This copycat Chick Fil A crispy chicken sandwich will have you stop ordering takeout! Golden and crispy chicken, melty cheese, tomato, pickles and lettuce all stacked on buttery toasted buns.
Skip the fried chicken sandwich and enjoy a grilled chicken sandwich instead!
CRISPY CHICKEN SANDWICH
Enjoy this homemade version of the popular Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich! The sandwiches are loaded with everything you crave in the classic sandwich: buttery buns, crispy and seasoning chicken, sandwich toppings and a creamy homemade chick fil a sauce. Skip the lines and high prices and enjoy this crispy chicken sandwich at home for weeknight dinner or even when hosting!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Buns– The chicken sandwich comes on a plain white bun that is typically toasted! You can use brioche buns, sesame seed buns or any of your favorite sandwich buns for this sandwich recipe.
- Chicken– You want to use boneless skinless chicken breast for this sandwich recipe.
- Wet Marinade– The key to a juicy and flavorful crispy chicken sandwich is the wet marinade which consists of buttermilk (or milk), pickle juice, eggs, salt and pepper. The pickle juice is the secret to getting moist, juicy chicken breast.
- Dry Batter– For the dry batter, this recipe calls for flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. You can add any additional seasonings if preferred.
- Chick fil a Sauce– You can’t have a crispy chick fil a sandwich without their famous sauce! Use either store-bought sauce or make my homemade version.
- Sandwich Toppings– Use your favorite sandwich toppings for this crispy chicken sandwich! I love adding the classics, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.
HOW TO MAKE CHICK FIL A CHICKEN SANDWICH
Making this crispy chick fil a chicken sandwich is easier than you think!
- Cut each chicken breast in half at an angle to create 2 patty-like pieces, making 4 chicken patties total.
- Using a meat mallet, pound each chicken until even in thickness all around.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the wet marinade. Add the chicken to the marinade and marinate it for at least 2 hours.
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for dry batter.
- With tongs, remove the chicken from the wet marinade and transfer to dry batter, fully coating each chicken.
- Transfer the dredged chicken to a wire rack or plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.
- Fill a deep skillet with oil and heat until oil reaches 350°F.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add the dredged chicken into the hot oil and fry until crispy, golden and cooked through.
- Remove the cooked chicken and place on a wire rack or paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil. (The final resting temperature of the chicken should reach 165˚F.)
- Prepare the homemade chick-fil-a sauce.
- Lightly butter and toast the sandwich buns and then build each crispy chicken sandwich with chicken, cheese, chick fil a sauce and other desired sandwich toppings.
- Serve immediately with desired sides and enjoy!
SANDWICH VARIATIONS
You can totally elevate this crispy chicken sandwich recipe!
- Plain– Keep it plain and simple and just enjoy the crispy chicken on buttered buns and pickles.
- Buffalo– Add some spice by tossing the fried chicken patties in my homemade buffalo wing sauce and pair with pickles and coleslaw for a spicy chicken sandwich.
- BBQ– Toss the chicken in your favorite barbecue sauce for a delicious BBQ chicken sandwich.
- Grilled– Make this healthier and make my grilled chicken sandwich instead!
- Hot Honey– Make a sandwich version of my hot honey chicken sliders.
TOPPING IDEAS
Have fun with your sandwich toppings for the ultimate flavors!
- Tomato
- Pickles
- Lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Red Onions
- Jalapenos
- Avocado
- Bacon
- Crispy Onions
- Fried Egg
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
You want to use neutral oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil or even corn oil.
For the best results, you want to marinate the chicken overnight. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or for up to 12 hours.
Yes! You can add buffalo sauce to the wet marinade and add more chili powder to the dry batter for a spicy chicken sandwich. You can also toss the chicken in buffalo sauce for another level of heat.
Yes, if you want to skip the frying, you can add the dredged chicken to the air fryer basket and spray both sides with baking spray. Then air fry at 400°F for 5-6 minutes, per side, flipping halfway through.
I don’t recommend assembling the chicken sandwiches until ready to enjoy to avoid soggy sandwiches. Store the crispy chicken patties in a container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer, assemble the sandwich and enjoy.
MORE SANDWICHES TO ENJOY-
Check out these other delicious sandwich recipes:
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breast
Wet Batter-
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Dry Batter-
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Chick-Fil-a Sauce-
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp barbecue
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Sandwich Toppings-
- 4 burger buns
- 4 sliced American cheese
- 4 slices tomatoes
- dill pickle slices
- romaine
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken-
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each chicken breast in half at an angle to create 2 patty-like pieces, making 4 chicken patties total.2 medium boneless skinless chicken breast
- Using a meat mallet, pound each piece until it is an even 1/2-inch thickness all around.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the wet marinade.1/2 cup buttermilk , or milk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup pickle juice, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Add the chicken to the marinade, covering all the chicken. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (For the best results, marinate overnight.)
Dredge & Fry the Chicken-
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the dry batter and mix to evenly distribute the seasonings.1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- With tongs or your hands, remove the chicken from the wet marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off, then dredge in the dry batter until fully coated on all sides.
- Transfer the dredged chicken to a wire rack or plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces. (Optional for extra crispiness: Double coat the chicken by dipping it back into the wet marinade, then dredging in the flour mixture again.)
- Fill a deep skillet or large pot with oil (about 2-3 inches deep) and heat on medium high heat until the oil reaches 350°F. (If you don’t have a thermometer, the oil is ready when a small pinch of flour sizzles immediately.)
- Carefully add the dredged chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is crispy and golden.
- Remove the cooked chicken and place on a wire rack or paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil. (The final resting temperature of the chicken should reach 165˚F.)
Assemble Chick fil a Sandwiches-
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the homemade chick-fil-a sauce.1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp barbecue, 1 Tbsp honey, ¼ tsp ground paprika, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Lightly butter and toast the sandwich buns and then build each crispy chicken sandwich with chicken, cheese, chick fil a sauce and other desired sandwich toppings.4 burger buns, 4 sliced American cheese, 4 slices tomatoes, dill pickle slices, romaine
- Serve immediately with desired sides and enjoy!
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