Homemade Chick-fil-A Style Sandwich Meal
Homemade Chick-fil-A Style Sandwich Meal
Ingredients
For the Homemade Buns
- 1 1/2 pounds bread dough, prepared, risen
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Pickles
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 fresh dill sprigs
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Waffle Fries
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- 2 cups ice
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
- as needed salt
For the Chicken Breading & Frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
- 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 American cheese slices
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Homemade Buns: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Punch down the risen bread dough in its bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden cutting board and divide it into four equal pieces using a dough cutter. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them. Brush the tops of the dough balls with the egg wash.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375
- 2
Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the hot buns with melted butter. Set aside to cool.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375
- 3
Prepare the Pickles: Thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline slicer. Place the sliced cucumbers into a clean glass jar. Add the fresh dill sprigs to the jar. In a small saucepan, combine water, white vinegar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Carefully pour the hot brine solution into the jar, ensuring the cucumbers and dill are fully submerged. Seal the jar with a lid and gently shake to combine. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a metal mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, pickle juice, granulated sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Whisk until well combined. Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Prepare the Waffle Fries: Using a mandoline slicer with a waffle blade, grate the potatoes into waffle-shaped pieces. Place the grated potato pieces into a large glass bowl. Add ice cubes and cold water to the bowl, covering the potatoes. Soak for 30 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain the potatoes.
⏱️ 40 min
- 6
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Blanch the soaked potatoes in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove the blanched potatoes using a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to dry completely, about 15-20 minutes.
⏱️ 25 min
- 7
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Carefully deep-fry the blanched potatoes in batches until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season immediately with salt.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
Prepare the Chicken Breading: In a separate large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F for frying the chicken. Take one marinated chicken thigh from the buttermilk mixture and dredge it thoroughly in the dry flour mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Return the flour-coated chicken thigh to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring it is fully coated again. Dredge the chicken thigh a second time in the dry flour mixture, pressing the flour onto the chicken to create a thick coating.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Carefully place the breaded chicken thigh into the hot oil. Fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove the fried chicken from the oil using tongs and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 11
Prepare the Dipping Sauce: In a small glass bowl, combine mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, honey, yellow mustard, and black pepper. Stir the ingredients together with a spoon until a smooth sauce is formed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Assemble the Sandwiches: Slice the homemade buns in half and lightly toast them. Spread a generous amount of the prepared dipping sauce onto both the top and bottom bun halves. Place several pieces of green leaf lettuce on the bottom bun. Add two slices of tomato on top of the lettuce. Place a fried chicken thigh on top of the tomato slices. Lay a slice of American cheese on the chicken, allowing it to melt slightly from the residual heat. Add several pickle slices (from your homemade pickles) on top of the cheese. Place the top bun half on the sandwich.
⏱️ 10 min
- 13
Serve the assembled sandwich on a metal tray. Place a bowl of the waffle fries next to the sandwich. Serve a small side dish of the prepared dipping sauce. Enjoy with a glass of lemonade over ice.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Chick-fil-A Style Sandwich Meal
For the Homemade Buns
- 1 1/2 pounds bread dough, prepared, risen
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Pickles
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 fresh dill sprigs
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Waffle Fries
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- 2 cups ice
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
- as needed salt
For the Chicken Breading & Frying
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
- 4 leaves green leaf lettuce
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 4 American cheese slices
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Homemade Buns: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Punch down the risen bread dough in its bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured wooden cutting board and divide it into four equal pieces using a dough cutter. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them. Brush the tops of the dough balls with the egg wash.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375 - 2
Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately after removing from the oven, brush the hot buns with melted butter. Set aside to cool.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375 - 3
Prepare the Pickles: Thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline slicer. Place the sliced cucumbers into a clean glass jar. Add the fresh dill sprigs to the jar. In a small saucepan, combine water, white vinegar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Carefully pour the hot brine solution into the jar, ensuring the cucumbers and dill are fully submerged. Seal the jar with a lid and gently shake to combine. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a metal mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, pickle juice, granulated sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Whisk until well combined. Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Prepare the Waffle Fries: Using a mandoline slicer with a waffle blade, grate the potatoes into waffle-shaped pieces. Place the grated potato pieces into a large glass bowl. Add ice cubes and cold water to the bowl, covering the potatoes. Soak for 30 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain the potatoes.
⏱️ 40 min - 6
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Blanch the soaked potatoes in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove the blanched potatoes using a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to dry completely, about 15-20 minutes.
⏱️ 25 min - 7
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Carefully deep-fry the blanched potatoes in batches until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season immediately with salt.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
Prepare the Chicken Breading: In a separate large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F for frying the chicken. Take one marinated chicken thigh from the buttermilk mixture and dredge it thoroughly in the dry flour mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Return the flour-coated chicken thigh to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring it is fully coated again. Dredge the chicken thigh a second time in the dry flour mixture, pressing the flour onto the chicken to create a thick coating.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Carefully place the breaded chicken thigh into the hot oil. Fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove the fried chicken from the oil using tongs and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 11
Prepare the Dipping Sauce: In a small glass bowl, combine mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, honey, yellow mustard, and black pepper. Stir the ingredients together with a spoon until a smooth sauce is formed.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Assemble the Sandwiches: Slice the homemade buns in half and lightly toast them. Spread a generous amount of the prepared dipping sauce onto both the top and bottom bun halves. Place several pieces of green leaf lettuce on the bottom bun. Add two slices of tomato on top of the lettuce. Place a fried chicken thigh on top of the tomato slices. Lay a slice of American cheese on the chicken, allowing it to melt slightly from the residual heat. Add several pickle slices (from your homemade pickles) on top of the cheese. Place the top bun half on the sandwich.
⏱️ 10 min - 13
Serve the assembled sandwich on a metal tray. Place a bowl of the waffle fries next to the sandwich. Serve a small side dish of the prepared dipping sauce. Enjoy with a glass of lemonade over ice.
⏱️ 5 min