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.

crispy chicken sandwich in hands

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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.

Ingredients for Fried chicken marinade

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.

how to dredge chicken for frying step by step photo collage

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.

Fried chicken breast resting on 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.

Large piece of fried chicken breast with shaggy crust cooling on wire rack

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).

Toppings for chicken sandwiches with buns, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and mayo

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

Crispy fried chicken assembled in a sandwich and served on a sheet of parchment paper

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.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe

5 from 296 votes
crispy chicken sandwich in hands
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.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients 

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:

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

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
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
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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5 from 296 votes (147 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Kristina
    February 5, 2025

    I’ve made this now at least 5 times. The entire family absolutely loves it! It’s soooo tasty!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 5, 2025

      I’m so happy you all enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kristina!

      Reply

  • Erin
    January 31, 2025

    These were so good!! Luckily I had some of the marinade and breadcrumbs over as my kids requested sone more of the chicken later on. The store didn’t have buttermilk so I just substitutes with regular milk and 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Will be a family favourite now, goodbye take-out chicken. Thank you 😊

    Reply

  • Erin
    January 31, 2025

    I think I got a bit carried away with my new meat mallet and they are now thinner than half an inch thick lol Will this affect the overall finished burger? It’s my first time trying these – I guess I could just cut the cooked chicken in half so that each turns into double fried chicken burger instead of one piece?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 31, 2025

      Hi Erin! They will cook through faster so keep an eye on them. I’m sure they’ll still be delicious!

      Reply

  • Erica
    January 23, 2025

    We had these chicken sandwiches last night and they were so much better than the fast food ones we get. The seasoning was perfect for my family.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 23, 2025

      So happy to hear they were a hit, Erica!

      Reply

  • Sam
    January 17, 2025

    Hi Natasha,
    My wife and I tried your recipe and love it.We now have 4 pieces leftover,can you freeze and use at a later date?
    Can you deep fry again from frozen?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 18, 2025

      Hi Sam! I haven’t tried freezing them. I assume
      it would be fine, but worry the breading will
      get soggy when thawed.
      We refrigerated the leftovers and reheat them in an air fryer to get crispy again. A toaster oven would work great as well. You don’t need to re-fry them.

      Reply

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