Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich

This Vietnamese sandwich combines all the flavors in one delicious bite – sweet, sour, bitter, salty, crunchy and pillowy soft.  A perfect bite.

This is one of those recipes that deliciously mimics the craveable Vietnamese sandwich you probably grabbed for lunch or dinner.  Then, you probably eat it, savoring each bite, wishing it had more of the pickled carrots, was more spicy, wondering why you can’t make this at home.  Well, now you can. Easily, and with more of your favorite ‘parts’.

A Vietnamese sandwich, a Bahn mi of marinated grilled chicken, pickled carrots, jalapenos,, and cucumber, and fresh cilantro slathered with Sriracha mayonnaise

By making the marinade and pickled vegetables the night before, and just grilling and assembling the sandwich, this makes a quick weeknight meal.  

HOW DO I MAKE A VIETNAMESE BAHN MI SANDWICH?

  • First, we are going to make a marinade for the chicken that is salty from the soy and fish sauces, sweet with brown sugar, and spicy from the Thai chiles.  Can’t find Thai chilies? No worries, just throw in some red chili flakes or even a spoon of Sambal Oelek. Marinate the chicken for as long as possible.
  • Then we will make a pickling liquid and pickle some carrots, jalapenos, and cucumber.  Feel free to use whatever vegetables you like as a pickle. Cabbage, daikon, broccolini, or even corn kernels are great as pickles for this sandwich.  Use whatever you like or have on hand.
  • Don’t care for cilantro?  Fresh basil leaves are delicious as well.  Spinach leaves or romaine can also be used.
  • Finally, we are going to grill the marinated chicken and allow the edges to get a bit caramelized and browned.  Then layer the chicken, a spicy Sriacha mayo, and the pickled vegetables with some cilantro. Slice and eat. Amazing.

Feeling inspired for more international sandwich recipes?  Give my Better Than Takeout Gyros With Tzatziki Sauce or this recipe for a French Monte Cristo Sandwich a try.

A Vietnamese sandwich, a Bahn mi of marinated grilled chicken, pickled carrots, jalapenos,, and cucumber, and fresh cilantro slathered with Sriracha mayonnaise

Here are a few more of my favorite international sandwich recipes:

  • Homemade Doner Kebab Sandwich, TheSpruceEats.com.  This Turkish sandwich is like a gyro, but with a few different spices.  It is luscious.
  • Authentic Cuban Sandwich, Soulfullymade.com.  This sandwich is what dreams are made of.  Once you eat one, you WILL dream about having another one.  So good.
  • Bacon Butty, mrbreakfast.com.  A very British sandwich of bacon, butter, A1 or HP sauce, and bread.  Drunk food at its ultimate best!
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CHICKEN BAHN MI SANDWICH

A classic Vietnamese sandwich.  This bahn mi has marinated, grilled chicken, pickled veggies, Srirach mayonnaise sandwiched inside of a fluffy, crusty roll.

  • Author: Eats By The Beach
  • Prep Time: 50 minutes + marinating time
  • Cook Time: 6 minutes
  • Total Time: 56 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

Scale

Marinade:

½ cup Asian Fish Sauce

½ cup soy sauce

1 cup fresh lime juice

½ cup brown sugar

10 garlic cloves, minced

5 Thai chiles, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips (I like to slice horizontally into thirds)

Pickled Vegetables:

½ cup water

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

3 Thai chiles, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, julienned 

2 large jalapenos, thinly sliced into rounds

½ English cucumber, sliced thin

Bahn Mi:

Four 8-inch baguettes, split and toasted

⅓ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Sriracha

12 sprigs fresh cilantro

Instructions

In a large ziplock bag, pour all of the marinade ingredients into the bag.  Close the bag tightly and shake to mix the marinade. Add the sliced chicken.  Massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate and marinate the chicken at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.  The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be.

Next, pickle the vegetables.  In a small saucepan, bring the water, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and chiles to a boil.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt completely. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a glass or plastic bowl with a tightly fitting lid, layer the carrots, jalapenos, and cucumber.  Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables. Cover tightly and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

To assemble the sandwich, open and arrange the buns on a serving plate.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Sriracha.  Slather the buns with the Sriacha mayo.

Arrange the chicken slices evenly on one side of the bread.  Spoon the pickled vegetables, draining on the side of the bowl, onto the chicken.  Top with 3 sprigs of cilantro on each sandwich.  

Slice each sandwich in half diagonally to serve.

Keywords: Vietnamese sandwich, sandwich recipe, Bahn mi recipe, weeknight dinner, grilled chicken, chicken sandwich