Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Sandwich Crispy and Irresistible Better Than the Real Thing
Enjoy a Crispy Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Sandwich perfect for an easy lunch or quick lunch. This lunch idea uses pickle brine fried chicken for a flavorful and crispy chicken sandwich recipe you’ll love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 2 chicken sandwiches 1x
- Category: dinner, lunch
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Standard
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts Mine were 6-8oz each
- 1 cup pickle juice
- ½ cup buttermilk See notes below for how to substitute buttermilk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper Adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional for the spicy chicken sandwich
- 1 egg beaten
- cooking oil I used peanut oil
- 2 buns I use brioche
- 4 slices dill pickle chips
- 2 slices leaf lettuce Optional for deluxe sandwich
- 4 slices fresh tomatoes Optional for deluxe sandwich
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons BBQ Sauce hickory smoked
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum See substitution in the notes below
Instructions
- Combine chicken breasts with pickle juice and buttermilk in a sealable bag or large bowl then refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and powdered sweetener in a large bowl to prepare the breading.
- Put the beaten egg in a separate bowl for dredging the chicken.
- Oil spray the basket of the air fryer to prevent sticking.
- Take chicken out of marinade and dip each breast first into the egg then coat in the flour mixture before placing them in the air fryer basket.
- Lightly spray the chicken breasts with peanut oil for crispiness.
- Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
- Carefully turn the chicken over and spray the other side with oil, then continue air frying for 5-7 more minutes until the coating is crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toast the buns in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400 degrees if desired.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and assemble sandwiches with buns, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and prepared Chick-fil-A sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute buttermilk with ½ cup of milk but then you must use the beaten egg in the marinade which helps the breading adhere better
- Chick-fil-A buns are buttered
- you can do the same
- Powdered sweetener works better than granular for texture
- Peanut oil is preferred but olive or avocado oil work as alternatives
- Adjust salt to taste since pickle juice adds saltiness
- Chop chicken breasts into 1-2 inch chunks for nuggets
- Xanthan gum in the sauce can be replaced by mixing cornstarch and water
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 510kcal
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 43g