Spicy Chicken Sandwich Truly Crispy

Love easy sandwich recipes? Try my chopped cheese, Mexican torta, mulitas, and air fryer grilled cheese next. My #1 guilty pleasure is a fast food spicy chicken sandwich or hot honey chicken sandwich, so recreating it at home has always been on my agenda. For this recipe, I did my research and taste-tested Popeye’s, KFC, Chick-fil-A, and McDonald’s to see who had the tastiest spicy chicken sandwich. Popeye’s chicken sandwich won by a long shot, so of course, I had to recreate it but with two twists- it must be easy to make, and it must taste delicious. This spicy chicken sandwich recipe ticks both boxes!

Why I love this recipe

Better than the original. My copycat version has the best flavor and texture and uses good-quality ingredients. My family also agrees- homemade is best. Make it as spicy as you like. You can adjust the level of heat of these chicken sandwiches to your preference. I like to make it scorching hot because I am a chili fiend but if too much spice is a no-go, that is completely fine. Cheaper than store-bought. A fast food spicy chicken sandwich retails at around $9 each, but making them at home costs a fraction of that. Three cooking methods. I prefer the classic deep fried chicken, but I’ve tested it in the oven and air fryer too.

Ingredients needed

Chicken breasts. Skinless and boneless, halved. If your chicken breasts are already small, just pound them using a meat mallet. Flour. To coat the chicken before dipping it in the egg mixture. Buttermilk. Being slightly acidic, buttermilk makes light and fluffy batter. If you don’t have buttermilk, easily make your own by adding 1/2 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and letting it curdle (it should take no longer than 10 minutes). Sriracha. To add spiciness to the batter. It is easy to add some form of hot sauce to the batter and control the level of heat. Eggs. This gives stability to the batter and makes the dry mix stick nicely to the fillets. Spices. I use chili powder (or cayenne pepper), salt, and pepper in the dry mix for the fillets which amps up the spice level. You can swap out the chili for smoked paprika if you don’t want these sandwiches to be overly spicy. Sandwich fix-ins. I kept things classic by using potato rolls, lettuce, spicy mayo (standard mayo works) and some pickles. Of course, the world is your oyster so add whatever you like. Oil. To fry the chicken. Any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point is great, like canola oil or vegetable oil.

How to make a spicy chicken sandwich

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Don’t overcrowd the pan. Putting too many chicken fillets in the hot oil at one time causes the temperature of the oil to drop. As a result, the chicken absorbs too much oil and takes longer to get crispy. If needed, fry the chicken in batches. You’ll know the chicken is cooked by using a meat thermometer to check its doneness. Chicken is ready to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Play around with the sauces. You don’t have to stick to mayonnaise and ketchup for this sandwich. You can use any sauce you like, including mustard-based sauces and my popular big mac sauce. Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free flour in the breading and serve it with gluten-free bread or buns.

Storage instructions

I don’t recommend storing the assembled sandwiches or making them ahead of time. They taste best when made fresh. However, the spicy chicken fillets can be made in advance. Air fryer method: Once the chicken is breaded, grease the air fryer basket and place the fillets in a single layer (you may need to cook it in batches). Spray the top with cooking spray and air fry at 200C/400F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Oven method: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place the breaded chicken on a baking sheet. I don’t recommend adding parchment paper because the chicken may be soggy. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. To store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to five days. To freeze: Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Reheating: Either reheat in a non-stick pan or the oven. Avoid using the microwave as the chicken will lose its crispiness.