Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!
- 4 medium chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) (the thinner, the better!)
- 1 cup teriyaki sauce (or marinade)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 4 ounce canned whole green chiles (1 can should have 4 chiles)
- 4 slices American cheese
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MARINATE CHICKEN: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts into resealable plastic bag or a container (with lid). Add teriyaki sauce; turn to fully cover chicken with sauce. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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PREP #1-MAKE SAUCE: Measure mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, and curry powder into a small bowl. Stir well, then set bowl aside. PREP #2-PREPARE CHILES: Open can; drain green chiles. Carefully slice chiles open. Remove seeds. Pat chiles dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
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COOK CHICKEN: After marinating 30 minutes, remove chicken breasts from bag (or container); let excess sauce drip off the chicken. Discard sauce. Cook chicken on an outdoor grill, or in a lightly oiled pan or on indoor grill pan on medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes. Turn chicken over; continue grilling other side for an additional 6-7 minutes. The time it takes to cook depends on the thickness of chicken you use, of course. When done, chicken should be cooked all the way through (internal temp of 145-150°F), and be nicely browned on all sides. Remove from pan or grill. Keep chicken warm.
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TOAST THE BUNS: Lightly toast the hamburger buns. Easiest way is to split and lay them open on a lightly buttered skillet. Let them "toast" for 1-2 minutes on low heat, until golden brown.
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TO BUILD EACH SANDWICH: Spread sauce onto both sides of each toasted bun. Place lettuce leaf on bottom bun; top it with a green chile, followed by a chicken breast. Add a slice of American cheese to the top bun, and place it on the chicken. Repeat with other sandwiches, serve warm, and enjoy!
Caloric calculation was made using light mayonnaise and 1/4th of the marinade's total calories, as marinade is only used to flavor meat and total amount of marinade is not fully consumed.