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Fried Chicken Sandwich

This crispy fried chicken sandwich recipe is better than Chik-Fil-A, Popeye's or any other restaurant dish! You'll love the homemade Chik-Fil-A sauce, too!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 631 kcal
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken cutlets or 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded flat and cut in half crosswise (about 1 ½ lbs. total)
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup dill pickle juice
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to season as needed
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 egg
  • Oil for frying (such as peanut oil, canola oil or vegetable oil) (I use a 64 ounce bottle)
  • 4 buttered, griddled sandwich buns, for serving
  • Optional, for serving: lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced pickles, mayonnaise or Chik-Fil-A sauce
Chik-Fil-A Sauce (Optional)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and pickle juice.
  2. Add the chicken to the milk mixture and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to (but not more than) 24 hours.
  3. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 200° F. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
  5. Pour oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches in a Dutch oven. Heat the oil over high heat until it reaches 350° F.
  6. While the oil heats, remove the chicken from the milk mixture. Add an egg to the milk mixture and whisk well to combine. Dip the chicken in the milk/egg mixture, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, submerge it again in the milk/egg mixture, and then dredge again in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess egg or flour after each dip. Transfer the chicken to a plate or sheet pan until ready to fry.
  7. Once the oil comes to temperature, use tongs to carefully place two chicken breasts in the oil. Adjust the heat to maintain a temperature of 350° F. Cook for a total of 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Transfer the fried chicken to the wire rack on the baking sheet. Season with salt and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining two chicken breasts.
  8. Assemble the sandwiches on the griddled buns with optional toppings. Serve immediately.
For the Chik-Fil-A Sauce:
  1. Stir together the sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Great as a sandwich spread or for dipping fries!

Notes

  • It’s difficult to calculate the exact nutrition facts for homemade fried chicken because the amount of oil absorbed in each piece will vary, and the amount of breading that adheres to each piece will vary. The nutrition provided below is merely an estimate; the numbers assume that about ½ cup of oil is absorbed by the chicken in the cooking process.
  • Use chicken cutlets, thinly-sliced chicken breasts, or pounded chicken breasts rather than a whole chicken breast for each sandwich. When the cutlets are breaded and fried, they become thick and crispy, creating the perfect ratio of meat-to-bun! A standard-size chicken breast would be way too thick and hard to manage.
  • Never cover your warm fried chicken cutlets with foil. This traps steam and moisture, which will make your chicken soggy. Keep the fried chicken warm in a 200° F oven.
  • Use either peanut oil, canola oil or vegetable oil to fry the chicken. I typically use peanut oil because it's affordable, it has a high smoke point, and it will not flavor your meat.
  • I like to use a deep-fry thermometer to make sure that the oil reaches and stays at a consistent temperature of 350° F. If you don't have a thermometer, no problem! Instead, when the oil is hot (but not smoking), add a drop of water to the pan -- if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough for the chicken. You want to maintain a fairly steady temperature as the chicken cooks, so don't overcrowd the pan (which will bring down the temperature).
  • To ensure crispy chicken, keep the temperature of your oil at a steady 350° F. If the oil is too cool, the chicken will absorb the oil giving it a soggy texture and an unpleasant taste.
  • Butter and griddle brioche buns for the best flavor and texture!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1sandwich (not including optional toppings) Calories 631kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 35g (12%) Protein 44g (88%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 150mg (50%) Sodium 486mg (20%) Potassium 793mg (23%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 116IU (2%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 125mg (13%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4sandwiches

Amount Per Serving

Calories 631

% Daily Value*

Serving 1sandwich (not including optional toppings)
Calories 631kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 35g 12%
Protein 44g 88%
Fat 34g 52%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 150mg 50%
Sodium 486mg 20%
Potassium 793mg 17%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 116IU 2%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 125mg 13%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.