled chicken, and parmesan-crusted bread!

Ingredients
 

  • 8 slices Italian bread
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 4 slices pancetta
  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 8 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated

Garlic Basil Aioli

  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 small lemon zested

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally, so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. Place them in a Ziplock bag and proceed to pound the chicken breast so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until completely cooked through. My grill took about 7 minutes.
  • While chicken is grilling make the aioli. Place the egg, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley into a blender. Blend until mixed and there are no garlic chunks, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste, a sprinkle of lemon juice may also be added. Blend until thickened. Set aside.
  • Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter.
  • Generously butter 8 slices of bread on only one side. Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of parmesan on buttered side of bread. Push down to stick the cheese to the butter. 
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. Place 2 slices of bread in skillet, cheese side down. Spread aioli on bread, then top with chicken, pancetta, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and a pinch of parmesan and lemon zest. Place other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
  • Once it is golden brown, after a few minutes, flip over sandwich and bake until cheese in the sandwich is melted and the bread is a golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat process with remaining sandwiches.
  • Cut sandwiches in half and serve with a green salad. If you have extra aioli, have it on the side for those who want more.
Serving: 1gCalories: 995kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 48gFat: 78gSaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 209mgSodium: 1118mgPotassium: 632mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1140IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 541mgIron: 2.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

Dads Review: When I called my dad about the sandwich he headed right over there was no hesitation. When he walked in he remarked how amazing the plate looked. He loved this sandwich and thought a tomato would pair well with it. The next time I have my parents over for lunch, this will be on the menu.

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68 Comments

  1. I never thought a sandwich can make me drool, and I am a sandwich person. But the power or your words paired up with the garlic factor and such delicious looking photos have that effect on me. I’ve got to make that sandwich now.

    1. Pam – this is much better as a sandwich to me as I sometimes don’t like how people use the eggs in the dish. You’ll love this. xo San

  2. Oh does that look delicious! I might have to make that when my kids are in for Mother’s Day weekend.

  3. Ok that looks really really good! I know its not avocado because you didn’t list it, but whatever the green spread is, it looks good. This looks so tasty!

  4. Oh my, your grilled chicken carbonara sandwich looks amazing! The garlic aioli looks delicious and the parmesan-crusted bread sounds divine!

  5. Hubby loves, loves, loves chicken carb, so I know he would love this. Will have to surprise him with it.

  6. The sandwich looks delicious and I think you are amazingly talented to be able to take recipes that are already made and recreate them into something else even more delicious. Wish I could do that.

  7. That is a serious gourmet sandwich – I’m not kidding! I would expect to find something like this at a top rated Italian restaurant for lunch.

  8. wow its look very yummy i want to ear this you are good chef and your recipes is also too good hats off to you. 1 week ago you share
    chocolate cupcake recipe
    in your website.when i make this recipe i can’t describe in my words his taste was very very delicious.am a big fan of you

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