Chicken Tenders Sandwich

Here I’ll show you how to make one of my all-time favourite sandwiches!

This is such a simple sandwich, but I’ve got some tips and tricks for turning it into an instant favourite (and a favourite for life!). Follow me…

Cheese-Crusted Bread

The only way bread can be improved is with a cheese crust, right? 😅. This is such a simple trick it’s almost rude not to do it.

You’re essentially just melting Cheddar cheese in a pan and placing the bread on top. As the cheese melts and crisps up, it attaches itself to the bread. So long as your pan is non-stick and it’s over medium heat, it will attach, so have faith.

Could I not just melt the cheese under the grill?

Just to anticipate a possibly obvious question – yes, you can place the bread/cheese under the grill and cook it that way. However, here’s a few different reasons why I prefer the pan:

• Extra crisp – The direct contact with the pan will make the cheese more crisp, and without burning the bread.
• Crust – You can create a small ‘skirt’ around the bread with the cheese. If you look at photo 4 below you’ll see the crispy, flaky cheese on the outside. You can make this even bigger if you’d like!
• Level – Opening the bread and placing it in the pan ensures both sides will cook at the same rate. I find sometimes if you slice it open and place it under the grill it’s difficult to get both sides completely level.

What kind of bread should I use?

I use soft white sub rolls, but you can use regular round rolls too. In fact most types of bread will work!

Process shots: add cheddar to pan (photo 1), add bread (photo 3), melt cheese until it crisps and attaches to bread (photo 3), use turner to remove bread (photo 4).

Chicken Tenders Sandwich

There’s obviously a huge variety of fillings you could add to this sandwich, but here’s what I love:

• Salad – I like tossing together some thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, pickles, spring onion and cucumber. Just work to preference with the quantities (you can also stack them separately).
• Tomatoes – I pat them with kitchen roll to remove unwanted moisture, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Tenders – Cooked as necessary then diced. You could leave them whole if they fit well already.
• Sauce – I go for a combo of Ranch and hot sauce.

The cheese will crisp as it cools. It’s much easier to fold fresh out of the pan, but it just depends on how crispy you want it.

Process shots: add salad (photo 1), add seasoned tomatoes (photo 2), add tenders (photo 3), add ranch & hot sauce (photo 4).

Chicken Tenders Sandwich FAQ

What kind of chicken tenders should I use?

You can use store-bought or whip up your own! Here are some recipes for inspiration:

• Dorito Chicken Tenders
• Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
• Cornflake Chicken Tenders
• Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders
• Nashville Chicken Tenders

Can I use chicken nuggets instead?

Yes! Any breaded chicken will work great.

Can I make this ahead of time?

This needs to be fresh, otherwise it goes soggy and the cheese goes chewy.

Serving a Chicken Tenders Sandwich

This is a pretty hearty sandwich as it is, but you could add a Side to make it even heartier if you fancy! Some Wedges or Fries go delightfully 😋

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken tenders sandwich shall we?!

How to make Chicken Tenders Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)

Chicken Tenders Sandwich

Here I'll show you how to make one of my all-time favourite sandwiches!

5 from 1 vote

Save Saved! Print Pin Rate

Servings (click & slide): 1 sandwich

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Total Time: 16 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 676kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment:

• Cheese Grater
• Large Non-Stick Pan & Turner Spatula
• Bread Knife
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Medium Sized Bowl

Ingredients (check list):

• ▢ 60g / 2oz freshly grated Cheddar Cheese (see notes)
• ▢ 1x 7" soft white Sub Roll
• ▢ 2-3 Chicken Tenders, cooked as necessary (see notes)
• ▢ Iceberg Lettuce, very thinly sliced
• ▢ Cucumber, very thinly sliced
• ▢ Spring Onion, very thinly sliced
• ▢ Gherkin/Pickle, very thinly sliced
• ▢ Tomato, sliced & patted dry to remove moisture (3 slices per sandwich)
• ▢ Ranch, to preference
• ▢ Hot Sauce, to preference (I like Cholula)
• ▢ Salt & Pepper, as needed

Instructions:

• Toss your preferred amount of lettuce, cucumber, spring onion and pickle in a medium-sized bowl then place to one side. Slice the chicken tenders into small pieces and place to one side (you can keep them whole if they fit neatly inside the roll).
• Slice the roll through the centre, making sure it still stays attached.
• Sprinkle the Cheddar in a large non-stick pan roughly in the shape of the open roll. Place the roll on top cut-side-down and turn the heat to medium. The cheese will begin to melt and leak out oil. As it begins to turn golden and stop bubbling, it'll crisp up, release from the pan and attach to the bread. This usually takes around 6-7 minutes. You can check by gently twisting the bread to see if it has attached. Have faith - the cheese will attach as it crisps!
• Add the salad to one side of the roll. Top with tomatoes alongside a pinch of salt and pepper, followed by the tenders and your preferred amount of ranch and hot sauce.
• Tuck in and enjoy!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Pan - Essential the pan is non-stick! The cheese will crisp and attach, just be patient. If the cheese looks/smells like it's burning just lower the heat slightly.

b) Bread - Most bread will work for this, such as a round roll (just slice it in half and place them both cut-side-down). I like the soft sub rolls so you get the crisp inside with the soft outside.

c) Cheese - I use Mature Cheddar cheese and haven't tried with other types of cheese, so can only guarantee that Cheddar will work. The cheese will crisp as it cools. I tend to stack it near enough right away though as it's easier to fold.

d) Tenders - When shooting this recipe I used some leftover Dorito Chicken Tenders. My Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders also work great, as do my Cornflake Chicken Tenders. You could also use my Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders! You can of course use store-bought tenders or even chicken nuggets. You also don't have to slice them, I just find they fit more easily.

e) Quantities - For the salad I tend to do equal parts cucumber, pickle and spring onion, then a little bit more lettuce to bring it together. Just work to preference though. You can of course stack them all separately, I just like it all thinly sliced and tossed together.

f) Calories - Just a rough estimate and only the tenders, bread and cheese.

Your Private Notes:

Click here to add your own private notes or reminders about this recipe.

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Tenders Sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 676 Calories from Fat 249

% Daily Value*

Fat 27.67g43%

Saturated Fat 13.324g67%

Trans Fat 0.734g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.467g

Monounsaturated Fat 6.901g

Cholesterol 159mg53%

Sodium 989mg41%

Potassium 529mg15%

Carbohydrates 50.22g17%

Fiber 2.7g11%

Sugar 5.84g6%

Protein 53.77g108%

Vitamin A 665IU13%

Calcium 564mg56%

Iron 5.25mg29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

For another recipe using Chilli Heatwave Doritos check out my Cheese Stuffed Doritos!

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Hearty Sandwich Recipes

• Steak Sandwich
• Egg Mayo Sandwich
• Chicken Pesto Sandwich
• Meatball Subs
• Turkey Avocado Sandwich