Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli (GF)

Today’s Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli are a wonderful casual meal that everyone loves. The aioli complements the flavors on the chicken and adds a lovely creaminess to every bite. These sandwiches are perfect for game day eats or an easy weeknight lunch or supper.

Hummus has always been a favorite snack of mine and one of the appetizers at nearly all of my parties because it is so easy to put together and people love it. It is also nearly always naturally gluten-free (check the label!), making it a good choice so that everyone at your gatherings have something they can enjoy. Just be sure that the crackers or chips that you serve with it are also gluten-free!

Today I thought it would be fun to experiment with a different way to utilize hummus. Since I’ve used it as a spread on crostini with toppings, why not take that one step further and put a new spin on aioli for sandwiches. 

Aioli is the Provençal sauce made with olive oil, eggs, lemon juice, and garlic. Because we are not trying to get oil to blend with something it doesn’t like (liquids such as vinegar and oil in a dressing), using hummus as the base for your aioli makes it a snap to put together without worrying about emulsification or the sauce breaking. It adds a ton of flavor to your sandwiches and also works as a dip for tortilla chips – double winner!

I love Mexican flavors, especially with grilled foods. To me they seem to go together beautifully. So adding some cilantro, cumin, and oregano plus a little ancho chile powder is a fun way to turn hummus into a Latin treat.

Ancho is a mild chile and will add flavor without a lot of heat. Sprinkling a touch of ancho on the chicken as it grills just extends the flavor profile and adds one more layer of goodness. If you don’t have ancho available, regular chili powder is fine too.

Using smoked paprika adds an extra pop of smokiness that complements any grilled foods without being overwhelming or spicy. If you want more heat, use chipotle powder instead!

I live in California where we can easily BBQ all year long, but if you are a fair weather griller, you can make this chicken on the stove. Sauté it in a skillet, use a grill pan, or even a griddle. Just be sure that the center of the chicken registers 160°F to 165°F (71°C to 74°C) on an instant read thermometer! That goes for all chicken breasts and turkey too – it is the magic temperature range!

Once you’ve assembled the sandwiches, pass additional hummus at the table. I’ll bet your guests will want to add a little more to their sandwiches, and if you are also serving tortilla chips alongside, don’t be surprised if a few sneak their way into the bowl of hummus!

These beauties would also be great for Thanksgiving weekend if you have family or guests staying over. Easy to make and easier to eat, it will be a great alternative to binging on the turkey leftovers.

Give this unusual take on hummus a try, I know you’ll love these Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli. I serve them all year long and we inhale them!

See you back here for Chocolate Monday next week. Have a wonderful weekend!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli:

• Hummus Aioli: Roasted Red Pepper hummus, cilantro, lime juice, oregano, cumin, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, olive oil, green onions, salt, pepper
• Chicken: boneless chicken breasts, olive oil, onion powder, ancho chile powder, salt, pepper, sliced cheese
• Sandwiches: bread rolls (GF if needed), hummus aioli, cooked chicken, lettuce, sliced tomatoes

PRO Tip:

Bottled chili powder is a mixture of ingredients that can include several different types of chile powders, seasonings, and preservatives. They are perfectly fine to use, but I prefer to use individual chile powders (such as ancho) to add specific flavors and heat levels to my foods. If you are gluten-free, always check the labels carefully on any prepared blends. I like Penzey’s and McCormick brands of spices because they list all the ingredients and many are gluten-free!

How to make Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli:

1. Prepare the Hummus Aioli: Mix the hummus with the cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, ancho powder, paprika, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate about 2 hours or up to 7 days, covered, in an airtight container. This time allows the flavors to blend. Return to room temperature before assembling the sandwiches.
2. Cook the Chicken: If grilling, set up a 2-tier fire (one side is hotter than the other). If cooking on the stove, heat up your skillet, grill pan, or griddle over medium-high heat. Brush the chicken pieces with oil and sprinkle with the seasonings. Cook on the first side until lightly browned or you have grill marks. Flip and cook the second side until the center registers 158°F to 160°F (70° to 71°C). Transfer to a baking sheet and tent with foil to rest. The chicken will finish cooking and the juices will redistribute to the center.
3. Transfer to a cutting board. Hold the chicken stable with the palm of your hand and cut each piece in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces (keep your fingers out of the way of the knife!) that are much easier to eat and helps you stretch your budget. Top each half with a slice of cheese if desired.
4. Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread some hummus on each cut sides of the rolls, add lettuce, slices of tomato and a piece of chicken. Repeat with remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

PRO Tip:

If you have a ton of people hanging around while you are grilling, chatting with you and distracting you from the task at hand, you can get good grill marks on the chicken and cook them most of the way through outside, then transfer them to a baking sheet and finish them slowly in the oven. They will be perfectly cooked in no time and you won’t have to worry about charring them on the grill. You get the smoky flavor with none of the risk!

