This Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich (Chick-fil-A Copycat) recipe is the best homemade meal the whole family will love! The chicken is brined in pickle juice and buttermilk, which produces tender and juicy chicken with a crispy breading. Add in cayenne pepper and fresh veggies for the spicy deluxe!
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Table of Contents
How to Brine and Marinate the Chicken
I love to use buttermilk to brine chicken, it also helps produce a nice, thick breading. The restaurant actually uses a combination of eggs and milk, which I have noted below in the substitutions if you prefer to use that.
The brine also includes pickle juice! I have found that most dill pickle juice will work well with this recipe.
There's always a hint of pickle taste in just the breast alone, if you want more pickle flavor, then allow the chicken to soak in the pickle juice for a couple of hours.
Why is Pickle Juice Used?
Pickle juice has a lot of salt. It has often been used to brine chicken because salt will help carry moisture throughout the chicken to produce juicy chicken breasts. Have you ever wondered how the breast gets so juicy?!
Coupled with an air fried breast, you truly can't go wrong.
What Type of Oil to Use
I like to use peanut oil because it's what Chick-fil-A uses and it has a high smoke point, which is essential for air frying. During recipe testing, I also noted that peanut oil does help these sandwiches taste more like Chick-fil-A!
You can also use avocado oil or olive oil.
Oil is essential if you want a crispy, breaded chicken breast. It will help crisp the chicken. You don't need much!
How to Make Air Fryer Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich
- Drizzle the chicken breasts in buttermilk and pickle juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add paprika, Confectioner's sweetener, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken, along with all-purpose flour.
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and dredge it in the flour and place the chicken breast in the air fryer. (Optional to dredge the chicken in a beaten egg first).
- Air fry.
Air Fryer Temperature
I use 400 degrees.
How Long to Cook/Cook Time
Cook the chicken for 17-22 minutes total, until the chicken has reached your desired level of crisp.
How Many Calories Are in the Sandwich?
The standard chicken sandwich has 440 calories and 19 grams of fat. The deluxe has 500 calories and 23 grams of fat.
How to Substitute Buttermilk
You can use 1 beaten egg along with ½ cup of milk instead of buttermilk in this recipe. That's actually similar to what Chick-fil-A uses, but I find that buttermilk helps produce a thicker crust. Use what you prefer.
If you opt for this method, marinate and brine the chicken in pickle juice only. After 30 minutes, combine the beaten egg and milk. Dredge the chicken in the egg and milk mixture and then into the seasoned flour.
Homemade Chick-fil-A Sauce
To make your own sauce you will need Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, BBQ sauce, honey, and mayo. I often omit the mayo and still love the flavor.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
Fried Chicken Salad
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
You may also enjoy my Chick-fil-A Copycat Frosted Lemonade, Crispy Fish Sandwich and
Smoked Fish Dip recipes.
Popular Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
Air Fryer French Fries
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Air Fryer Fried Pickles
Air Fryer Fish Sandwich
Keto Low Carb Chicken Wings (Maple BBQ)
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Air Fryer Spatchcock Chicken
You will alsol love our French Dip Sandwich with Au Jus sandwich.
Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich (Chick-fil-A Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Mine were 6-8oz each.
- 1 cup pickle juice
- ½ cup buttermilk See notes below for how to substitute buttermilk.
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste.
- ¼ teaspoon pepper Adjust to taste.
- 1 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional for the spicy chicken sandwich
- 1 egg beaten
- cooking oil I used peanut oil
Sandwich Toppings
- 2 buns I use brioche.
- 4 slices dill pickle chips
- 2 slices leaf lettuce Optional for deluxe sandwich.
- 4 slices fresh tomatoes Optional for deluxe sandwich.
Chick-fil-A Sauce
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons BBQ Sauce hickory smoked
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum See substitution in the notes below.
Instructions
- You can use a sealable bag or a large bowl to brine the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or sealable bag along with the pickle juice and buttermilk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sweetener to a large bowl, large enough to dredge the chicken. Stir to combine.
- Add the egg to a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge both breasts in the beaten egg and then the flour. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. (The use of the egg is optional and will help keep the breading intact on your sandwich. I often make this without using the egg).
- Spritz the top of the chicken with peanut oil. Spray from a distance.
- Air fry on 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Be careful with tongs. You don't want to lose any of the breading on the chicken. Your chicken may be fully cooked at this point and you may only need a couple of minutes to crisp this side of the chicken. Spritz this side of the chicken.
- Air fry for an additional 5-7 minutes until the chicken is crisp. You should also use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
- Every air fryer model and brand will cook at varying speeds. Monitor your results carefully, and adjust as needed.
