Fried Chicken Sandwich

5 from 11 votes
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For the best chicken sandwich, you don’t have to sprint to a fast food restaurant or splurge on street food. My fried chicken sandwich recipe is delicious, juicy, and packed with flavor – all made in the comfort of your kitchen!

Fried chicken sandwich with lettuce

For my homemade chicken sandwich, I’ve stuck to a pretty traditional method of marinating and frying. I’ve also opted to use chicken breast over other boneless cuts of meat. Chicken breast sandwich recipes often overcook the meat so it’s dry, but my method ensures a crispy bite outside and juicy tenderness inside. It’s simple and oh-so delicious!

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Ingredients

Ingredients for fried chicken sandwich
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: I prefer using them for this recipe because they cook quickly and provide a leaner option. If you prefer, you can also substitute with chicken thighs, keeping in mind the slightly longer cooking time.
  • Buttermilk: To keep the chicken moist. Alternatively, use a substitute (milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar) or yogurt. The acid in these helps to tenderize the meat and enhance the flavor.
  • Egg: Eggs make the coating stick
  • Seasonings: Paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  • Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works fine.
  • Cornstarch and baking powder: Will help to make a super crispy fried chicken.
  • Frying oil: It’s best to use an oil with a high smoking point – go for vegetable oil, sunflower, or canola.
  • Burger Buns: You can use any kind you prefer – I recommend a soft bun.
  • Lettuce: This will stop excess moisture from getting into the bread.
  • Mayonnaise: A classic addition that will cool down the spice from the chicken. You can switch it out for aioli, or your favorite sauce.
  • Pickled Cucumber: Pickles are on top of my list when I think about what to put on a chicken sandwich. Follow my guide for making the perfect pickles at home.

How to make a fried chicken sandwich

Prepare and marinate chicken: To make the crispy chicken, first, slice the breasts in half lengthwise for thinner pieces. Then, in a small bowl, mix all the spices. In a larger bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and half of the mixed spices. Whisk well, add chicken, and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to boost flavor, or up to 6 hours for the best taste.

steps for prepare and marinate chicken

Coat the chicken: For the coating, combine baking powder, cornstarch, flour, and the remaining mixed spices. After marinating, bring the chicken to room temperature. Then dip each piece into the flour mix, pressing onto the seasoned flour for a thorough coating. Don’t discard the marinade – pour it over the chicken before applying the coating. The excess marinade will create small crumbs in the flour, resulting in extra crunchy parts on the chicken.

Steps for breading and frying chicken breasts

Fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan until it reaches 350ºF/176ºC. It’s best to maintain this temperature to ensure the chicken cooks inside without burning and to prevent excess oil absorption or sogginess.

Next, carefully place the prepared chicken inside the pan and fry until the outside is golden brown and crispy – it only takes around 4-5 minutes. Only fry a few pieces of chicken at a time as too many will lower the temperature of the hot oil and give you soggy chicken. Finally, place the fried chicken on a wire rack.

Check out a more detailed recipe for frying the perfect chicken for a breaded chicken sandwich. Also, if you already have fried chicken and want to reheat it, check my top tips on how to reheat chicken.

Assemble the Sandwiches: I like to toast the buns. Spread butter generously over each bun, then place butter side down on a dry pan. Then, allow to toast for a few minutes and you can flip them over if you want. You can skip this step if you prefer soft buns.

toasting buns(optional)

Spread mayo on each bun, then to the bottom bun add your lettuce leaves, a couple of slices of dill pickle, and then the fried chicken. You can add any other toppings you prefer, like tomato, hot sauce, red onions, coleslaw, mustard, or cheese – or even double it down with some more chicken. The possibilities are endless.

Finally, once you’ve loaded up your sandwich, add the top bun and enjoy your fried chicken sandwich alone or with a side of a green salad, and fries for a satisfying meal.

steps to assemble fried chicken sandwich

If you try this fried chicken sandwich recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!

Fried Chicken Sandwich

5 from 11 votes
By: Samira
For the best chicken sandwich, you don't have to sprint to a fast food restaurant or splurge on street food. My fried chicken sandwich recipe is delicious, juicy, and packed with flavor – all made in the comfort of your kitchen!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 
 

For the chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts 13oz pieces skinless and boneless
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup flour 3.7oz
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch 1.3 oz
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 6 cups vegetable oil or canola oil for frying – adjust the amount based on the size of your pot

For the sandwiches

  • 4 burger buns soft white buns; or use your preferred, or brioche buns
  • 4 lettuce leaves or your favorite leafy greens
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise or garlic mayo, aioli, or your favorite sauce
  • 1 cup pickled cucumber 16-20 slices, or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp butter optional – if you want to toast the buns

Instructions 

Prepare the fried chicken

  • Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise for thinner pieces. If they are uneven, use a mallet to flatten one or both until even.
  • In a small bowl, mix all the spices. In a larger bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and half of the mixed spices. Whisk well.
    Add chicken and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to 6 hours for the best taste).
  • Combine baking powder, cornstarch, flour, and the remaining mixed spices. After marinating, bring the chicken to room temperature.
    Dip each piece into the flour mix, pressing for a thorough coating.
  • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to 350ºF/176ºC.
    Carefully place the prepared chicken inside the pan and fry until the outside is golden brown and crispy – it only takes around 4-5 minutes. Only fry a few pieces of chicken at a time. Place the fried chicken on a wire rack.

Assemble the sandwiches

  • Toast the buns – optional, so skip this step if you prefer soft buns. Spread butter generously over each bun, then place butter down on a dry pan. Allow them to toast for 1-2 minutes.
  • Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom buns. On the bottom bun, add your lettuce leaves, a couple of slices of pickled cucumber, and then the fried chicken.
  • Once you've loaded up your sandwich, top with the other bun and enjoy!

Notes

Extra toppings: You can customize with any other toppings you prefer, like tomato, hot sauce, onions, coleslaw, mustard, or ketchup – or even double it down with some more chicken. The possibilities are endless.
You can enjoy your fried chicken sandwich alone or with a side of green salad and fries for a satisfying meal.
 
Course: Brunch, Main
Cuisine: American
Shelf life: Eat Immediately

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 570kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 1974mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 3081IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 238mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. Angeline Murenzve says:

    So mouthwatering
    Thank u
    Samira

    1. Support @ Alphafoodie says:

      Thank you 🙂

  2. Susan says:

    I have a question/problem. When I tried to use your link for a more detailed version on how to fry the chicken for this sandwich, I kept being directed to your Detox Chia Smoothie/Pudding recipe instead. Am I doing something incorrectly?