The Grilled George Chicken Salad Finger Sandwich
Some sandwiches are made for a quick lunch, while others are meant to be passed around at a party. The Grilled George falls firmly into the second category. It takes the familiar flavors of creamy chicken salad, crisp bacon, and buttery brioche and turns them into small, golden grilled sandwiches that are easy to pick up and even easier to eat.
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The idea is wonderfully simple. Shredded rotisserie chicken is mixed with mayonnaise and finely diced celery, then spread between slices of soft brioche bread. Crispy bacon goes in the middle, and the outside of each sandwich gets a very thin coating of mayonnaise before hitting a hot griddle.
That mayonnaise coating is the little trick that gives these sandwiches such a beautiful finish. Instead of simply buttering the bread, the mayonnaise helps the brioche develop a deeply golden, crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft.
Once the sandwiches are grilled, the crusts are trimmed away and each one is cut into four small pieces. The result is 24 neat finger sandwiches with crisp edges, creamy chicken salad, and salty bacon in every bite.
These are especially good for afternoon gatherings, brunches, showers, game-day spreads, holiday parties, or anytime you want something a little more polished than an ordinary sandwich.
The Grilled George
Yield: 24 finger sandwiches
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 30 minutes for the bacon, plus 5–6 minutes for grilling
Ingredients
1 pound store-bought rotisserie chicken, shredded
¾ cup plus 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
½ cup celery, finely diced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
12 slices brioche sandwich bread
12 slices bacon
How to Make The Grilled George
1. Cook the Bacon
Begin by heating the oven to 350°F.
Place a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack, making sure the slices do not overlap.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and deeply browned.
Cooking the bacon on a rack allows the rendered fat to drip away while hot air circulates around the slices. This gives you bacon that stays crisp enough to hold up inside the sandwiches.
Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and let it cool slightly.
If your bacon slices are particularly long, you can cut them in half once they are cool enough to handle.
2. Prepare the Chicken Salad
While the bacon is cooking, prepare the filling.
Place the shredded rotisserie chicken in a medium or large mixing bowl.
Add ¾ cup mayonnaise and the finely diced celery.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Stir gently until the chicken is evenly coated.
The mixture should be creamy enough to spread easily but not so wet that it becomes difficult to contain between the slices of bread.
If your rotisserie chicken is especially moist, begin with slightly less mayonnaise and add more as needed.
3. Build the Sandwiches
Lay six slices of brioche bread on a clean work surface.
Divide the chicken salad evenly among them.
Spread the mixture all the way toward the corners, creating an even layer without piling it too high in the center.
Place two slices of bacon over each chicken salad-covered slice.
Top each sandwich with another slice of brioche.
At this point, you should have six complete sandwiches.
4. Coat the Bread
Instead of buttering the outside of the sandwiches, spread a very thin layer of the remaining mayonnaise over the top and bottom of each sandwich.
You need only enough to lightly cover the surface.
Try not to use a thick layer. Too much mayonnaise can make the bread greasy and can cause the sandwiches to brown unevenly.
The goal is a thin, even coating.
5. Heat the Griddle
Place a large skillet, sauté pan, or griddle over medium heat.
Allow it to preheat for about 3 minutes.
You want the cooking surface hot enough to brown the brioche but not so hot that the bread burns before the filling becomes warm.
If your pan has a tendency to run hot, reduce the heat slightly once the sandwiches go in.
6. Grill the Sandwiches
Carefully place the sandwiches onto the heated cooking surface.
Cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes on the first side.
Press down gently with a spatula while they cook. You don’t need to crush the sandwiches; just apply enough pressure to encourage even contact between the bread and the hot pan.
When the underside is golden brown, carefully flip each sandwich.
Cook the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes, pressing lightly again.
The finished bread should be crisp and golden on both sides, while the center should be warm and creamy.
If the bread begins browning too quickly, lower the heat.
7. Trim and Cut
Transfer the grilled sandwiches to a cutting board.
Allow them to sit for a minute or two so the filling settles slightly.
Using a sharp serrated knife, trim away all four crusts.
Then cut each sandwich into four equal pieces.
You should end up with 24 finger sandwiches.
Arrange them on a platter and serve while they are still warm.
Why Brioche Works So Well
Brioche gives these sandwiches a softer and slightly richer character than ordinary white sandwich bread.
The bread becomes crisp on the outside while retaining a tender interior, creating a nice contrast with the creamy chicken salad.
Because brioche contains more richness than standard sandwich bread, it also browns beautifully on the griddle.
That said, if you don’t have brioche available, you can substitute another soft sandwich bread. Just keep in mind that thinner or more delicate bread may need slightly less cooking time.
Choosing the Right Chicken
A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this recipe extremely convenient.
Remove the meat from the bones and shred it into small pieces. You can use a mixture of white and dark meat, or use whichever portion your family prefers.
Dark meat will give the filling a slightly richer flavor, while breast meat creates a lighter chicken salad.
For the best texture, avoid shredding the chicken into extremely fine pieces. Small, bite-size shreds give the filling more structure and make the sandwiches easier to eat.
The Bacon Matters
Because there are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe, each one contributes noticeably to the finished sandwich.
The bacon provides the salty, smoky contrast to the mild chicken salad.
Cook it until it is genuinely crisp. Bacon that is only lightly cooked can become soft inside the sandwiches and won’t provide the same satisfying texture.
If you are preparing these ahead of time, cook the bacon until crisp and allow it to cool completely before assembling the sandwiches.
Don’t Overload the Chicken Salad
It can be tempting to add a huge amount of chicken salad because you want every sandwich to feel generous.
However, these are finger sandwiches, so keeping the filling relatively compact makes them much easier to grill and cut.
A thin, even layer is ideal.
If the chicken salad reaches too close to the edges and spills out during grilling, it can make the sandwiches difficult to flip and may cause the filling to scorch against the pan.
Serving Ideas
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