Not trying to brag but we really nailed it with this one. We had a great sunny day over the weekend and turned on the grill to make the most epic chicken sandwiches. We love the balance of flavors of the smokey bacon, melty cheese, peppery arugula, and fresh basil aioli. We also love that this sandwich is a double-fisting, totally messy eating situation. This is good mood food and a sandwich we can eat on repeat all summer long.

Grilled Chicken Club with Basil Aioli
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, pounded thin for even cooking
• 2 tbs olive oil
• paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper
• 4 slices bacon
• 4 slices American cheese
• 4 thick slices of tomato
• 4 brioche buns, toasted
• 2 cups + arugula

Ingredients for Basil Aioli:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise**
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup packed basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to medium-high heat (about 450 degrees).
2. While the grill is pre-heating, make the aioli by combining the lime zest and juice, basil, and garlic in a small food processor. Blend until evenly chopped. Add the mayonnaise and blend until everything is combined. If you think the aioli is too thick you can add a teaspoon of water to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken breasts and season them with an even layer of paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place the chicken onto the grill and grill the chicken for about 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the breast. The chicken should be cooked through and the juices should run clear (it will have an internal temperature of 165 degrees).
4. We try to cook as many of the ingredients on the grill as we can. After you flip the chicken (6 minutes in) add the bacon to the grill. After you flip the bacon (3 more minutes in) add the cheese to the chicken so it gets extra melty. We also add the buns at the same time (with indirect heat) so that they get toasted. Keep an eye on everything so that nothing burns!
5. Assemble the sandwiches by layering the chicken on the bottom bun of the sandwich. Add one slice of bacon (cut in half) and then a nice slice of tomato. Add a small handful of arugula and drizzle the aioli over top. Add the top bun and serve immediately.

** If you want to lighten up the aioli, sub 1/3 cup of the mayo for 1/3 cup Greek yogurt. You still want at least half of the sauce to be mayo so that the aioli isn’t too sour tasting.