Spicy Chicken Sandwich- Fried Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Mayo is extremely crispy, spicy, and tastes 1000x BETTER when cooked from scratch! If you’ve been wanting fried chicken sandwiches, this wonderful sandwich is for you. It’s crispy on the exterior, soft and juicy on the inside, and seasoned to perfection.
The sandwich comes together in less than 30 minutes and may be made ahead of time. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk and spices first, then battered in a combination of flour, corn starch, and MORE spices. The spices provide a lot of flavor to the sandwich, but they also give it an incredible crispy exterior. The cornerstone for the ideal Chicken Sandwich is juicy chicken. Some people prefer to pound their breasts in order to make them slimmer. I leave them alone. Thick and juicy chicken breasts are essential in my sandwich! We like it hot!
Table of Contents
Spicy Chicken Sandwich Recipe:
The delicious and crispy breading that didn’t taste greasy, as well as the juicy chicken that was well cooked, were my favorite parts of the fried chicken sandwich. I opted to make the sandwich at home because it appeared simple enough to do. It’s crispy on the exterior and juicy on the inside, with a basic spicy mayo with a good bite, salty pickles, and a wonderfully buttered and toasted brioche bread. Our Popeyes chicken sandwich recipe is quite easy, does not require any difficult-to-find ingredients, and is extremely tasty.
Ingredients:
- Red spicy sauce
- Egg
- Whole wheat flour
- Chili pepper
- Black pepper
- Powdered onion
- Paprika
- Powdered garlic
- Chicken breast filets, boneless and skinless
- Buns for hamburger
- Mayonnaise
- Tomato
- Lettuce
How To Make Spicy Chicken Sandwich?
- If deep frying, heat 6-8 cups oil to 375 degrees in a deep fryer or cast iron saucepan. If pan frying, heat 1 1/2-2 cups oil in a big, heavy-bottomed frying pan (approximately 1/2 inch in the pan).
- Whisk together spicy sauce, water, and egg in a large mixing basin or pie plate.
- Combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow dish or pie plate.
- Using a mallet/tenderizer, pound each chicken breast until it is about 3/8 inch thick. When pounded thin, the chicken may be significantly larger than the bread. If this is the case, you may wish to split the breast in half before breading it to help it fit better on the bun.
- Coat each fish in flour, then in the spicy sauce/water/egg mixture, and finally in flour. If you want a thicker covering, repeat the dredging process.
- After coating all of the chicken, deep fried for 8 to 12 minutes, or pan fry for 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Drain excess oil from the chicken after frying by putting it on a cooling rack or a dish covered with paper towels.
- Grill the faces of the hamburger buns on a griddle or in a dry pan (optional) before assembling sandwiches with chicken, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato.
Tips and Tricks:
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you may create your own by combining 1 teaspoon lemon juice with 1 cup normal dairy milk and letting it settle for a minute.
- To amp up the heat, add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Allow the breaded chicken to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. It will greatly improve the adhesion of the flour coating to the chicken and prevent it from flaking off when cooked. It will also assist to dry up the dredge mixture, resulting in a crisper, crunchier coating once the chicken has been fried.
- Although it is not required, I enjoy dabbing a tiny amount of mayo over the tops and bottoms of each brioche bun and lightly toasting them in a pan, mayo side down. This gives the insides of the buns a lovely gently toasted texture while maintaining the outsides buttery and fluffy.
Cooking Instructions For Fried Chicken Breast:
- A well-seasoned marinade is the foundation of a superb fried chicken. The buttermilk and hot sauce combo tenderizes the chicken while the large quantity of spice adds flavor.
- For uniform cooking, pound chicken cutlets between plastic wrap to an equal 1/2″ thickness.
- Marinate the chicken by combining the marinade ingredients in a large mixing basin, then adding the chicken and stirring to coat. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.
- Dredge the chicken in flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a separate shallow dish. Lift a piece of marinated chicken, allowing extra marinade to drop off, and dip it into the flour mixture, pushing it on with your palms to coat well. Transfer to a wire rack.
- In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F.
- Just before frying, re-dip the chicken in the flour mixture. Add the chicken two pieces at a time to avoid crowding.
- Fry the chicken – Adjust the temperature of the oil to maintain a temperature of 300-325 F during frying. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 F. Transfer to a wire rack.