- For toasted buns, toast the buns for 3-4 minutes on 400 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and assemble the sandwich.
Chick-fil-A Sauce
- Combine the mayo, honey, BBQ sauce, and mustard in a bowl. (I often omit the mayo and still love the flavor. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to fit your taste).
- Add the xanthan gum to a separate bowl along with 2 teaspoons of the sauce. Stir to thicken and add it to the bowl with the sauce.
- Stir to thicken.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute buttermilk for ½ cup of milk instead of buttermilk in this recipe. If you use milk, you will need to use the beaten egg. That's actually similar to what Chick-fil-A uses, but I find that buttermilk helps produce a thicker crust. Use what you prefer. Marinate and brine the chicken in pickle juice only. After 30 minutes, combine the beaten egg and milk. Dredge the chicken in the egg and milk mixture and then into the seasoned flour.
- If you have issues with the breading staying intact, be sure to use a beaten egg. Dredge the chicken in the egg prior to the flour.
- Chick-fil-A serves their buns buttered. Feel free to butter that bun.
- You use powdered sweetener as opposed to granular for a softer texture in the breading. With granular, you will be able to taste the grains of the sweetener.
- You can add more sweetener if you wish.
- I use peanut oil because it's what Chick-fil-A uses. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil.
- I go light on the salt because the pickle juice is salty. Adjust to taste.
- You can easily make these nuggets, by chopping up the chicken breasts into 1-2 inch chunks.
- Instead of xanthan gum you can combine 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of water, stir and add it to the sauce.
Stacey says
Just finished this for dinner and had to immediately leave a review- soooo juicy and flavorful. The recipe was easy to follow and I was thankful for the tips since I didn’t have buttermilk. My biggest issue was deciding whether to add ranch or mayo on top 🙂 thank you for creating this recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! It's a good one.
Melanie Cruz says
Can you marinade it overnight or is that bad??
staysnatched says
You can, but not needed. It will also turn the uncooked chicken a little green, but still edible.
Dania Gonzalez says
Hands down best chicken sandwich ever!! This was so tasty and so easy to make! Will definitely be on our weekly menu!
staysnatched says
Yay! It's on my weekly menu, too.
Erica says
This. Recipe. Though. No wonder it’s so popular! I adjusted the recipe for 4 sandwiches (which was SO simple to do thanks to Stay Snatched’s measurement adjustment tool on the print page!) there was no guess work using that method. I did let the chicken sit in the brine for about 3 hours instead of 30 minutes because I love a good pickle flavor. Otherwise followed the recipe to a TEE. It came out SO GOOD. My 5 year old is picky when it comes to chicken and she ate the whole sandwich. You definitely need this recipe in regular rotation if you don’t have it already. Thanks for the delicious sandwich!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Picky eaters love it.
Marleigh Anderson says
A must-make recipe! I subbed the buttermilk and it was still delicious. I’m new to the air fryer but Brandi makes it easy.
staysnatched says
I’m happy to hear it was easy for a beginner!
Ariston Teleo says
Sooooooo this was beyond delicious! I ended up using a milk and eggs combo as the buttermilk replacement since I didn’t have any. Added the peanut oil and the seasonings combined with a buttermilk cornstarch since I didn’t have any all purpose flour and it came out to perfection. Just finished eating 4 pieces I made and about to go to the store to by buttermilk to make some more tonight for dinner. I give it a 6 out of 5 stars!
staysnatched says
YES! I'm so glad you tried it and enjoyed.
Christiane DeSalvo says
Love this recipe so much! I wasn't sure about the pickle brine at first (apparently I have lived under a rock on this method) but man, that helps create the authentic flavor we all know and love. Brandi did a stellar job on researching how to make this perfect, delicious and easy to make. We really enjoyed all the flavors & how quick we could make this for dinner!
Definitely will be making again and I can't wait to share it with others 🙂
staysnatched says
So many are cautious. I never steer ya wrong!
Ashley says
Hi! What kind of bun did you use? Thanks!
staysnatched says
Brioche
Elinor says
I’m not going to lie, this recipe is 99% the reason that I pulled the trigger on the Cosori Air Fryer that Brandi recommends. When it came in today (thanks Amazon Prime), this recipe was first on my list and it did not disappoint. The chicken was so juicy, and the best part is how easy it is to make. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the amazing recipes for the air fryer on the blog and in her cookbook!
staysnatched says
I love it. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Brooke says
The BEST air fryer chicken sandwich recipe there is. The Chick Fil A sauce was basically EXACTLY the same as the one you get from the restaurant. I will 100000% be making this again and again. I highly highly recommend you try it if you’re reading this!
staysnatched says
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Larrin Ford says
This was absolutely delicious! Super easy and made a great dinner for my family. I'll definitely make it again!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Ya says
Ok so check it, y’all can play with Ms Brandi if y’all want to but you’re only playing yourself! This sandwich was fire!! Even my toddler ate it! Perfectly seasoned and a good balance of textures. It was also very very quick to make. A super plus for my family. Also the fact that’s in the air fryer makes it super quick clean up. 5 stars all the way around!
staysnatched says
Haha! Love to hear it.