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Citrus reamer
• Mixing bowls
• Chef’s knife
• Baking sheet pan
• Cutting board
• Offset spatula

Gluten-Free Tips:

* Prepared chili powder is a mixture of ingredients that can include several different types of chile powders, seasonings, and preservatives. They are perfectly fine to use, but I prefer to use individual chile powders (such as ancho) to add specific flavors and heat levels to my foods. If you are gluten-free, always check the labels carefully on any prepared blends. I like Penzey’s and McCormick brands of spices because they list all the ingredients and many are gluten-free!

I found Schar’s take-and-bake baguettes at the grocery store and thought I would give them a try. About 5 minutes in the oven and they were lightly toasted, golden brown and smelled like “real” bread. These are a really good alternative if you are serving someone with gluten sensitivities.

When using the BBQ for both regular and gluten-free, it is safest to designate one grill just for the GF foods. Or I just make all the grilled items gluten-free and then I don’t have to worry about it. Make sure you keep everything separate, including the cooking and serving utensils!

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Continue to Content

Yield: 6 Sandwiches and about 1 cup Hummus Aioli

Chicken Sandwiches with Hummus Aioli (GF)

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Today I created a beautiful new, healthier sandwich spread with amped up Sabra’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Oh my is it good - a little spicy, creamy, and much healthier than mayo. It’s my new go-to sandwich spread!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Hummus Aioli

• 10 oz (284g) Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• 1 tbsp finely minced fresh cilantro or parsley
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder or chili powder*, optional
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional
• 1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely minced green onions
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chicken

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Organic olive oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp ground ancho chile powder or chili powder*
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 slices Provolone, Monterey Jack, or other cheese, optional

Sandwiches

• 6 (6 to 8 inch; 15 to 20 cm) Sweet French, Sourdough rolls, Hoagies, or Gluten-Free rolls
• Hummus Aioli from above
• Chicken from above
• Fresh lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry
• Sliced tomatoes (if in season)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Hummus Aioli: The morning of the day you want to serve these sandwiches, scoop the hummus into a mixing bowl. Stir in the cilantro or parsley, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, ancho powder, paprika, and olive oil, whisking until smooth. Taste and add salt or pepper and adjust seasonings to suit your personal tastes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 7 days, covered, in an airtight container. The resting time gives the flavors a chance to blend. Return to room temperature before assembling the sandwiches.
2. Cook the Chicken: Set up a 2-tier medium-high fire in your charcoal or gas grill. For charcoal this means banking about 2/3 of the coals on one half of your grill and spreading the rest out over the other half creating hotter and cooler zones. For a gas grill this means heating all the burners over High for about 15 minutes (with the lid closed), then turning half of them on one side down to Low. If you have multiple burners, set the outer ones on medium and turn the center ones down to Low. Alternately you can cook the chicken on a grill pan, skillet, or griddle on your stove.
3. Trim off the chicken tender if still attached. (You can use them for a different recipe or cook alongside the breasts and serve to your kids.) Brush both sides of the chicken pieces lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with the seasonings. Don’t use too much oil or you may get flare ups when it hits the hot grill.
4. Place the seasoned chicken breasts over the hotter side of the grill and cook until they release easily and have grill marks. Flip to the other side and place on the cooler part of the grill to finish cooking more gently. This gives you greater control and fewer chances of overcooking. The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest portion registers 158F to 160F (70° to 71°C).
5. Remove from the heat as each one finishes cooking. Place on a baking sheet, loosely tent with foil and set aside to rest. This helps finish cooking all the way to the center and redistributes the juices.
6. Assemble the Sandwiches and Serve: Split the rolls and place cut side down on the hot grill. Cook just until grill marks are beginning to appear, moving the rolls on and off the hotter part of the grill as needed. Transfer to a platter.
7. Place a cooked chicken breast on a clean cutting board. Lay your palm on top and holding a sharp knife parallel to the work surface, slice the chicken lengthwise / horizontally in half creating two thinner pieces. Having thinner pieces of chicken makes a sandwich easier to eat and stretches your budget. Drape a slice of cheese over the chicken pieces if desired. They will soften slightly as they wait to be placed on the sandwiches.
8. Spread some of the hummus on both cut sides of the roll, top with lettuce leaves and slices of tomatoes, and add one piece of chicken. Place the top of the bun on the sandwich and cut in half. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

* Prepared chili powder is a mixture of ingredients that can include several different types of chile powders, seasonings, and preservatives. They are perfectly fine to use, but I prefer to use individual chile powders (such as ancho) to add specific flavors and heat levels to my foods. If you are gluten-free, always check the labels carefully on any prepared blends. I like Penzey’s and McCormick brands of spices because they list all the ingredients and many are gluten-free!

I found Schar’s take-and-bake baguettes at the grocery store (look for the yelllow packaging) and thought I would give them a try. About 5 minutes in the oven and they were lightly toasted, golden brown and smelled like “real” bread. These are a really good alternative if you are serving someone with gluten sensitivities.

When using the BBQ for both regular and gluten-free, it is safest to designate one grill just for the GF foods. Or I just make all the grilled items gluten-free and then I don’t have to worry about it. If that doesn't work, cook the GF foods on a fresh sheet of foil and use separate utensils! Make sure you keep everything separate, including the cooking and serving utensils!

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 636Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 1156mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 44g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in May 2015. The article was updated in 2025.