Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe

A Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich at home? You heard right! 

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Whether it’s Sunday, you don’t have a Chick-Fil-A nearby, or you just want to try a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich for yourself, this recipe will do the trick!

Being stationed overseas, we don’t have the option to go to Chick-Fil-A. Awful, I know! 

But, as with my copycat recipes for Long John Silver’s Coleslaw and Chipotle Corn Salsa, I’ve got this sandwich pretty darn close to the real thing! 

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What’s The Secret To Making a Chick-Fil-A Crispy Chicken Sandwich At Home? 

Chick-Fil-A is clearly onto something. According to entrepreneur.com, they produce more revenue per location than any other fast food chain! 

I know they certainly made more money off of me than anywhere else when we lived in the states. The golden brown chicken, the perfectly crisp waffle fries- it’s just the best. Chick-Fil-A was even the very last meal we had in America before moving overseas!

The drive thru goes fast, the food is hot, the employees all but give you a bear hug. The whole family loves it. It checks all the boxes.

So what’s Chick-Fil-A’s actual secret? Vinegar, cayenne, prayer? 

We may never know. The secret Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich recipe is locked in a vault in their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia!

What’s the Internet’s secret ingredient? Pickle Juice.

As with every copycat recipe I make, I went to Reddit for some help. I usually pick up some crumbs there, then make my own recipe with additional ingredients and different quantities. 

The internet consensus? In order to make Copycat Chick-Fil-A juicy Chicken- you brine it in pickle juice.

While I agree this somehow mimics the taste- I can imagine it’s because Chick-Fil-A involves some vinegar in the process, not actual dill pickle juice. Whatever the case, it works!

But what about the breading? Well, here comes in my area of expertise- fried chicken! 

The blend I was happiest with ended up involving paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. 

While I haven’t used peanut oil for my homemade sandwiches, we know for a fact that is what Chick-Fil-A uses! 

In fact, the same entrepreneur.com article I mentioned above says Chick-Fil-A is the largest buyer of peanut oil in the country!

What Do You Need To Make A Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich?

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For this recipe we’ll be using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. From the appearance of every Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich I’ve ever had, It looks like they use a half of a small chicken breast. 

I cut mine into thirds or quarters, because they’re usually pretty big! 

Next you’ll need a jar of dill pickle juice to brine the chicken. Klaussen’s is my favorite, but any dill pickle juice will do. 

To coat the chicken filet, we’ll first use an egg mixture to wet the chicken. 

For the breading, grab flour, paprika, ground cayenne, salt, and black pepper spice mix. 

For the classic Chick-Fil-A taste, try peanut oil for frying. But, canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil will all do the trick with a high smoke point! 

Next you’ll need something to put this glorious Copycat Chick Fil A chicken sandwich on. 

Since the chicken speaks for itself, I just use regular hamburger buns. 

From what I can tell, Chick-Fil-A’s buns have been buttered and lightly toasted on the insides. However, that part is optional! 

Next, toppings. I always add mayo and dill pickles! 

You can make your sandwich the “deluxe” by adding cheese, lettuce, and even tomato. 

Last but not least, you better believe I’m dipping my sandwich in ketchup! Try hot sauce, bbq sauce, or honey mustard!

For frying your chicken, you’ll need a skillet or frying pan. I use a cast iron skillet, which I recommend! However, most skillets will do.

How To Make A Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich At Home

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Okay enough small talk- let’s make a copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich!

1-2  Hours Before Cooking:

Brine chicken in pickle juice. For large breasts, closer to two hours will be better. For smaller breasts, or if you cut your chicken before brining, one hour will do! 

Simply place your thawed chicken breasts in a bowl or airtight container, making sure all are covered in the pickle juice.

Instructions

Follow the steps below to make your Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich!

Remove chicken breasts from pickle juice and pat dry. 

In a medium sized bowl, beat together eggs and milk. 

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients for breading. 

In a cast iron or nonstick skillet, heat ¼ to ½ inches of oil. 

Pat chicken dry with paper towels (then safely discard them) and cut into sandwich sized pieces, this will depend on the size of your bun. (Cut into bite sized pieces for chicken nuggets!

I follow these steps to double bread the chicken for my copycat Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, but you can do one layer if you prefer. 

Piece by piece, bread chicken as follows: 1. Coat chicken in a light layer of seasoned flour mixture 2. Dip chicken in egg wash, covering thoroughly. 2. Shake chicken in seasoned flour mixture. 3. Back into egg wash. 4. One last coat of flour mixture!  

Place into hot oil. Carefully flip once browned and cook until it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

For best results, place finished chicken pieces onto a wire rack to retain the crispy exterior. 

To build your sandwich, simply add a piece of chicken, a layer of mayo and a few pickle chips! 

What To Make with This Chick Fil A Chicken Sandwich 

The first side that comes to mind is of course Chick Fil A’s waffle fries. While you can achieve homemade waffle fries with a mandolin, there are tons of frozen options today at nearly any grocery store that you can pop in the air fryer or oven for something close but a little more healthy than deep fried. Alexia is my favorite brand to use for weeknight dinners.

Any fries are a good partner to this recipe, as well as tater tots, wedges, cole slaw, macaroni, or anything you see fit!

Modifiers Of This Recipe

To make Copycat Chick Fil A nuggets, simply cut the breasts into bite size pieces and adapt recipe without the bun, pickle chips, etc.

For a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, experiment with the cayenne and hot sauce on your sandwich. 

To make your sandwich a “deluxe”, add tomato, lettuce, and cheese. 

While going through the drive through might be the easiest thing, it’s not possible for all of us. Whether you live somewhere without Chick Fil A, have a peanut allergy, want to save money or control your ingredients, this is a great recipe to try out!

See Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwich recipe below!

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

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