Sriracha Ranch Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Aug 11, 2023 • Tom Jackson

There are sandwiches, and then there are SANDWICHES. The Sriracha Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a flavor explosion in sandwich form, from the tender, juicy chicken to the spicy and flavorful Sriracha Ranch dressing. Grab a couple of napkins and dig in!

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Pickle brine does double duty. Soaking the chicken in a buttermilk-pickle-sriracha blend for at least four hours tenderizes it while building tang and heat straight into the meat.
Two cooking zones, one grill. GrillGrates handle the direct-fire chicken sear while the cast iron griddle handles bacon and buns at the same time — nothing waits in line.
Buns toasted in bacon fat, not butter. Toasting the brioche in the rendered bacon fat left on the griddle means the bread picks up smoky flavor before the sandwich is even built.
Cheese melts off the flame. Moving the seared chicken to the griddle to melt the gouda avoids burning the cheese over direct fire.

Sriracha Ranch Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Tom Jackson

Rated 3.9 stars by 7 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

4

Prep Time

4 hours

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

775

Your new summer favorite is the Sriracha Ranch Grilled Chicken Sandwich! Juicy chicken thighs are marinaded in a pickle brine and covered with a creamy, slightly spicy Sriracha Ranch. Put it together with bacon, gouda cheese and brioche buns toasted in bacon fat, then you have a masterpiece of chicken sandwich. This is an absolute must try!

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Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup KC Canning Co. Cucumber Cucumber Dilly Pickle juice
2 tbsp Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha Hot Sauce
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning

Sandwiches

4 brioche buns
4 slices smoked gouda
6 slices bacon
4 slices tomato
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Sriracha Ranch:

2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp buttermilk
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 tsp fresh chives, minced
1 tsp fresh dill, minced
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic, grated on microplane
Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star, to taste
4 tsp Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha Hot Sauce

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Directions

Trim any cartilage from the chicken thighs. Place in a gallon size zip-top bag.
Combine the buttermilk with the pickle juice and Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha Hot Sauce. Whisk to combine. Pour into the bag with the chicken thighs. Let soak for at least four hours, up to overnight.
To make the Sriracha Ranch, combine all ingredients and whisk well. If using bottled ranch, combine 4 parts ranch to 1 part sriracha.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF set up for direct grilling (entire diffuser removed) with GrillGrate grilling panels installed on the left side of the grill (over the fire box), and the Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle installed on the right side of the grill, smooth side up.
Remove the thighs from the buttermilk pickle brine. Remove excess liquid from the surface of the thighs with paper towels. Season the thighs with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning.
Place your bacon on the cast iron griddle, inside the grill.
Begin to grill the chicken thighs on the GrillGrates, directly over the flame.
When bacon is rendered and almost crispy, remove from the griddle and place on paper towels. When slightly cooled, tear each slice of bacon in half.
Toast your brioche buns in the bacon fat left behind on the griddle until browned and crispy. Remove from the grill.
Flip the chicken to brown evenly. When the internal temperature reaches about 165ºF, move the thighs to the griddle and top each thigh with smoked gouda. Remove when melted.
To build a sandwich, cover the bottom bun with three half-slices of bacon. Place a slice of tomato the bacon. Place the thigh with melted cheese on the tomato. Top the chicken with a nest of shredded romaine lettuce. Spoon about two tablespoons Sriracha Ranch over the lettuce. Top it off with the top of the brioche bun.

Image of Sriracha Ranch Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Why brine the chicken in buttermilk and pickle juice?
Buttermilk's mild acidity tenderizes the chicken without turning it spongy, even over a long soak, while the pickle juice and sriracha add tang and heat straight into the meat.

Can I use bottled ranch instead of making it from scratch?
Yes — mix 4 parts bottled ranch to 1 part Yellowbird Sriracha for a quick substitute that still gets you the same creamy heat.

Why toast the buns in bacon fat?
Using the fat left behind on the griddle after cooking the bacon adds smoky flavor to the bread instead of using plain butter, tying the whole sandwich together.

Why move the chicken to the griddle to melt the cheese?
Direct flame browns the chicken well but can scorch cheese quickly — finishing on the griddle melts the gouda gently without burning it.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
You can, but thighs stay juicier through the sear since they carry more fat — breasts will need closer attention to avoid drying out.

How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A stovetop skillet and griddle can handle every step here; the grill mainly adds char to the chicken.

Recipe Highlights

Long buttermilk-pickle brine: Direction Step 2 soaks the chicken thighs for at least four hours, up to overnight, in a buttermilk-pickle-sriracha mixture — that extended soak is what tenderizes the meat and builds flavor all the way through.
Split-zone grill setup: Step 4 sets up GrillGrates over direct fire on one side and a smooth cast iron griddle on the other — that split lets the chicken sear hot while bacon and buns cook at a gentler, more controlled heat simultaneously.
Bacon fat repurposed for the buns: Step 9 toasts the brioche directly in the rendered bacon fat left on the griddle, giving the bread smoky flavor instead of using plain butter.
Cheese melted off direct heat: Step 10 moves the seared chicken to the griddle specifically to melt the gouda, avoiding the risk of scorching it over the open flame.