Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe (VIDEO)

A Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a juicy and tender center. Learn how to make fried chicken breast with a perfectly seasoned thick and shaggy crust.

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Watch Chicken Sandwich Video Tutorial:

A homemade chicken sandwich tastes fresher because you aren’t re-using the same oil all day long. They are more satisfying than Popeyes Chicken Sandwich or even the famous Chik fil A.

Just like homemade Burgers, these chicken sandwiches are a fun and inexpensive way to feed a crowd. This recipe makes 6 chicken sandwiches and the chicken patties reheat well so they are great for meal planning.

How to Make Fried Chicken Breast:

A great fried chicken starts with a well-seasoned marinade. The combination of buttermilk and hot sauce tenderizes the chicken and the generous amount of seasoning adds flavor.

1. Pound chicken cutlets between plastic wrap to an even 1/2” thickness for even frying.

2. Marinate chicken – In a large mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients, add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.

3. Dredge Chicken – In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Lift a piece of marinated chicken, letting excess marinade drip off, and dip chicken into the flour mixture, pressing it on with your hands to coat well. Transfer to a wire rack. Keep the flour mixture for step 5.

4. Heat 1-inch of oil in a soup pot or dutch oven to 350˚F. See our favorite oils for frying below.

5. Re-dip the chicken into the flour mixture just before frying. Add chicken 2 pieces at a time so you don’t crowd.

7. Fry the Chicken – Adjust the temperature of the oil to keep it at 300-325˚F while frying. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165˚F. Transfer to a wire rack.

Pro Tips for Crisp and Juicy Fried Chicken:

• Give it time to marinate: buttermilk helps to tenderize the chicken so marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Seasoning the flour well: Don’t skimp on the seasoning. Press the flour mixture onto the chicken to adhere well.
• Double dip – just before frying chicken, dip it into the seasoned flour again for a thick and shaggy exterior.
• The right oil temperature: heat to 350˚F before adding chicken then adjust the temperature to keep it at 300-325˚F while frying. Don’t overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop quickly. A clip-on pot thermometer is really useful.
• When to remove the chicken: take the chicken out of the hot oil once it’s cooked through and browned. The internal temperature will continue to rise as the chicken rests and should reach 165˚F so take the chicken out just before that. Insert an instant-read thermometer in the side of your chicken to check.
• DO NOT drain on paper towels: drain or rest fried chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to allow air to circulate. Draining on paper towels will trap steam and the crust will soften.

Classic Toppings for a Chicken Sandwich:

These are the classic toppings for a fried chicken sandwich. If you want to cut down on prep, you can also skip all of the toppings and use a crunchy Coleslaw which incorporates the sauce and veggies into one tasty sandwich topping.

• Buns – We love Homemade Hamburger Buns best, but pick brioche buns if using storebought because they are beautiful and add a hint of sweetness.
• Dill Pickles – slice into rings to put inside the sandwich or serve pickle spears on the side.
• Lettuce – green curly lettuce looks the best but any sandwich lettuce will work
• Tomatoes and onions – thickly slice juicy tomatoes and thinly slice onions into rings.
• Cheese – we don’t always use sliced cheese but when we do, we love a medium cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese.
• Sauce – we love a simple mayonnaise or fry sauce (the same one we used for our burger recipe).

Can I use Chicken Thighs?

Yes, but keep in mind dark meat will take longer to cook. Be sure chicken thighs are well trimmed of fat and cook to an internal temperature of 170˚-175˚F (6 to 8 minutes per side).

What is the Best Oil for Fried Chicken?

Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. The great news is that the best oils for frying are also the least expensive oils. You can always opt for an extra light olive oil or avocado oil but those are significantly more expensive. Our go-to oils for frying are:

1. Vegetable Oil
2. Canola Oil
3. Peanut Oil
4. Corn Oil

More Crowd-Pleasing Sandwich Recipes:

For me to love a sandwich, it has to be something special. These sandwich recipes will impress even the pickiest eaters.

• Cheeseburger Sliders – everyone loves these and they reheat well
• Reuben Sandwich – with homemade Russian dressing
• Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich – the authentic way to make it
• Chicken Bacon Avocado – a restaurant inspired club sandwich
• Juicy Burgers – our go-to method for grilling burgers

Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

5 from 291 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

These Chicken Sandwiches are crispy on the outside with a juicy center. We're sharing all of our best tips for making flavorful fried chicken breast with a thick and shaggy crust that crunches when you bite into it.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Resting Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 6 people

Chicken Marinade:

• 3 medium chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, halved into 6 cutlets
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce, (we use Frank’s Red Hot brand)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Classic Breading for Fried Chicken:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Oil for frying - vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil

Toppings for Chicken Sandwiches:

• 6 burger buns, buttered and toasted
• 6 green lettuce leaves
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 2 dill pickles, sliced into rings
• Mayonnaise, or your favorite sauce

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Instructions

• Pound chicken cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2” thickness so they cook more evenly.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add Chicken, turning to coat then cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.
• In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together breading ingredients: flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off and dip chicken into flour mixture, pressing it on with your hands to coat well. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Heat 1 ” oil in a soup pot or dutch oven to 350˚F. Just before frying chicken, dip it into the seasoned flour again for a thick and shaggy exterior.Add chicken, 2 pieces at a time for a smaller pot so you don’t crowd and reduce the temperature of the oil too quickly.
• Place chicken into the oil one by one. Adjust the flame to keep the oil temperature at 300-325˚F. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side or until browned and crisp then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side or until cooked through and chicken is browned and crisp all over.
• Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. The internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests. The final resting temperature of the chicken should reach 165˚F.
• Lightly butter and toast the cut sides of your buns and build your crispy chicken sandwiches with desired toppings.

Nutrition Per Serving

485kcal Calories46g Carbs32g Protein19g Fat12g Saturated Fat73mg Cholesterol1368mg Sodium733mg Potassium3g Fiber5g Sugar1516IU Vitamin A7mg Vitamin C160mg Calcium4mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

485

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

19

g

29

%

Saturated Fat

 

12

g

75

%

Cholesterol

 

73

mg

24

%

Sodium

 

1368

mg

59

%

Potassium

 

733

mg

21

%

Carbohydrates

 

46

g

15

%

Fiber

 

3

g

13

%

Sugar

 

5

g

6

%

Protein

 

32

g

64

%

Vitamin A

 

1516

IU

30

%

Vitamin C

 

7

mg

8

%

Calcium

 

160

mg

16

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 485