Crispy Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich Copycat Recipe
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Our Chick Fil A chicken sandwich tastes as good as the original. Tender, juicy meat with a crispy, seasoned exterior is sandwiched between buttery toasted buns for one perfect bite. Don’t forget to add a few pickle chips too! Make this recipe to enjoy one whenever a craving hits, even on Sundays!
While burgers seem to dominate the fast food scene, there’s something to be said about a really good crispy chicken sandwich.
As more restaurants are adding their own signature sandwiches, we can’t ignore the recipe that started this trend!
Making this homemade Chick-fil-A recipe is just like having options for menu items in your own kitchen.
The first time you make this golden brown copycat chick-fil-a recipe, you’re going to be hooked.
Copycat recipes like this are meant to be enjoyed – and don’t forget to pair them with french fries or tater tots!
You’ll never have to go to the drive-thru lane or local restaurant again once you make this classic Chick-fil-A recipe. It’s literally a breeze!
Chick Fil A Chicken Sandwich
As the first item on the original Chick fil A® menu, this entrée actually came about by accident!
The founder, Truett Cathy, received a surplus of breast meat pieces for his restaurant and their signature crispy chicken sandwich recipe was born.
Each tender piece of poultry is coated with a special blend of breading and seasoning (more than 20 ingredients in total!) and fried in peanut oil.
It sits between buttered and toasted buns with two dill pickle chips to create the perfect crispy chicken sandwich.
Looking for more Chick fil A recipes? Create your own combo meal at home with a bowl of creamy mac and cheese.
Or, kick things up a notch and try a spicy grilled chicken sandwich instead!
For a lighter meal, try my copycat chick fil a cobb salad!
I even have a homemade version of their signature sauce — perfect for spreading on your Chick fil A sandwich or using as a dip for waffle fries.
Chick Fil A Chicken Tips and Tricks
- Flatten the poultry. First, slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Then, wrap each piece in plastic and pound them with a tenderizer.
This guarantees that the meat will cook quickly and evenly. - Use peanut oil for frying. This is what is used in the original crispy chicken sandwich recipe.
If food allergies are a concern, you can use canola or vegetable oil instead. - Replace the brine with pickle juice! Pour the liquid out of any jar of pickles into a Ziploc bag instead of mixing up the brine recipe.
- Try different condiments. Aside from their signature sauce, I would recommend mayonnaise, barbecue, ketchup, or even hot sauce on your homemade Chick fil A chicken sandwich!
Serving Suggestions
Every Chick fil A chicken sandwich needs a few sides! Grab a bag of frozen waffle fries from the store or cook up a different variety of fries if you prefer.
A side salad or coleslaw is great for a lighter meal, and kids can enjoy applesauce or a bowl of seasonal fruit.
Chick Fil A Sandwich FAQ
All of the Chick fil A chicken sandwiches come with pickle chips, and you can request different sauces to slather on yourself.
You can also order your sandwich “deluxe” with lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, and strips of bacon.
Sort of. Before breading and frying, the raw chicken is soaked in a secret brine. This tenderizes the meat and adds extra moisture.
Many people have speculated that Chick fil A chicken is marinated in pickle juice, but the restaurant chain has never officially confirmed or denied the information.
According to the company’s nutritional information, their crispy chicken sandwich recipe contains 440 calories without additional toppings, or 500 calories for the Deluxe version.
You should note that neither of these counts includes any additional sauces.
If you’re watching your intake of sodium, fat, or overall calories, consider ordering the grilled chicken sandwich instead.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Popular Copycat Recipes
Crispy Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups peanut oil, for frying
Chicken Brine
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 cups warm water, or pickle juice (SEE NOTES)
Breading
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon nonfat powdered milk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Egg Wash
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
For Serving
- 4 buns, buttered and toasted
- 1/2 cup dill pickle chips
Instructions
- Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts horizontally in half, for a total of 4 equal sized pieces. Wrap chicken pieces in plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until about ¾ inch thick.
- In a medium bowl (or ziploc bag), add brine ingredients and stir to combine. Remove chicken pieces from the plastic wrap and add them to the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine all breading ingredients: flour, powdered milk, baking powder, celery salt, garlic powder, powdered sugar, paprika, and ground black pepper.
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Set the egg wash aside.
- Add about 3 cups of peanut oil to a large pot and heat to 350°F.
- Remove chicken from brine. Dip each piece into the egg wash until fully submerged. Then place into the breading mixture and coat on both sides. (For a thicker breading, repeat the egg wash and breading mixture again a second time)
- Carefully lower one chicken piece into the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, cooked through, and internal temperature is 165°F. Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove from oil with a strainer spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat for each piece of chicken.
- Meanwhile in a small skillet on medium heat or in a toaster oven with bagel setting, toast buttered hamburger buns to your liking. Open the toasted bun and place 2 dill pickle slices on the bottom half of the bun. Top with a piece of the fried chicken and the top of the bun. Serve warm with mayo or condiments of choice and enjoy!
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published April 2022, updated and republished April 2024
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I absolutely LOVE Chick-fil-a’s breaded chicken sandwiches, and this was a fantastic copy of their style! It is such a comforting, delicious taste, and my kids loved it too!
Wow, this recipe was a breeze to make! The Slow Roasted Italian always delivers, and Donna and Chad have done it again. 5 stars!
Hi Ellie!
We’re so glad you enjoyed.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Hi Ellie!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed our recipe.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I’m not a pro in the kitchen, but this Chick Fil A sandwich recipe from Donna and Chad was foolproof and turned out delicious!
Hi Jackson!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Trying to find a dup of the chickfila spicy crispy sandwich. Would using the seasonings from the grilled spicy recipe do it? (Ive never had the soicy grilled at chicfila – only the spicy crispy)
Hi Riley!
I think it would. The difference is just how the chicken is prepared. Let us know how it turns out!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn