Fried Chicken Sandwiches
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Crispy and juicy beyond compare, these fried chicken sandwiches are a mash-up of your favorite fast food versions.
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.
Table of Contents
“This recipe is ahhhhhhmaaaaazing!! I can’t believe how it literally tastes exactly like a Chic-Fil-A sandwich…My kids were blown away!”
What You’ll Need 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.
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.)
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).
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.
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.
Mix with a fork until the flour mixture is evenly clumpy.
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.
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.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and mustard.
Step 4: Assemble the Sandwiches
Spread some of the sauce on the top and bottom of each bun.
Top each bottom bun with a piece of crispy chicken and a few pickles.
Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.
Video Tutorial
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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.
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
- 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.)
- 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).
- 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.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk until evenly combined.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayoanniase, barbecue sauce, and mustard.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately ¼ cup of the oil is absorbed into the chicken tenders when frying.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The sauce can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- 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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Best and delicious. I love it – thank you.
First time trying this recipe …. my husband just announced that it is “the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever had” ….! Made and ate per the recipe. Didn’t change a thing. Will be making this again.
This is the recipe to make. Stop searching. Make this one. I didn’t have corn starch; used arrowroot powder instead. FABULOUS! These reheat very well in toaster oven. Had fried chicken sandwiches 3 days in a row.
Is there a way to do any of this ahead?
Hi Ed, Yes, you can get to the point in the process where you’ve breaded the chicken and refrigerate it for a few hours. Alternatively, you can fully cook the chicken and freeze it for up to three months. Hope that helps!
Hi Jennifer, I love your recipes.
Could the chicken be oven fried instead of on the stovetop?
Thanks, Linda
Hi Linda, so glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, the chicken won’t translate well to being cooked in the oven – sorry!
Made this on Saturday for my daughter’s 19th birthday per special request and everyone loved it. It was my son’s (13 yo) first time having a chicken sandwich as he has always resisted them opting for chicken fingers and this converted him. We used Frank’s Red hot to everyone’s liking and dipped in Chic Fil A’s ranch dressing and it was a hit. Can’t want to make this again.