Crispy Chicken Sandwich

If you have a sudden craving for a Chick-Fil-A sandwich but feel inspired to make your own from the comfort of your home, then stick around to learn how to fry the perfect Crispy Chicken Sandwich in a dutch oven!

Each piece of chicken is first tenderized in a buttermilk marinade, then coated in a seasoned flour batter to be fried in the oven, and served on a toasty bun with crisp lettuce, sliced tomato, dill pickles, and spicy mayonnaise! 

If you love Crispy Chicken Pomodoro and our Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups, then you’ll love these Crispy Chicken Sandwiches. My husband said this is one of his favorite Chicken Recipes, and it is one of my favorite Copycat Restaurant Recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Budget-friendly: This recipe uses everyday ingredients – great for a weekday family meal or when you’re trying to watch your pennies but still want the best flavor and texture. 
• Family Favorite: This Crispy Chicken Sandwich recipe is loved by kids and adults alike, even the pickiest eaters! It’s unlikely that you’ll have any leftovers. 
• Contrasting Textures: These chicken sandwiches have tender, juicy chicken on the inside, and a crunchy batter on the outside, and crispy salad toppings, soft buns, and creamy mayo…absolutely mouth-watering!
• Quick and Easy: You can have crispy chicken sandwiches ready to serve your family or guests in under an hour from start to finish!

Why This Recipe Works

• Easy. You can easily follow along with my simple step-by-step recipe instructions with photos to ensure that you end up making the best tasting crispy chicken sandwiches ever!  
• Helpful Tips. Recipe tips and questions have been added for your convenience, particularly helpful if you’ve never made oven-fried chicken sandwiches before. 
• Variations. I’ve included recipe variations and suggestions on how you can adapt this crispy chicken sandwich recipe as a helpful guide and inspiration for your own cooking efforts!
• Serving Suggestions. Serving suggestions are listed below should you want to pair your crispy chicken sandwich with delicious side dishes that will easily bulk up the meal – great if you are serving a larger crowd. 
• Tried and True. I’ve been making crispy chicken sandwiches with various types of fillings for the family for quite some time which means that you can trust that I’m guiding you from tried and true techniques and processes. 

Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient on hand. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Buttermilk. You can make your own buttermilk by adding 4 teaspoons of vinegar to the 1 ½ cups of milk, allowing it to stand for 2 to 3 minutes before using.  
• Chicken breasts. Cut the breasts in half horizontally and pound them out to even thickness and size. You can also use chicken thigh meat instead if you like. 
• All-purpose flour. You can use gluten-free flour instead if you want the fried chicken to be gluten-free. 
• Cornstarch. This helps to create extra crispy chicken. 
• Baking powder. I’ve used baking powder in this recipe as it thickens the batter a bit, producing a delicious crispier coating. 
• Garlic Powder / Garlic salt. You can use garlic salt, or if you prefer, use garlic powder, and then add salt separately so you can better control the amount of salt in the recipe.
• Onion powder 
• Smoked paprika. This adds a mild spice level but you could opt for the spicy hot variety if you enjoy your food with a kick of heat.
• Ground pepper. I enjoy the taste of freshly ground pepper in this recipe but you could use the powder instead. 
• Canola Oil. You could also use another oil that doesn’t have a specific taste such as vegetable oil. 
• Mayonnaise. Use your favorite brand, full fat or low fat. 
• Sriracha. You can use Sriracha or another hot sauce of your choice like Cholula. 
• Pickle juice. I’ve used dill pickle juice in the marinade which compliments the other marinade flavors. 
• Dijon mustard. 
• Sugar. The sugar cuts some of the sharp flavors in the marinade mixture. You can use brown or white granulated sugar. 
• Buns. Use hamburger or brioche buns for these crispy chicken sandwiches. Opt for gluten-free if required for dietary purposes. 
• Butter. Allow your butter to soften at room temperature for ease of spreading on the buns. I prefer unsalted but salted butter can also be used. 
• Sliced tomatoes. 
• Lettuce. Crispy lettuce you can use includes Iceberg or Romaine lettuce. 
• Sliced pickles. You could use sliced jalapeños instead if you enjoy a kick of heat. 

How To Make Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

1. Marinate The Chicken. (Image 1)
   • Combine the buttermilk, pickle juice and hot sauce in a large ziplock bag or container. 
   • Place the chicken in the buttermilk and seal. 
   • Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or longer.
2. Prep The Chicken. (Image 2, 3, and 4)
   • Combine the flour, corn starch, baking powder, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish.
   • Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, shake off any excess, then dredge in the flour. 
   • Place in the buttermilk again, then dredge once more in the flour.
3. Cook The Chicken. (Image 5 and 6)
   • Heat the oven to 200° to keep the chicken warm.
   • Pour 4 inches of oil in a large dutch oven and heat to 350°.
   • Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook each side for about 4 minutes. 
   • You can check for doneness with a meat thermometer.  Thermometer should reach 160° when cooked.

• Make The Sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, stirring well.
• Prepare The Buns.
  • Spread butter over the buns and toast in the oven for a few minutes.
  • Spread sauce over the buns.
• Add The Sandwich toppings. Add chicken, lettuce and tomato to the sandwiches.

