Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

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Crispy and juicy beyond compare, these fried chicken sandwiches are a mash-up of your favorite fast food versions.

assembled fried chicken sandwiches

Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)

While I was writing my second cookbook, my daughter, who occasionally grows weary of being my guinea pig taste tester, challenged me to come up with a mash-up version of her favorite fast-food crispy chicken sandwiches (yes, I’m talking about Chick-fil-A and Popeyes). This mission involved several trips to the drive-through, four quarts of oil, a mountain of fried chicken sandwiches, and exhaustive critiques from my kids and their friends (aka the experts). It took me a while, but I finally cracked the code. All I can say is, get ready to be showered with praise — your family will be talking about these for days.

“This recipe is ahhhhhhmaaaaazing!! I can’t believe how it literally tastes exactly like a Chic-Fil-A sandwich…My kids were blown away!”

Kristi

What You’ll Need To Make Fried Chicken Sandwiches

ingredients to make fried chicken sandwiches

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Brine the Chicken

One at a time, place the chicken breasts in a resealable freezer bag. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness.

pounding chicken breasts

Cut each pounded breast in half. (If the pieces seem too large to fit in a bun, trim off the pointy ends; you can cook those as chicken nuggets at the same time you’re cooking the breasts.)

cutting the chicken breasts in half on cutting board

Pour the water into a medium bowl; add the 2 tablespoons of the salt and the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Place the chicken breasts in the brine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (the longer you brine, the saltier the chicken will be).

chicken in bowl with brine

Step 2: Bread and Fry the Chicken

Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels and set it next to the stove. Pour the oil into a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven until it reaches a depth of about 1 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F or 175°C).

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk until evenly combined.

whisking wet ingredients for breading the chicken

In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, pepper, Accent, paprika, and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt.

whisked egg in one bowl and whisked flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, pepper, Accent, paprika, and the remaining salt in second bowl

Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the egg mixture into the flour mixture.

adding egg mixture to the dry ingredients

Mix with a fork until the flour mixture is evenly clumpy.

clumpy flour mixture

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. One at a time, dip each breast into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, and then into the flour mixture, turning a few times and pressing firmly so that the clumps adhere.

dredging the chicken in the flour mixture

Set the breaded chicken on the lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining breasts.

breaded chicken on baking sheet

Carefully place a few pieces of breaded chicken into the hot oil without crowding the pot. Cook, turning a few times, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total.

chicken cooking in oil

Place the cooked chicken on the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Fry the remaining breasts in the same manner, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature of the oil.

cooked chicken on paper towel-lined plate

Step 3: Make the Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and mustard.

whisking mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and mustard

Step 4: Assemble the Sandwiches

Spread some of the sauce on the top and bottom of each bun.

spreading sauce on both sides of bun

Top each bottom bun with a piece of crispy chicken and a few pickles.

crispy pickles over fried chicken on bun

Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.

Video Tutorial

assembled chicken sandwich

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Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Crispy and juicy beyond compare, these fried chicken sandwiches are a mash-up of your favorite fast food versions.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 50 Minutes, plus at least 4 hours to brine the chicken

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1⅓ pounds)
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 2 tablespoons plus ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 to 6 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Accent flavor enhancer (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

For the Sauce

  • ½ cup best-quality mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's or Duke's
  • 3 tablespoons store-bought barbecue sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

