Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

This Crispy Chicken Sandwich has been one of my most-loved recipes for years, with hundreds of 5-star reviews. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk until tender, coated in a perfectly seasoned shaggy crust, and fried until golden and crispy. Add your favorite toppings for a homemade chicken sandwich that tastes better than eating out.

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Chicken Sandwich Video

My family gets so excited when I make these crispy chicken sandwiches! They satisfy that fast-food crispy chicken sandwich craving for Popeyes or Chick-fil-A, but taste fresher since you’re frying them in clean oil at home.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Juicy chicken breast, thanks to the buttermilk, which tenderizes the chicken
• Thick, shaggy crust from the double-dip breading method
• No deep fryer needed — just 1 inch of oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot
• Great for a crowd — makes 6 sandwiches, and is less expensive than dining out.
• Reheats well — perfect for meal prep

Ingredients for Chicken Sandwiches

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best chicken sandwiches:

• Chicken breasts – Halved and pounded to 1/2-inch thickness so they cook quickly and evenly.
• Buttermilk – Tenderizes the chicken and helps the seasoned flour stick. You can also use kefir.
• Hot sauce – Adds flavor more than heat.
• Baking powder – Helps make the crust lighter and crispier.
• Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder – Adds color and flavor to the breading.
• Oil – Use a neutral, high-heat oil like vegetable, canola, peanut, or corn oil.

How to Make Fried Chicken Sandwiches

• Pound chicken cutlets between plastic wrap to an even 1/2” thickness for even frying.
• Marinate chicken – In a large mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients, add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.
• 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.
• Heat 1-inch of oil in a soup pot or dutch oven to 350˚F. Re-dip the chicken into the flour mixture just before frying for a thick, shaggy crust. Add chicken 2 pieces at a time so you don’t crowd.

• 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 Crispy, Juicy Fried Chicken

• Give it time to marinate: buttermilk helps to tenderize the chicken, so marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Dredge well: Press the flour into the chicken to adhere and dredge again just before frying.
• Double dip – just before frying chicken, dip it into the seasoned flour again for a thick and shaggy exterior.
• Maintain the oil temperature: preheat to 350˚F, then adjust to keep it at 300-325˚F while frying. Don’t overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop quickly, resulting in greasy chicken. A clip-on pot thermometer helps.
• When to remove the chicken: Remove once browned and cooked through. The internal temperature will continue to rise as the chicken rests and should reach 165˚F. Insert an instant-read thermometer in the side of your chicken to check.
• DO NOT drain on paper towels: drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to allow air to circulate. Draining on paper towels traps steam and softens the crust.

Chicken Sandwich Toppings

These are the classic toppings for a fried chicken sandwich. You could also swap all of these toppings and just use crunchy Coleslaw for one tasty sandwich topping.

• Buns – We love Homemade Hamburger Buns best, but pick brioche buns if using store-bought 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).

What is the Best Oil for Fried Chicken?

Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. My Go-to oils for frying are:

• Best budget oils: vegetable, canola, peanut, or corn oil
• Splurge oils: avocado oil or extra-light olive oil

Why Did My Breading Fall Off?

The chicken may have had too much marinade clinging to it (let excess drip back into the bowl), the flour wasn’t pressed on firmly, or the chicken was moved around too much in the oil.

Just like homemade Burgers or Baked Grilled Cheese, these chicken sandwiches are a fun and inexpensive way to feed a crowd and they store and reheat well (see my tips in the recipe card below).

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
• Reuben Sandwich
• Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
• Chicken Bacon Avocado
• Italian Sandwich Recipe
• Smashburger Recipe
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Chicken Salad Sandwiches