Crispy And Juicy Fried Chicken Pro Tips:
- Allow at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate: buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken, so marinade it for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Seasoning the flour thoroughly: Do not scrimp on seasoning. To ensure a good adhesion, press the flour mixture onto the chicken.
- Double dip the chicken in the seasoned flour immediately before frying it for a thick and shaggy surface.
- Temperature of the oil: heat to 350°F before adding the chicken, then regulate to maintain a temperature of 300-325°F during frying. If you overcrowd the pot, the temperature of the oil will decrease fast. A pot thermometer with a clip is really handy.
- When to remove the chicken: When the chicken is cooked through and browned, remove it from the hot oil. The internal temperature of the chicken will continue to rise while it rests and should reach 165°F, so remove it shortly before that.
- Rather than using paper towels, drain or rest fried chicken on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet to enable air to flow. Draining on paper towels traps steam and softens the crust.
To Create Spicy Mayo Sauce, Use The following Ingredients:
Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon spicy sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika or taco spice, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. The sauce is great in the chicken sandwich and is also used to produce the spicy Popeyes chicken sandwich.
How To Make An Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich?
- Spray or brush the chicken with cooking oil before placing it in the air fryer.
- Air fry for 20 minutes at 375°F, turning halfway through, or until crispy and cooked through.
How To Bake Chicken Sandwich?
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a baking sheet on top of a wire cooling rack. Place the floured chicken breasts on the wire rack and gently brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Is It Okay To Use Chicken Thighs?
Yes, but keep in mind that darker meat takes longer to cook. Cook the chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit (6 to 8 minutes per side).
Variations Suggestions:
- For a fresh, crisp texture, add shredded iceberg lettuce to the sandwich.
- Cabbage slaw is also a good addition to the sandwich for a creamy or vinegar crunch.
- Spicy mayonnaise can be replaced with buttermilk ranch dressing or even barbeque sauce.
- The sandwiches can be topped with slices of cheese (we favor American). If you place a slice of cheese on top of the newly fried chicken, the heat should gently melt the cheese without the need to bake it off in the oven.
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Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Spicy Chicken Sandwich- Fried Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Mayo is extremely crispy, spicy, and tastes 1000x BETTER when cooked from scratch! If you've been wanting fried chicken sandwiches, this wonderful sandwich is for you. It's crispy on the exterior, soft and juicy on the inside, and seasoned to perfection.
Ingredients
For The Marinade For The Chicken:
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
To Make Breading:
- 1 cup of flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. paprika onion powder
- 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
Mayonnaise With a Kick:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp spicy sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika, Cajun spice, or taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
To Complete:
- 4 brioche buns (medium size)
- Mayonnaise
- Pickles, sliced
- 3-4 cups frying canola oil
Instructions
Chicken Marinate:
Using two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap, pound the chicken breasts. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise to produce two tiny chicken pieces around the size of the bread.
Buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing dish Place the chicken in the mix and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or use right away.
How to Cook Chicken
Heat the oil in a big heavy-duty skillet or saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 350F.
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and spices in a medium shallow basin. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of the buttermilk batter into the flour mixture with a fork.
Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, one piece at a time, and press the flour onto the top chicken to make a thick crust. Fry the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, or until the exterior is crispy and brown and the interior temperature reaches 165F.
To Put Together
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and toast buns face down until brown and crisp. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the mayonnaise ingredients. Spread a liberal amount of mayonnaise on each bun. Serve with pickles and chicken on top. Enjoy while it's hot!
Notes
For a Spicy Chicken Sandwich:
In our house, we adore spicy chicken! If you want to make your chicken sandwich a bit hotter, add 1-2 tablespoons cayenne pepper to the flour mixture when creating the breading. I prefer to cover my kids' sandwiches in flour first, then add cayenne pepper for spice before making my and my husband's.
Is this anything that can be done ahead of time?
While we like to cook and enjoy this right away for the best flavor, you can fried the chicken ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, lay chicken pieces on a cooling rack lined baking sheet and cook in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes. The chicken will not be as crisp as when it was originally cooked, but it will still be excellent and full of flavor.
Is it possible to make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes! The spicy mayo may be made up to 1 week ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 6794Total Fat 710gSaturated Fat 63gTrans Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 636gCholesterol 177mgSodium 4109mgCarbohydrates 92gFiber 5gSugar 14gProtein 35g
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