Copycat Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Copycat Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 1 cup pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds total
For the Spicy Coater
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Milk and Egg Wash
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg, large
For Frying and Assembly
- 4 cups peanut oil, or enough to deep fry
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted, if desired
- 8 pickle slices
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the brine: In a medium metal bowl, combine the pickle juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, mustard powder, and garlic powder. Whisk thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 3 min
- 2
Prepare the chicken: Take the chicken breasts and trim any excess fat. Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and press it flat with your hands to achieve a more even thickness. If the breasts are very large, you can slice them horizontally to create two thinner cutlets.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Brine the chicken: Submerge the prepared chicken breasts in the brine mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate and tenderize the chicken.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare the spicy coater: In a separate medium metal bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, mustard powder, white pepper, baking powder, MSG (if using), granulated sugar, and ground black pepper. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Prepare the milk and egg wash: In a shallow round metal pan or bowl, pour the milk. Crack the large egg into the milk and whisk them together until thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Bread the chicken: Remove one chicken filet from the brine, allowing any excess brine to drip off. Dip the chicken filet into the milk and egg wash, ensuring it is fully coated.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Transfer the chicken from the egg wash to the spicy coater. Push down firmly with the palm of your hand on the chicken filet while it is in the coater. This helps to increase the surface area of the filet for more even cooking and ensures the coater adheres to the meat. Shake off any excess coater.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Fry the chicken: Heat the peanut oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven to 350°F. Carefully place one or two breaded chicken filets into the hot peanut oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Drain the chicken: Once cooked, remove the fried chicken from the oil using tongs and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Assemble the sandwiches: Place a fried spicy chicken filet on the bottom half of a hamburger bun. Top with 2 pickle slices, then cover with the top half of the bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Copycat Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich
For the Brine
- 1 cup pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds total
For the Spicy Coater
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Milk and Egg Wash
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg, large
For Frying and Assembly
- 4 cups peanut oil, or enough to deep fry
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted, if desired
- 8 pickle slices
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the brine: In a medium metal bowl, combine the pickle juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, mustard powder, and garlic powder. Whisk thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 3 min - 2
Prepare the chicken: Take the chicken breasts and trim any excess fat. Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and press it flat with your hands to achieve a more even thickness. If the breasts are very large, you can slice them horizontally to create two thinner cutlets.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Brine the chicken: Submerge the prepared chicken breasts in the brine mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate and tenderize the chicken.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare the spicy coater: In a separate medium metal bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, mustard powder, white pepper, baking powder, MSG (if using), granulated sugar, and ground black pepper. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Prepare the milk and egg wash: In a shallow round metal pan or bowl, pour the milk. Crack the large egg into the milk and whisk them together until thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Bread the chicken: Remove one chicken filet from the brine, allowing any excess brine to drip off. Dip the chicken filet into the milk and egg wash, ensuring it is fully coated.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Transfer the chicken from the egg wash to the spicy coater. Push down firmly with the palm of your hand on the chicken filet while it is in the coater. This helps to increase the surface area of the filet for more even cooking and ensures the coater adheres to the meat. Shake off any excess coater.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Fry the chicken: Heat the peanut oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven to 350°F. Carefully place one or two breaded chicken filets into the hot peanut oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Drain the chicken: Once cooked, remove the fried chicken from the oil using tongs and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Assemble the sandwiches: Place a fried spicy chicken filet on the bottom half of a hamburger bun. Top with 2 pickle slices, then cover with the top half of the bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min