Hot Honey and Gouda Chicken Sandwich

Locally crafted in Kalkaska at De Vor Dairy Farm & Creamery, De Vor’s award-winning Gouda is a creamy, Old-World-style cow’s milk cheese made right on the farm that melts beautifully into this Hot Honey and Gouda Chicken Sandwich.

For The Chicken Marinade:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice from one lemon
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 chicken cutlets or boneless, skinless breasts

For The Hot Honey:

  • 2 to 3 Calabrian chilies (in oil)
  • 1/2 cup orange blossom honey

For The Sandwiches:

  • 1/2 cup Gouda cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup smoked Gouda cheese shredded
  • 6 sesame seed buns
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Red onion thinly sliced

To Marinate The Chicken:

Add olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix until well combined.
Add the chicken to a plastic bag or a glass container, then pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

To Make The Hot Honey:

Place Calabrian chilies and honey in a jar. Use an immersion blender to purée, or just finely dice the chilies and stir them into the honey. Set aside until ready to use.

To Make The Sandwiches:

  1. Preheat the grill to 400°F. Use a grill brush to clean the grates, then lightly oil the grill.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side with the lid closed until the chicken gets an internal temperature of 165°F. Note: If using chicken cutlets, they may cook a little faster. Check on them around the 2-minute mark.
  3. In the last minute of cooking, sprinkle the Gouda and smoked Gouda over the chicken. Close the lid to let the cheese melt.
  4. You can also toast the buns on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
  5. Place the chicken on a bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a generous drizzle of hot honey.

Photography courtesy of Roth Cheese