South Carolina Bird Dog Sandwich–crispy breaded chicken fingers, crumbled bacon, and melted sharp cheddar cheese topped with a tangy honey mustard sauce in a toasted bun for an easy weeknight dinner.
South Carolina Bird Dog Sandwich
This recipe is inspired by the South Carolina Bird Dog, a bar-food classic that comes from South Carolina. The name is a fun nod to the state’s hunting roots, with the sandwich built like a hot dog but made with chicken instead. Traditionally, bird dogs are topped with bacon, melted cheddar, and a tangy honey mustard sauce instead of standard hot-dog toppings. Skyler and I absolutely loved these sandwiches! It’s quick, salty, crispy, cheesy, and sweet all at once. If you want to level it up, toast the buns and don’t skip broiling the cheese!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Frozen breaded chicken fingers–or homemade breaded chicken cutlets
- Bacon–or turkey bacon
- Sharp cheddar cheese–or Colby jack or pepper jack
- Buns–hot dog buns, hoagie rolls, or brioche buns
- Mayonnaise
- Honey
- Yellow mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
Steps
Cook the chicken fingers according to package directions (I used the air fryer setting in my oven).
Cook the bacon (I used my air fryer).
In a bowl whisk together the mayo, honey, yellow mustard, Dijon and lemon juice.
Assemble each sandwich: Chop 2 chicken fingers and place in one of the buns. Top with one slice of crumbled bacon. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of cheese on top. Melt the cheese under your oven’s broiler for a couple minutes, watch closely so it doesn’t burn. Top with 1 Tbsp of honey mustard dressing.
Enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with coleslaw for fresh fruit and a pickle on the side.
- I used my Instant* air fryer to cook the bacon.
- Watch closely under the broiler. The cheese melts fast and can burn quickly.
- The honey mustard can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to a week.
- For a crowd: set everything out buffet-style and let everyone build their own
- Other recipes you can make with bacon are Emotional Support Casserole and Never Enough Casserole.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
South Carolina Bird Dog Sandwich
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Crispy breaded chicken fingers, crumbled bacon, and melted sharp cheddar cheese topped with a tangy honey mustard sauce in a toasted bun for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 8 frozen breaded chicken fingers
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 buns (hot dog buns or hoagie buns)
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the chicken fingers according to package directions (I used the air fryer setting in my oven).
- Cook the bacon (I used my air fryer).
- In a bowl whisk together the mayo, honey, yellow mustard, Dijon and lemon juice.
- Assemble each sandwich: Chop 2 chicken fingers and place in one of the buns. Top with one slice of crumbled bacon. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of cheese on top. Melt the cheese under your oven’s broiler for a couple minutes, watch closely so it doesn’t burn. Top with 1 Tbsp of honey mustard dressing.
- Enjoy!
- Category: Sandwich
More sandwiches to try…
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Round steak is cooked until tender in your Instant Pot and then served atop hoagie buns with melty provolone cheese.
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The Italian bomb sandwich has homemade marinara sauce (it’s easy with the Instant Pot!), sliced Italian sausages, garlic butter spread and melty cheese. Basically you’re going to love this sandwich.
Instant Pot Canteen Sandwich
A loose meat sandwich with lots of flavor. Serve on a toasted bun with mayo, cheese, tomatoes and pickles.
Instant Pot Roseanne’s Loose Meat Sandwich
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Instant Pot Ohio Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Popular in the Midwest, these creamy chicken and stuffing sandwiches can be made in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.
NYC Chopped Cheese Sandwich
Browned ground beef with melty cheese and caramelized onions served on a toasted bun and topped with mayo, ketchup, lettuce and tomatoes. An Instant Pot version of the NYC chopped cheese sandwich.
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