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Move over, Popeye’s! There’s a new “Fried” Chicken Sandwich in town, and this one is much healthier than the fast food version!
I’m not sure that there is a more beautiful food combination than crispy chicken, soft bread, creamy mayo, and tangy pickles. This hits all of the flavor and texture notes out there. So simple yet so delicious!
I tried to maintain all of the best parts of that traditional fried chicken sandwich, while cutting back on the fat and oil. Just small changes like turns something like this from an occasional treat into a weekly staple. We’ve already made these 5 times in the two weeks I’ve tested the recipe out!
The star, of course, is the chicken. My goal was to get as close to the coated texture of a deep fried version. I mean, it looks pretty close to me!
I’ve found that the key to getting that chunky kind of breaded coating is to add a bit of milk to your flour mixture. That creates clumps that mimic the thicker batter and fried quality.
I also opted for a thickened egg wash instead of a traditional buttermilk marinade. This makes for a thicker coating, as the buttermilk and flour combo tends to slide off if you’re not deep frying.
This is what my version looks like before it’s cooked.
The breading looks just like real fried chicken, thanks to those small hacks! Just coat with cooking spray, and then you’re ready to cook it up.
What is the best way to cook the chicken?
If you have an air fryer, that is definitely the best way to cook these up. Don’t worry if you don’t, though. I’ve tried making it in the oven and skillet. Both are doable!
The air fryer is the quickest, easiest, and most consistent method. The oven also works, though it takes longer and requires that you flip halfway through.
The skillet is my least favorite way to make these. It requires more oil and the breading can tend to cook unevenly. But you can definitely make it work!
Assembling the sandwiches
You have a lot of different options for making the sandwiches to your taste. We prefer spicy sandwiches in this house, so I add cayenne to the breading and hot sauce to the mayo. The pickles cut through the richness of the chicken, making for the perfect combo!
These are also great served burger-style, with regular mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion. The points won’t change, and the macros will basically remain the same if you eat them this way.
The buns depend on what you like. Brioche buns are great here, but regular hamburger buns will obviously work, too. Sesame buns could add a little extra flavor and crunch.
We’re going to get creative with these in the future, too. We’ve talked about chicken parmesan sandwiches, Korean fried chicken sandwiches, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches. I mean, the list goes on! I’ll definitely share our (successful) experiments with you. For now, enjoy the classic!
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! It makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there.
If you like fast food copycat recipes, you have to try out my Fast Food-Style Chicken Nuggets!
Print Recipe
4.97 from 30 votes
“Fried” Chicken Sandwich
Move over, Popeye's! There's a new fried chicken sandwich in town, and this one is much healthier than the fast food version!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 318kcal
Author: Geri
Ingredients
- 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 large ones, cut in half)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional for a spicy chicken sandwich)
- 3 1/2 tbsp almond milk, divided (or skim milk)
- 1 large egg
- oil cooking spray
- 4 tbsp light mayo
- 1-2 tbsp hot sauce
- 4 hamburger buns
- dill pickle slices
Instructions
Pound the chicken breasts out to even thickness. Pat chicken very dry with paper towels. Set aside on a cutting board.
Create your breading station. In one bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. In another bowl, whisk together egg and 2 tbsp almond milk. Whisk 1 tbsp of the seasoned flour into the egg/almond milk mixture.
Coat chicken in seasoned flour mixture. Set chicken aside.
Add remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of milk to the seasoned flour blend. Mix the milk through the flour with a fork or your fingers until you see some small clumps of flour in the mixture.
Dip flour-coated chicken into egg mixture and let excess drain off. Place chicken into seasoned flour mixture and press the flour into chicken. Gently shake off excess and set on cutting board. Let set for about 5 minutes. Then spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray–enough to lightly coat the breading.
FOR ALL METHODS, make sure you let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before eating. This will set the juices of the chicken and the breading.
FOR THE AIR FRYER (recommended method)
Cook at 400F for 18-24 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
FOR THE OVEN
Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 400F for 20 minutes. Gently flip chicken, then bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
FOR THE SKILLET
Add 2 tsp oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan with the oil, then add chicken. Cook for 7-10 minutes, flip and cook for a remaining 7-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Check the crust often to make sure it doesn't burn.
ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES
Mix together mayo and hot sauce.
Lightly toast hamburger buns. Spread mayo mixture evenly across all 4 bottom buns. Lay pickle slices on top of mayo.
Place chicken on pickles. Top with more hot sauce, if desired. Place bun on top and enjoy!
Notes
Click hereto determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically).
WW Green SmartPoints: 10 per sandwich
WW Blue and Purple SmartPoints: 7 per sandwich
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g
