Japanese BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Toasted Sesame Mayo and Homemade Pickles

I only re-make a classic if it's just as good as (and maybe better than?!) the original.

I don’t like messing with classics. It’s dangerous territory in my opinion.

The bar is set so high and it takes the right recipe to meet the same bar. That’s why when I made this BBQ chicken sandwich, I knew it had to be really REALLY good if I was going to publish it.

Now I can’t take full credit for this. I had an idea for an Asian-inspired chicken sandwich and Lauren (my friend and recipe tester) suggested we keep it simple and do it with Bachans, a popular Japanese BBQ sauce.

I had seen Bachans in stores but had yet to taste it. Store-bought sauce is hard once you know how to make your own from scratch. It’s often hard to find the right flavor that matches what you think of in your head. Or it feels like you can taste the preservatives? Idk, it just rarely makes the cut. I have a graveyard of sauce in my fridge to prove my point. But I trust Lauren so I gave Bachans a shot.

O.M.G. You guys. This sauce is going on my pedestal that is reserved for all my kitchen favorites like Kerrygold and Maldon. Immediate classic that will be added to my pantry staples.

Because of that, this chicken is stupid simple. You marinate it in the bachans and then just add more as a glaze. The toasted sesame mayo and homemade pickles compliment the sweet, tangy BBQ flavor and all come together on a soft potato roll. I cannot wait for you guys to try this recipe.

A BBQ chicken sandwich and a good country album go hand in hand.

You might know Shaboozey from his hit song ‘A Bar Song’ that’s been viral on TikTok for a month or so, but this album is fantastic. I love his voice and this whole album just goes well with a warm day and a cold beer.

Since we have a BBQ chicken sammich and country music, naturally, we need a beer. And since it’s a Japanese BBQ sauce I think we should stay in the same lane and go with my husband’s favorite Japanese beer, Sapporo. Sapporo is “light and drinkable with pleasant citrus notes” and I think it’s the perfect pair for these flavors.

Japanese BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Toasted Sesame Mayo and Homemade Pickles

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 

• 1/2 cup Bachans Japanese Barbeque Sauce for marinade + ¼ cup for basting 

Toasted Sesame Mayo 

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise 

• 1 tsp soy sauce 

• 1 tsp sugar 

• ½ tsp toasted sesame oil

Pickles 

• 1 persian cucumber, thinly sliced (or ¼ of an english cucumber)

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• 1 teaspoon sugar

4 Potato Buns

Instructions

Marinate Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Add chicken thighs and 1/2 cup Bachans Japanese Barbeque Sauce to a ziploc bag and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. 

Make the pickles

1. In a bowl combine white vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine and dissolve the sugar. Add cucumbers and toss to coat then set aside while you prepare the rest. 

Make the toasted sesame mayo

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside for later.

Cook the chicken

1. Lay chicken thighs flat on a rimmed sheet pan with space between them. Spoon a little bit of the BBQ sauce over each one before putting them in to bake. 

2. Let them bake for 15 minutes, then brush another layer of Japanese bbq sauce on them. Bake for about another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 

3. Remove from oven and switch to broil. Return the chicken thighs to the oven and broil for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until the edges char to your liking. Do not walk away while they broil — they will burn!!

4. Remove the chicken from the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.

Assemble the sandwich

1. Add a generous swipe of mayo to the top of the potato bun. Add BBQ chicken and pickles on the bottom then sandwich the two sides together. Enjoy!

• The first time I tested this recipe I made it in a pan on the stovetop. The sauce ended up burning a little and turning bitter. If you want to cook them on a stovetop, I would do it without marinating them. Just cook the chicken thighs with a little salt and olive oil then glaze them with BBQ sauce after they’re cooked. I don’t think they’ll be *as* good this way because you’ll miss some of the flavor of the marinating, but it will still work.

• I always use Martin’s potato buns when I’m going for a potato bun. They’re the best IMO.

• I served this to my kids deconstructed and they loved it. Just cubed the chicken up and had the bun and pickles separate.

• The pickles will last about a week in the fridge in an air tight container. They’re not “pickled” in a traditional way to preserve them so I wouldn’t eat them much past that.

Thanks so much for being here. Love you — mean it.

Cheers,

Jessie