Recipe Tips

• Marinade. Let the chicken marinate for a few hours before making this dish.  It makes such a difference, creating super tender and flavorful chicken. 
• Flatten Chicken. Make sure to pound your chicken out to the same thickness so that it cooks evenly. It’s also a good idea to select similar-sized pieces of chicken for this recipe. 
• Mini Me Sandwiches. You can cut your chicken breast into smaller pieces so they fit on the buns easier. If you do, be mindful to cut all the chicken to uniform sizes so that all cook evenly for the same amount of time. 
• Food Thermometer. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the oil which needs to remain at a constant 350F. It’s also good practice to test the readiness of the chicken by inserting the thermometer into the thickest section. 
• Dutch Oven. For this recipe, you will need teo use a large dutch oven for frying the chicken. If you don’t have one then use a thick oven-safe deep dish/pot that has a fitted lit. Consider also using a splatter guard when frying with oil in the oven. 
• Don’t Crowd. It’s best to only cook about 1-2 pieces of chicken at a time so that the dutch oven is not overcrowded. 
• Toasty! Toast the buns in the oven just prior to assembling the crispy chicken sandwich for an added crunchy texture. 

Variations

• Gluten-Free. Make these crispy chicken sandwiches gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and a gluten-free bun. 
• Spicy Version. Increase the heat of these chicken sandwiches by adding in some cayenne pepper or even garnishing the sandwiches with sliced jalapeño peppers instead of the dill pickles.
• Low Carb. For a low-carb dish, omit the hamburger bun and serve the fried chicken with a simple side salad or coleslaw. 
• Sliders. Make Crispy Chicken Sliders by simply cutting the chicken in smaller sizes before coating and frying. Make sure that all pieces are of a uniform size.  

What To Serve With a Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Looking to add to these crispy chicken sandwiches? Here are some great add-ons to consider:

• Baked Sweet Potato Chips
• Sweet Potato Waffle “Fries”
• Homemade Tortilla Chips
• Window Pane Herb Potato Chips
• Spicy Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Broccoli Salad 

FAQS

How Should I Store Leftover Crispy Chicken Sandwiches?

Leftover fried chicken pieces can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat the chicken in the oven or in an air fryer which will definitely help to regain some of the lost crispiness due to storage. 

Is This Crispy Chicken Sandwich Gluten-Free?

No, not as it is with the use of all-purpose flour and regular buns but you could opt for gluten-free flour and bun instead to make this recipe completely gluten-free. 

Could I Fry The Chicken In An Air Fryer Instead?

Yes, you can! If you don’t enjoy the deep frying method, you could certainly cook the coated chicken in an air fryer instead. Make sure to create sufficient room between the pieces of chicken for an even fry. 

How Do I Know If My Chicken Is Fully Cooked?

The last thing you want is to be serving raw chicken sandwiches to your guests or the family! If you’re unsure whether your chicken is cooked through, take an instant-read thermometer and test the chicken by inserting the thermometer in its thickest section. 

The internal temperature of the fried chicken pieces should be at least 165℉ for them to be safe to eat. 

Can I Make Crispy Chicken Sandwiches Ahead of Time?

The chicken breast meat needs to be marinated for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator which means that this recipe is already a make-ahead dish. 

With that said, you could allow the marinating to continue a few more hours and also prepare the fresh sandwich ingredients such as the sliced tomatoes, dill pickles, and lettuce – all to be stored in separate containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

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Recipe

Print Pin

5 from 9 votes

Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

These copycat Chick Fil-A Crispy Chicken Sandwiches have chicken that is crispy and crunchy on the outside, yet tender and juicy on the inside, and is easy to make!

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Keyword Chick Fil A Sandwich, Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 518kcal

Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Equipment

• 1 Dutch Oven

Ingredients

Fried Chicken:

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Cholula or Sriracha or other hot sauce)
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• Canola Oil for frying

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sriracha or hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

To Assemble:

• 4 hamburger buns
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• Sliced tomatoes
• Lettuce chopped
• Sliced pickles

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

For fried chicken:

• Combine the buttermilk, pickle juice and hot sauce in a large ziplock bag or container. Place the chicken in the buttermilk and seal. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or longer.
  
• Heat the oven to 200° to keep the chicken warm.
• Pour 4 inches of oil in a large dutch oven and heat to 350°.
• Combine the flour, corn starch, baking powder, garlic salt, onion powder, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish.
• Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, shake off any excess, then dredge in the flour. Place in the buttermilk again, then dredge once more in the flour.
  
• Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook each side for about 4 minutes. You can check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Thermometer should reach 160° when cooked.
  

For The Sauce:

• In a small bowl add the mayonnaise, hot sauce, pickle juice, dijon mustard, and sugar and stir until well smooth and well combined.

For the Assembly:

• Spread butter over the buns and toast in the oven for a few minutes.
• Spread sauce over the buns, add chicken, lettuce and tomato to the sandwiches.

Notes

• Marinade. Let the chicken marinate for a few hours before making this dish.  It makes such a difference, creating super tender and flavorful chicken. 
• Flatten Chicken. Make sure to pound your chicken out to the same thickness so that it cooks evenly. It’s also a good idea to select similar-sized pieces of chicken for this recipe. 
• Mini Me Sandwiches. You can cut your chicken breast into smaller pieces so they fit on the buns easier. If you do, be mindful to cut all the chicken to uniform sizes so that all cook evenly for the same amount of time. 
• Food Thermometer. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the oil which needs to remain at a constant 350F. It’s also good practice to test the readiness of the chicken by inserting the thermometer into the thickest section. 
• Dutch Oven. For this recipe, you will need teo use a large dutch oven for frying the chicken. If you don’t have one then use a thick oven-safe deep dish/pot that has a fitted lit. Consider also using a splatter guard when frying with oil in the oven. 
• Don’t Crowd. It’s best to only cook about 1-2 pieces of chicken at a time so that the dutch oven is not overcrowded. 
• Toasty! Toast the buns in the oven just prior to assembling the crispy chicken sandwich for an added crunchy texture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 2194mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 619IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 4mg