Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

➤ Introduction for Crispy Chicken Sandwich

What’s up sandwich lovers! I’m about to blow your mind with this absolutely insane chicken sandwich that is literally taking over my whole life – this crispy sandwich that has me making it probably three times a week because I’m so addicted!! This is not some sad fast food version – I’m talking about homemade, next-level chicken goodness. You’ll never want to order out or eat fast food again.

So here’s the crazy story – a couple of years ago I went to this weird little diner that looked as if it could collapse at any moment. The whole place had this strange smell and I almost walked out, but I wanted to give them a chance. I order their chicken sandwich expecting nothing too special.

I take one bite and I literally stopped chewing because I didn’t believe that just happened in my mouth. The coating was crackling like it was from a ninja, then there was a tender chicken breast melting in my mouth, all on top of this buttery brioche with some sauce that tasted like heaven mixed with crack! I’m not even kidding when I say I almost cried right there at the table.

Everyone should experience this level of chicken sandwich perfection once in their life. While most of us cannot make that kind of chicken sandwich at home, I want to share a recipe that gets pretty close.

So I look through my notes, and sure enough… I have a crispy chicken sandwich recipe and an endless stream of pictures to make it relevant to you! Let’s do it.

➤ Why I Love This Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

• I honestly don’t know where to begin to explain how awesomely crazy i am over this sandwich! That first bite – i am not even playin – it is straight witchcraft – you hear your teeth crackle through the crust, then Boom! your mouth is hit with a sensory explosion with a flavor bomb going off with the most tender juicy chicken that has been flavored to its core.

• What really gets me pumped is how simple it is to take a chicken breast and create something that will make you forget all the restaurants you’ve ever eaten at. You have just made elevated high-end gourmet food out of your kitchen that looks like a tornado hit it and you are still in your pajamas! The brining process creates a perfectly flavored and illegal moist chicken lung while the dredging method creates a golden essence disguise that stays golden and crispy, even after you dip/go saucy.

• What I love about this is how you can completely change it without breaking it. Want to feel spicy? Send it. Want that Southern, pickle thing? Do you. Want to be fancy with some Asian fused nonsense? Do it. The foundation is so strong you literally can’t mess it up no matter how much weird stuff you go with.

➤ Crispy Chicken Sandwich Ingredients

For the buttermilk-brined chicken:

•4 large chicken breasts, pounded to a 3/4 inch thickness
•2 cups buttermilk (seriously, no regular milk!)
•2 tablespoons kosher salt
•1 tablespoon garlic powder
•1 teaspoon smoked paprika
•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the crispy coating:

•2 cups all-purpose flour
•1/2 cup cornstarch (yup, this is the secret for crispy)
•2 tablespoons garlic powder
•1 tablespoon smoked paprika
•2 teaspoons kosher salt
•1 teaspoon black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For my classic sauce that hits a little different:

•1/2 cup mayonnaise
•2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•1 tablespoon honey
•1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
•1 teaspoon garlic powder

For assembling:

•Leaves of butter lettuce
•Thick slices of tomato
•Slices of dill pickle
•6-8 cups vegetable oil

➤ How to Make Crispy Chicken Sandwich

1 • The life-changing brine (4-24 hours ahead)

•Pound out your chicken breasts to an even thickness of 3/4-inches so that they cook evenly. Whisk together the buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne to combine. Submerge the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours – but overnight will work its own magic.

2 • The coating station

•In a shallow dish, mix the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and baking powder. Get it all to combine. Set up a wire rack over a baking sheet next to your prep station; you’ll need it.

3 • Temp of the oil

•Bring your oil to 350°F in a heavy pot – and use a thermometer. Guessing is how you ruin everything. With this recipe, temperature is everything! Don’t be a cowboy!

4 • The double-coating method

•Remove the chicken from the brine but don’t shake off the surplus buttermilk – you want all that deliciousness. Press it into the flour mixture, then quickly dip it back in the buttermilk, and then coat it again in the flour mixture. This double layer is what gives you that really thick, crunchy crust. Let the chicken rest on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before frying.

5 • The frying

•Fry 2 pieces at a time for 6-8 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden brown and reach 165°F internally. Don’t be greedy, don’t try to fry more pieces because you’ll drop the oil temp and ruin everything.

