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Chick-fil-A sandwiches are just as tender and juicy as the original, only better! Now you can satisfy your craving for those perfectly breaded and seasoned sandwiches anytime you need to!
Make a full Chick-fil-A menu for a fun night out, that’s actually in! Make Chicken nuggets, Regular or Frosted Lemonade and of course you have to have the famous Chick-fil-A Sauce to make it complete!
Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
We absolutely love Chick-fil-A at our house! So you can imagine my excitement when I found this copycat recipe. I kept thinking how awesome it would be to make these at home. They were a lot easier than I thought they would be to make and they tasted identical! My family loved them!
My little boy kept asking how I got them to look the same and taste the same as Chick-fil-A. They were perfectly crisp on the outside and packed with flavor on the inside. Of course you have to serve them on a toasted bun with pickles and some lemonade. And after you serve them to your family say, “My pleasure!”
What You Need For Chicken Sandwiches
These are surprisingly easy to make and the ingredients are simple. Our secret ingredient, malt powder can be found with the chocolate milk mixes in your local store. So let’s get cooking!
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Salt and Pepper: Use freshly ground pepper for the best flavor.
- Paprika: Gives it color and flavor.
- Peanut Oil: This oil is the best oil for frying because of its high smoke content.
- Egg: Large or extra large, not medium sized.
- Milk: I used nonfat, but you can use any percent or even buttermilk.
- Flour: All purpose flour
- Malted Milk Powder: Adds incredible flavor that mimics the original.
- Confectioners Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar for a bit of sweet and lightness.
- Baking Soda: Helps the breading fry up light and crispy.
- Dry Mustard: Flavor enhancer.
- Pickle Juice: Helps to tenderize the chicken.
- Hamburger Buns: Lightly toast your buns before putting the chicken on it.
- Chick-fil-A Sauce: Yes you can make it at home too!
Making Chick-fil-A Sandwiches just like the Original
Super easy and extremely tasty, your whole family will be so impressed how awesome you are when you make these copycat chick-fil-a sandwiches!
- Chicken: Pound each chicken breast to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. This will help them to fry easier. Season chicken with 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp each of paprika and pepper. Set chicken aside.
- Oil: In a heavy bottom pan, heat 2 inches of peanut oil over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 325 degrees, or until small drops of water sizzle and evaporate.
- Flour and Egg mixture: While the oil is heating, whisk the egg, milk, pickle juice, and 2 Tablespoons water in a baking dish. Then whisk flour, malted milk powder, confectioners sugar, baking soda, dry mustard, the remaining paprika and salt and pepper in another dish.
- Dip and Dredge: Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture. Then dredge in the flour mixture coating completely.
- Fry: Fry the chicken in the hot oil until brown, about 4 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve: Serve on lightly toasted buns with desired toppings and chick-fil-a sauce.
Tips For Perfect Chick-fil-A Sandwiches
Making these is super easy and all it takes is a little time, and then you can enjoy one of the best sandwiches ever in your own home!
- Chicken: Pounding the chicken thin or even butterflying it is super important. You want the chicken to cook through by the time the breading is done. Otherwise the breading can burn before the chicken is done. Chicken is done when the internal temperature registers 165 degrees.
- Marinate: You can let the chicken marinate in a mixture of pickle juice and water. Use 1/2 cup pickle juice and 1/4 cup water, let marinate for 30 minutes. This will help the chicken be extra juicy and tender. If you add this step you can skip the pickle juice in the egg mixture.
- Breading: If you like extra breading on your chicken, double dip your chicken. After you dredge it in the egg and flour mixture, repeat it by dipping it in the egg and then the flour again. It will create an even crispier crunchier breading.
- Oil: If you do not have peanut oil, you can use canola or another vegetable oil. Do not use olive or other low smoke oils. You want one that can handle the heat.
More Variations and Tips for Chick-Fil-A Chicken
- Spicy: You can make the spicy version of this Chick-fil-A chicken by adding 1 teaspoon of cayenne to the flour mixture. Add more or less according to your tastes. If you have some who don’t want it spicy, dredge theirs first. Then add the spice to the rest of the flour mixture and continue as directed.
- Toppings: One thing about Chick-fil-A is that I never get enough pickles! Making these at home you can add all the toppings you want. Lettuce, tomato, pickles, extra sauce and don’t forget the cheese!
- Storing and Reheating: If you have any leftovers keep them in the fridge tightly sealed for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or in a pan to crisp up the outside. Avoid the microwave as it will toughen the chicken and make the outside soggy.