For the Sandwiches

  • 6 hamburger buns
  • Bread-and-butter pickles

Instructions

  1. Make the chicken: One at a time, place the chicken breasts in a resealable freezer bag; using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness. Cut each pounded breast in half. (If the pieces seem too large to fit in a bun, trim off the pointy ends; you can cook those as chicken nuggets at the same time you're cooking the breasts.)
  2. Pour the cold water into a medium bowl; add the 2 tablespoons of the salt and the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Place the chicken breasts in the brine, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (the longer you brine, the saltier the chicken will be).
  3. Line a plate with a few layers of paper towels and set it next to the stove. Pour the oil into a large, high-sided pot or Dutch oven until it reaches a depth of about 1 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F). (If the end of a wooden spoon or cube of bread sizzles vigorously when you dip it in, the oil is hot enough.)
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk until evenly combined.
  5. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, pepper, Accent, paprika, and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a fork until the flour mixture is evenly clumpy.
  6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. One at a time, dip each breast into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, and then into the flour mixture, turning a few times and pressing firmly so that the clumps adhere. Set the breaded chicken on the lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining breasts.
  7. Carefully place a few pieces of breaded chicken into the hot oil without crowding the pot. Cook, turning a few times, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total. Place the cooked chicken on the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Fry the remaining breasts in the same manner, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature of the oil.
  8. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayoanniase, barbecue sauce, and mustard.
  9. Assemble the sandwiches: Spread some of the sauce on each top and bottom bun. Top each bottom bun with a piece of crispy chicken and a few pickles. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.
  10. Note: Accent is an MSG flavor enhancer that enhances the savory, umami flavors of foods. You can find it in the spice section of the supermarket. I love the flavor it adds, but if you would prefer, you can omit it and increase the salt in the breading to one heaping teaspoon.
  11. Note: A deep-frying thermometer isn’t a must, but it really does help maintain the proper temperature for frying, which ensures that the breading is crispy and sticks to the chicken.
  12. Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the chicken tenders when frying.
  13. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The sauce can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 sandwich
  • Calories: 628
  • Fat: 21 g
  • Saturated fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55 g
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 32 g
  • Sodium: 742 mg
  • Cholesterol: 114 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Holy smokes! I have tried many fried chicken sandwich recipes but this is by FAR the best! My tween son is very particular about his fried chicken sandwiches, and he cannot stop talking about this sandwich. I did not have much time so I marinated the chicken for just an hour, and it still turned out delicious. Great recipe!

    • — Steph on November 26, 2024
    • Reply
  • Amazing

    • — Jenn Lover 123 on October 9, 2024
    • Reply
  • This came out so good, everyone was very impressed! Going to make the French Apple Cake in the morning.

    • — Jason on October 3, 2024
    • Reply
  • Excellent recipe! I brined for about 4 hours and found the chicken to be a tad too salty for me (though the salt level was similar to what you’d get at CFA or Popeye’s). I’d either cut down on the brine time or just reduce the salt in the flour mixture a bit next time. Other than that, it was given 5 stars by all.

    • — Katie R. on September 28, 2024
    • Reply
  • Can’t wait to try this recipe for a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, using your Buffalo sauce and Blue Cheese dressing, lettuce and tomato on a brioche roll. Now I don’t have to go to Ford’s Garage in Sarasota. Can’t thank you enough!

    • — Kristen Buchanan on September 28, 2024
    • Reply
  • Ok I am a chicken sandwich fan, like big time. I have tried everything I can get my hands on to find the perfect recipe and this one 100% nails it. Everyone makes subtle changes here and there to their liking, so with this one, I marinated my chicken in pickle brine before cooking. I also ran into some fresh hatch chilis being roasted at a local store, so I added those, some Grillo’s pickles, Duke’s mayo and hot honey. This knocks everything I have ever tried, straight out of the park. Well done on this recipe.

    • — Greg P on August 7, 2024
    • Reply
    • I LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK. This Chef 👩‍🍳 is Amazing what a great recipe I can not wait to Try and I’ll brine like you in The pickle juice. Thank you.

      • — Mimi on August 21, 2024
      • Reply
  • I have tried and failed many times in search of the best way to do this, THIS recipe is MONEY. I brined mine in pickle juice beforehand and topped with Grillo’s pickles, fire roasted hatch chilis, hot honey and Duke’s mayo. I have found nirvana

    • — Greg P on August 5, 2024
    • Reply
  • Excellent and easy to follow recipe. Everyone enjoyed.

    • — Holley Van Dorn on August 5, 2024
    • Reply
  • what will i do for egg yello?

    • — prash on June 17, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Prash, I’m not I understand your question — can you give a little more detail? Thanks!

      • — Jenn on June 17, 2024
      • Reply
  • Can’t tell you how many times that I have tried to make the perfect fried chicken sandwich. This recipe nailed it!
    10 stars ⭐️

    • — Kerry Kennedy on June 2, 2024
    • Reply

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