6 • The sauce and assembly

•Combine the mayo, mustard, honey, vinegar, and garlic powder in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Toast your brioche buns and put some sauce on both sides of the bun. Stack the sandwich – chicken, lettuce, tomato, pickles.

7 • The reveal

•Put the sandwich on a plate and serve it while the chicken is still hot and crackling. That first bite is going to blow your mind!

➤ Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tips and Variations

• Being able to control the temperature is everything – so pick up some good thermometers because guessing will screw you every time. That 10-minute resting period after you batter the chicken prevents all that breading from sliding off into the oil like some sort of sad greasy disaster. And please don’t even think of skipping that double coating – this is what provides the wicked awesome armor shell.

• The spicy version is even better when you add hot sauce straight into the brine and double load down on the cayenne in the batter. The Nashville hot style is straight fire when you brush that spicy oil to the finished chicken while it’s still screaming hot. Asian fusion gets wild when you put five-spice into the batter and serve with sriracha mayo and pickled veggies.

• Pound the chicken evenly or you’ll have some overcooked, some raw – all horrible. Let your oil return to temp between batches or you’ll end up with greasy mush, not crispy ethereal perfection. Season that chicken immediately with salt right after you pull out of the oil all at the same moment the coating is still hot so it sticks.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Crispy Chicken Sandwich

• Weekend brunch with friends, relaxed dinner parties where you want to show off a bit, summer cookouts when you’re not going to fire up the grill, game day cookouts when you need something that will fill people up. These ice（seafood） s houlders are fancy enough for when you want to impress but relaxed enough for the regular dinner chaos with family.

• You got to go with classic fries, the obvious choice and for good reasons. Sweet potato fries give you that nice sweet contrast so when things go spicy you are covered. Coleslaw will give you that cooling crunch to help balance the richness of all the other great ingredients. Onion rings just double down on the crunchy vibe that is never a bad thing. Fresh fruit salad will actually lighten everything up when you think you’ve overindulged.

If you thought you loved this Crispy Chicken Sandwich, you’re about to absolutely freak out over my Crispy Chicken Nuggets recipe! They both use the same incredible brining and coating tricks, but nuggets are perfect for parties, pleasing kids, or when you want a quick snack that doesn’t involve an entire sandwich. Same addiction crunch and juiciness, but in these perfect bite pieces that disappear faster than you can take them out of the oil!

➤ Storage and Leftovers

• You can brine that chicken for a day in advance, and the longer you brine, the better. Prep and brine your chicken, then you can stick in the fridge for up to 4 hours before frying – really convenient if you’re having a group over. Make the sauce up to 3 days before cooking, as the sauce actually mellows the more it sits together.

• It will be safe to eat cooked chicken in the fridge for about 3 days, assuming you are not a monster and eat it all right after it cooks. The sauce should be safe for easy store for a week. But don’t ever, ever store assembled sandwiches, they will turn into a soggy mess that makes you sad.

• When reheating the chicken, put in 375 degree oven on a wire rack for 8 – 10 minutes and it will be “good as new”. Do NOT put in the microwave unless you want to turn crispy crackers back into a rubber disappointment. And always build fresh sandwiches with the reheated chicken.

➤ Crispy Chicken Sandwich FAQs

Q: Can I bake instead of fry?

⤷ A: If you want to get the best results possible frying is the best option to go with, but you can bake it at 425°F for about 25 minutes if you’re concerned about oil. It won’t be as crispy, but it’ll be solid.

Q: What if I don’t have buttermilk?

⤷ A: Put a tablespoon of lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It’s not gonna be the same as the real deal, but it will work in a pinch.

Q: Can I prepare ahead of time for a party?

⤷ A: You bet! Brine overnight, coat in the morning, and fry when people arrive. The coating is going to be even better after sitting around for some time.

Q: How do I maintain oil temperature?

⤷ A: Use a heavy pot, don’t overload the chicken, and adjust the heat as necessary. When you add food the oil is going to drop – this is perfectly normal so don’t sweat it.

Q: Can I make it healthier?

⤷ A: You could always air fry them at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, considering to flip halfway through, just spray with some oil to ensure it actually browns.