Sammie says
You will not find a better chik-fil-a copy cat recipe!! This turns out delicious. We’ve had to stop buying buttermilk to keep ourselves from eating it every single night!
staysnatched says
Ha ha! I'm doing the same thing!
Mikayla says
Made this for the first time tonight, and it will go into the regular dinner rotation. So tasty and the sauce is really addicting. I used the extra sauce as a dip for sweet potato fries. The chicken turned out perfectly, a little crisp outside and juicy inside. A restaurant meal without leaving the house!
staysnatched says
YES! That's my favorite thing about this!
Kasey says
I made these today and it was so freaking good!! I had some issues with some of the breading falling off, but I’m pretty sure it was my fault. (I only had low-fat buttermilk) Definitely going to make these again. I might try the spicy version though. I love that this isn’t as salty as Chick-fil-A’s sandwiches. The best Chick-fil-A copycat recipe I’ve tried! Thanks Brandi!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoy it!
Bethany says
I didn't even follow the recipe 100% perfectly, and the chicken was still amazing! It was moist, juicy and flavorful--the spice blend was SO so good. Will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation.
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Chynna says
This recipe is the best! It was super easy to follow and the result is absolutely delicious. You won’t want to go out to eat ever again. Thanks, Brandi!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Raymon says
Wow. I made this for lunch and dinner today and am in love with the recipe. The second I made it, I left out the brioche and made a lettuce wrap instead. Both times, I used thighs instead of breasts because Chef Resha’s recipe for a chicken sandwich on CarnalDish.com calls for that, so it’s what I had on hand. The dark meat is so juicy and I’m sure just as good as a breast is with this recipe. I’m heading to the grocery tomorrow to buy I whole bunch more chicken, lettuce and tomatoes because I see myself eating this for the next two weeks.
Question: the marinade— can I keep reusing that? I live alone, so am only making one sandwich at a time, so is it ok if I keep reusing the marinade since it’s refrigerated anyway?
staysnatched says
I wouldn't reuse the marinade.
Donna says
I made nuggets instead of the sandwich, but otherwise followed the recipe. They were amazing!! We even did a side by side comparison with chick fila nuggets and we all liked this recipe better. So good.
staysnatched says
YAY! How amazing that these are better than actual Chickfila!
Tami Allen says
Delicious and easy!!!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Arianna says
I followed this recipe exactly for spicy sandwiches tonight. The only thing is that I used olive oil spray instead because I didn’t have peanut oil. Regardless, these sandwiches were the bomb! My boyfriend had a spicy deluxe and I had the regular. So delicious, and these are going to be made in our house again!! Thanks for the great recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Melissa says
This was so good! The entire family loved it. I loved how quick and easy it was to make.
staysnatched says
This is a family favorite for sure!
Melissa says
I've used your recipe a couple times - both for breasts & nuggets/strips. They turn out great both ways. Thanks, Brandi 🙂
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoy them!
Orvina says
Omg! This is so good! I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for such a longggg time and I’m so glad I finally did! I used chicken tenders instead of chicken breast but same concept. Tasted just like Chick-Fil-A!!! Definitely a winner!!!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Sabrina says
Another banger recipe! So good and easy to make! The buttermilk and pickle juice are such a great combo and add so much flavor. I love your recipes and can’t wait to keep trying more!
staysnatched says
Yay! Let me know what you think of them and when you try!
Sabrina says
Another banger recipe! So good and easy to make. The buttermilk and pickle juice are the perfect combo and add so much flavor! I love all your recipe’s so far and can’t wait to keep trying more.
staysnatched says
That’s so good to hear!
LIsa Jones says
Stumbled on this recipe looking for something to make in my air fryer. This was sooooo good! I was skeptical that it would come out like a fried chicken sandwich but it really did!! My teenagers wanted a second sandwich ha! Thank you! May have to get your book 🙂
staysnatched says
You should definitely get the book if you don't have it.
Krystle says
I've made this recipe 3 times now and will keep making it when we want to have Chick-fil-a night at home. It is, hands down, the best air fried chicken sandwich we've ever had. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Kate M says
This is hands down one of the tastiest and easiest chicken sandwiches I’ve ever made. I have never been good with breaded meat and always stayed away from those recipes. Brandi thoughtful wrote this out with all the tips for first timers and long time cooks alike. I can’t wait to tackle some more of her recipes.
staysnatched says
Yay! I can't wait for you to try more recipes.
