Chilli Lemon Chicken & Cheese Sandwich
Chicken thighs marinated in lemon, chilli, and garlic, baked until golden and charred, stacked with melted cheddar. Add a tangy yoghurt coleslaw and a toasted bun, and that’s the whole sandwich sorted.
Marinate the chicken as long as you can within that 48-hour window, the lemon and chilli need real time to actually get into the meat, not just sit on the surface. Stack the pieces while they’re still hot from the oven too, straight before adding the cheese, residual heat is what melts it properly.
Keep the chicken and coleslaw separate in the fridge for up to 3 days. Not recommended for freezing once assembled, the yoghurt dressing doesn’t hold up well to a freeze-thaw.
Chilli Lemon Chicken & Cheese Sandwich
CHICKEN · LUNCH · EASY
Bright, sharp flavour in every bite
Lemon and chilli in the marinade cut right through the richness of the melted cheddar, so this never feels heavy despite being a loaded sandwich.
The yoghurt coleslaw does double duty as a topping and a lighter alternative to a heavier mayo-based slaw, and letting it rest in the fridge while the chicken cooks genuinely improves the flavour.
Stacking two pieces of chicken under one slice of cheese means the cheese melts from real residual heat, not a microwave shortcut, so it actually goes properly gooey.
Chilli Lemon Chicken & Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 10 ml Olive Oil
- 8 Chicken Thighs Boneless & Skinless
- 1 Lemon Juice & Zest
- 2 Long Red Chillies Chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 4 g Sweet Paprika
- 0.5 g Dried Oregano
- 0.5 g Dried Thyme
- 0.5 g Dried Basil
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 Burger Buns
- 4 slices Cheddar Cheese
- Mayonnaise
Coleslaw
- 100 g White Cabbage Sliced
- 100 g Red Cabbage Chopped
- 5 g Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
- ½ Red Onion Sliced
- 2 Spring Onions (Scallions) Sliced
- 125 g Greek Yoghurt
- ½ Lemon Juiced
- 37.5 ml Macadamia Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 10 g Honey
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add the chicken thigh, lemon juice and zest, chillies, garlic, sweet paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil, olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and cracked black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes, up to 48 hours.
- Place the marinated chicken onto the prepared baking tray, spread evenly, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden, slightly charred, and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Remove, stack two pieces of chicken on top of each other, and place over a slice of cheese. Let the cheese melt and the chicken rest for 4–5 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates or cooks, combine all the coleslaw ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing ingredients and mix well again. Check the seasoning and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Toast the burger buns to your liking, in the oven or a pan. Add the coleslaw to the bottom bun, top with the stacked chicken and cheese, and add a sauce of choice to the top bun before closing. Serve and dig in.
How long should I marinate the chicken?⌄
A minimum of 30 minutes works, but the flavour genuinely improves the longer it sits, up to 48 hours. Give it as much time as your schedule allows.
Why stack the chicken pieces before adding the cheese?⌄
The residual heat from the freshly baked chicken is what melts the cheese properly, so working quickly while it's hot matters more than it seems.
Can I make the coleslaw ahead of time?⌄
Yes, it's actually better made ahead, the flavours round out with a bit of resting time in the fridge, same as any yoghurt-based slaw dressing.
What sauce goes best on this sandwich?⌄
A simple mayonnaise works well and lets the chicken and coleslaw do the talking. A garlic aioli or chilli mayo would work too if you want extra heat.
