A marinated, grilled chicken breast on a soft whole wheat bun with spicy mayonnaise, American cheese, lettuce, and a roasted green chile pepper. Fast food rarely gets better. And the homemade version of this Copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is PERFECTION.
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About This Recipe
Imagine: a soft, fluffy whole wheat bun. A succulent, perfectly marinated & chargrilled chicken breast with a single melty slice of American Cheese. A dollop of slightly spicy adobo mayonnaise. A whole mild green chili and a single crispy piece of iceberg lettuce. Carl's Jr.'s Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is downright craveable. It's also impossible to get here in Nashville.
Here's the deal: I haven't lived West of the Mississippi in over a decade. While there are some brands that translate despite different names (e.g. Dryer's and Edy's Ice Cream, Best Food's and Hellman's Mayonnaise), there are some that decidedly do not. For any of y'all that thought the big yellow star on a red background meant that Carl's Jr. and Hardee's were one and the same, I'm here to disabuse you of that notion.
Luckily, I've cracked the code on how to make a juicy, toasty, spicy, creamy Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich a la Carl's Jr. at home. And friends? It's even better than the original. We toasted bakery buns diner-style with a thin smear of mayo to get a gorgeous, golden crust.
The chicken was marinated in garlicky hot sauce, then grilled until perfectly charred and succulently juicy. The adobo mayo was spot on, with just a hint of curry flavor. Crunchy iceberg lettuce, canned roasted green peppers, and American cheese rounded the whole thing out. This is the way fast food SHOULD taste.
Oh, and it's actually fast to make. 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes on the grill (plus some marinating time, if you can stand it) is all that stands between you and this tasty chicken sandwich goodness. Like Nike says, JUST DO IT. You won't be sad. And you won't have to miss your favorite fast-food sandwich anymore. HOORAY!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Making your own Carl's Jr.-style Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich calls for just 10 ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts - With grocery costs the way they are, feel free to swap in a less expensive cut here. Chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, or pork chop would all work here, so long as they are boneless and skinless.
- Garlic Hot Sauce - For a more traditional Carl's Jr. flavor, you can substitute Teriyaki Sauce here.
- Mayonnaise - Hellman's or Duke's are my favorites, but use whatever you prefer. You can also swap in Peruvian Green Sauce for the adobo mayo if you like!
- Adobo Sauce - You can grab this from a can of chipotle peppers. PRO TIP: If you want to make the sauce extra spicy, toss in a pepper or two and blend until creamy.
- Cayenne Pepper & Curry Powder - There's not much cayenne, so the spice level is quite mild. If it's still too much, feel free to swap in smoked or sweet paprika.
- Burger Buns - Carl's Jr. uses whole wheat buns for this sandwich, but any bun will do, especially if you griddle it with a little mayo, diner-style.
- American Cheese - Technically not really cheese, I know. But deliciously gooey all the same.
- Iceberg Lettuce - Feel free to amp up the nutrients by swapping in romaine or butter lettuce if you prefer. You can also consider pickling your lettuce first, if you're feeling zesty.
- Canned Whole Green Chilis - Yes, you can totally roast your own, and I encourage you to do so when you can do a big harvest. You can keep green chilis in the freezer for up to 6 months! You can also get a can of tasty chilis at the store for about a buck.
How To Make Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches
These Carl's Jr. copycat sandwiches are dead simple to make at home. Here's how they're made:
Step 1: Pound & Marinate. Pound chicken breasts to ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place in a shallow marinating dish and cover with hot sauce. Let marinate at least 1 hour. Note: If you are using tofu, press it first before marinating for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Step 2: Grill. Cook marinated chicken on grill over medium heat. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat, add a slice of American cheese and let it melt while you prepare your other ingredients.
Step 3: Make Adobo Mayo. Mix together all ingredients for adobo mayonnaise and set aside. Note: If you are adding whole chipotles to the mix, blend until smooth.
Step 4: Toast Buns. Lightly coat inside of burger buns with plain mayonnaise. Place mayo side down in a skillet heated to medium heat. Cook until inside of buns is toasted golden brown.
Step 5: Assemble & Devour. Assemble the sandwiches. On bottom bun, stack a single piece of iceberg lettuce, a green chili (cut open for more surface area), a cooked chicken breast, and a tablespoon of adobo mayonnaise, then top with other half of bun. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Pound to even thickness. Chicken breasts are notoriously finicky for getting dry on the grill. Give yourself the best odds of a juicy chicken dinner by pounding it out to equal thickness; this will ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Toast the buns. Yes, you'll have to dirty a pan to do it properly, but the minimal effort is 100% worth it.
- Don't over-marinate. Marination is great for adding a tasty surface for caramelization, but the acidity can cause proteins to unravel, which results in mushiness. Nobody wants that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Extra-firm tofu that has been pressed or seitan can be used in place of the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Swap the mayo and cheese for your favorite plant-based versions. YUM!
I use a mixture of store-bought mayonnaise, adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles), cayenne, and some curry powder.
In this Carl's Jr Copycat recipe, I layer chargrilled chicken, melty American cheese, crispy iceberg lettuce, and a creamy adobo mayo on a toasted bun. It's legit.
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Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich (Carl's Jr. Copycat!)
Ingredients
Marinated Chicken
- 2 Chicken Breasts pounded to half inch thickness
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ C Garlic Hot Sauce see notes
Adobo Mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise Hellman's or Duke's
- 2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Curry Powder
To Assemble
- 4 Burger Buns
- Plain Mayonnaise for pan frying bun
- 4 slices American Cheese
- 4 pieces Iceberg Lettuce
- 4 pieces Canned Whole Green Chilis
- Adobo Mayonnaise
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place in a shallow marinating dish and cover with hot sauce. Let marinate at least 1 hour.
- Cook marinated chicken on grill over medium heat. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and add a slice of American cheese to melt while you prepare other ingredients.
- Mix together all ingredients for adobo mayonnaise and set aside.
- Lightly coat inside of burger buns with plain mayonnaise. Place mayo side down in a skillet heated to medium heat. Cook until inside of buns is toasted golden brown.
- Assemble the sandwiches. On bottom bun, stack a single piece of iceberg lettuce, a green chili (cut open for more surface area), a cooked chicken breast, and a tablespoon of adobo mayonnaise, then top with other half of bun. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a more traditional Carl's Jr. flavor, you can substitute Teriyaki Sauce for the Garlic Hot Sauce.
- Pound to even thickness. Chicken breasts are notoriously finicky for getting dry on the grill. Give yourself the best odds of a juicy chicken dinner by pounding it out to equal thickness; this will ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Toast the buns. Yes, you'll have to dirty a pan to do it properly, but the minimal effort is 100% worth it.
- Marinate chicken for at least an hour and up to overnight for optimal flavor.
- But, don't over-marinate. Marination is great for adding a tasty surface for caramelization, but the acidity can cause proteins to unravel, which results in mushiness. Nobody wants that.
Let's taco 'bout it.