Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Lunch Box

I fell in love with banh mi during my time living in Hong Kong, where Vietnamese food is absolutely everywhere.

There was this tiny banh mi shop near my office, and I’d pop in at least once a week for a baguette stuffed with grilled pork, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs. It was always the highlight of my day!

When I moved back to Dublin, I found myself craving that perfect balance of crunchy bread, tangy pickles, and savoury meat, so I started making my own at home.

This lunchbox version came about when I realized how well banh mi travels; the pickled vegetables don’t make the bread soggy, and all those bright flavours actually taste even better after a few hours. I usually make a big batch of the pickled veg and marinated chicken at the start of the week, then it’s just a matter of assembling the sandwich in the morning.

Cut it in half so it fits nicely in the lunchbox, add some fruit and snacks on the side, and you’ve got a meal that’s colourful, satisfying, and feels like a little treat in the middle of a busy day.

It’s become my favourite packed lunch, and it certainly beats a boring old sandwich!

Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Lunch Box

A colourful Chicken Banh Mi sandwich lunch box with marinated chicken, pickled vegetables, and fun sides – perfect for school or workdays.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1 person

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian Fusion, Vietnamese

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

For the pickled vegetables

• ½ piece white radish shredded
• 1 piece carrot small shredded
• ½ piece cucumber julienned
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

For the chicken marinade

• 300 g cooked chicken breast or thigh sliced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 clove garlic grated
• 1 peice scallion chopped
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp sugar

For the sandwich

• 1 piece fresh baguette
• 2 tbsp pâté
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 handful Marinated chicken
• 3 pieces Pickled vegetables
• 4 leaves Fresh coriander

For the lunch box sides

• 1 handful strawberries
• 1 handful grapes
• 3 pieces almonds
• 3 pieces Fish-shaped crackers
• 2 pieces Mini egg rolls

Method

 

Step 1: Pickle the vegetables

1. In a bowl, toss the shredded radish, carrot, and cucumber with white vinegar and salt. Set aside to marinate.

Step 2: Marinate the chicken

1. Add the cooked chicken to a bowl with fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds, grated garlic, chopped scallion, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and sugar. Mix until well coated.

Step 3: Assemble the sandwich

1. Slice the baguette in half. Spread pâté on one side and mayonnaise on the other. Layer with marinated chicken, pickled vegetables, and fresh coriander. Cut in half to fit neatly into a lunch box.

Step 4: Build the lunch box

1. Place the sandwich in the lunch box. Add strawberries, grapes, almonds, fish-shaped crackers, and mini egg rolls to complete the meal.

Video

Notes

• Use leftover roast or poached chicken to save time.
• Drain the pickled vegetables lightly before assembling to keep the baguette crisp.
• Great for meal prep. Keep components separate until packing.