- Serve: These chicken sandwiches are perfect for a fun dinner or even a special lunch. Serve them up and serve with a side of fries and fry sauce. Add a pasta salad, broccoli and cauliflower salad, 7 layer salad or fruit salad to round it out. Make some homemade Root Beer and brownies and you have a dynamite meal on your hands!
More Chicken Recipes to Love
Chicken is one of the best proteins. It is relatively cheap, healthy and super easy to customize. Because of its mild flavor you can add all sorts of different spices to make so many different kinds of chicken recipes. Here are some of our tried and true favorites that really allow the chicken to shine!
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Adobo
- Crispy Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- The Best Air Fryer Chicken Breast
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Copycat Chick-fil-A Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- Kosher salt
- pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Peanut oil for frying (at least 2 inches to cover the bottom of a pan)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon malted milk powder
- 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Pickle Juice optional
- 4 soft hamburger buns split
- Chick Fil A Sauce
Instructions
- Pound each chicken breast to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. This will help them to fry easier. Season chicken with 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp each of paprika and pepper. Set chicken aside.
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat 2 inches of peanut oil over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 325 degrees, or until small drops of water sizzle and evaporate.
- While the oil is heating, whisk the egg, milk, pickle juice* (if using) and 2 T water in a baking dish. Then whisk both flours, the malted milk powder, confectioners sugar, baking soda, dry mustard, the remaining 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in another dish.
- Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture.
- Then dredge in the flour mixture coating completely.
- Fry the chicken in the hot oil until brown about 4 minutes, adjusting the heat if needed. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve on lightly toasted buns with desired toppings and Chick Fil A Sauce. Pickles, lettuce, and even a slice of cheese!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Safeway has lightly breaded chicken breast called bare that is the brand fully cooked pop it into the air fryer, bake it, or pan fry. You won’t be disappointed, just assemble it and enjoy.
Directiion, says put both flours in mixing bowl, but you list just one flour.
Any suggestions about using an air fryer rather than peanut oil?
I haven’t tried that with this recipe before. You could try cooking them in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Just make sure to check the internal temperature (chicken shouldn’t be consumed unless it reaches 165 degrees). Air fryer times vary depending on the size of your meat so keep that in mind while cooking! Let me know how it goes!
Gotta try. My grands love chicken fil A
Thanks
Can you bake these and not deep fry?
Hi Sherri, thank you for your question. Yes you can bake them. Set your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Tenderize and bread the chicken per instructions. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray the chicken with oil on both sides and bake for 30-35 minutes. Flip the chicken half way through. When the chicken is cooked through remove it from the oven, let rest a few minutes before serving. Let me know how it turns out!
I’ve made this several times. Very popular with my family!! The only thing I do differently, is I soak the chicken breasts in pickle juice for about 10 minutes and I don’t use the malted powder. This recipe is a definite keeper!!😀
I just made these for our lunch- my son works at Chik-Fil-A and we homeschool, so we are always looking for new lunch ideas. WOW. Wow. Wow. Wow!! Delicious. Copycat recipes rarely impress us, but this one did. Thank you!
That is great to hear! They are a popular one at our house too. I am so glad that everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing with me!
I made this a few times. Comes out great.
pickle juice is only in the marinade for the Chicken Strips. none of it goes into the chicken nuggets OR the chicken sandwiches. I worked at a Chick-Fil-A for a little over 3 years back in high school.
What type of pickle juice? Sweet, dill?
I don’t like pickles, but I am 100% sure it makes a huge difference here. If I think about it, I can taste it when eating one of these sandwiches.
I just used juice from dill pickles. 🙂
Just made it. Delicious. Thanks, Alyssa!
Glad to hear! Thank you for sharing!
The secret ingredient is MSG. it is one of the first ingredients on their list. But this version looks delectable!! Great looking clone! Maybe I can make MSG free sandwiches at home now.
MSG free would be awesome. But be careful. Malted milk contains Malt Extract, which often contains MSG.
Trying this tonight! We will see what the crowd says!
This is definitely one to try! I’ve only ever had Chik-fil-a a couple of times, but I love it!
What is malted milk powder? And where can you buy this?
It is buy the hot chocolate and chocolate milk powder section. I didn’t know either and had to ask! 🙂
Yummy. I love Chick-fil-A too!! Can’t wait to try this!
I’ve never been to a Chick-fil-A when I’ve visited the States, but that chicken does look amazing! I’m not so sure about the pickles on them though, since I’m not a big fan.