Tiffany says
This recipe was really tasty and I love that it was in the air fryer! I’ve tried other copycat recipes and I like this one the best! Thank you!
staysnatched says
Awesome! That's so good to hear!
Colleen says
I've made this on several occasions. It's delicious and quick to make!. To be honest, I've made one substitution (i.e. I use chicken thighs instead of breasts); regardless, the flavor is superb every time. If you're looking for a filling and delicious chicken sandwich, this definitely fits the bill! 🙂
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoy it!
Chelsea Bordash says
Amazing recipe! We devoured the sandwiches in minutes. These definitely will be going into dinner rotation.
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Ellen says
This recipe is SO GOOD! We made these for dinner last night and I meant to take a picture but then I inhaled the sandwich 🙂 Chicken stayed so juicy and the hint of pickle was *chef's kiss*
staysnatched says
yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Amber says
Listen.. when my picky, Chick-fil-A addict 4 year old is asking where her toy is, you know this is legit!!! I paired this with Brandi’s Classic French Fries and when I told her I made it, she said, “Wow! This is better than any restaurant!” She isn’t lying! Thank you, Brandi for an alternative that I feel a lot better about!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I love when I can impress the kids!
Lilia says
Tastes so much better than the original! Brandi, you’re a genius!
staysnatched says
Thank you so much! I'm glad you think so.
Kelly says
This recipe is amazing! The sauce, the coating, the chicken. SO SO SO good. I have been missing Chick-Fil-A since I moved back to Canada and am very happy to be able to enjoy it once again. Thank you Brandi!
staysnatched says
Yay! I love that you can get a dose of it now.
linda says
This was spot on. I didn’t have buttermilk so I did the egg milk substitute. I am new to air fryers so I had issues with the coating staying on but that didn’t matter!! Thank you. Husband it very happy lol
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Kelley says
Great Recipe! Thank you so much. The pickle brined chicken is the key in my eyes. I was in a hurry and substituted with some Hickory Farms Sweet Hot Mustard as the dressing on the buns and leafy green lettuce. Freaking delicious.
staysnatched says
That sounds great! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Hannah Longaker says
So easy and so delicious. Used the Cosori air fryer that Brandi recommends. 10/10 can’t wait to make again.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Sabrina Boucher says
I'm legit in love with these. Since finding this recipe I've made them a few times and just can't get enough. Please if you haven't already, give them a try.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! This is a popular dish!
Sara says
Amazing!! I had cravings for this chicken sandwich all week and made extra - it heats right up for leftover lunch. I’ll be making it again!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I love making this over and over!
LaKenya says
Third time trying this recipe and it gets better each time! The taste and everything is just so top notch! Thanks for always providing bomb flavorful recipes!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoy it.
Ana says
BRANDI HAS DONE IT AGAIN! So easy and so DAMN GOOD--I had the mini King's Hawaiian rolls so I cut the breasts in half and followed the rest of the recipe. This one is going to become a staple--thank you so much!!
staysnatched says
Oh that combo sounds amazing!
Kristin Bennett says
This was fabulous. Gave me all the chick fil a feels. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
PAT says
MADE THIS RECIPE GREAT
THANK YOU PAT
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
EB says
Delicious recipe and super easy to make! So juicy and flavorful, the cayenne pepper is a must! I used the buttermilk with no egg, and had some trouble keeping the breading in tact. Will try with the egg dredge when I make this recipe again soon.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you found it delicious and easy!
Fallon says
This is a monthly staple at our house. You will never have to go to Chick-fil-A ever again because you can make it better at home. Truly haven't made a stay snatched recipe that hasn't been amazing!
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad to hear it's a staple!
Adrienne Garrett says
Perfection! I will be attending an air fry fried chicken cook off with some friends over zoom in the coming weeks. I tested out the recipe last night with the collard greens and cornbread...😋 and so glad I will be sticking to this 👌🏾
staysnatched says
Yay! Enjoy it!
Elyse Connolly says
I’ve been trying many of your recipes this week but this has been my favorite by far! No wonder it is one of your most popular recipes. I struggle with talking myself into cooking instead of doing take out, but you’ve taught me how to do it better at home!
staysnatched says
Yes! So much better at home!
Katie says
This recipe is so delicious. I Made this for dinner tonight so easy to make and kid approved too 6 yr old ate it up and asked for seconds! Such a hit!
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad it's kid approved.
Amy says
It tasted pretty good (even though a lot of breading stuck to the air fryer basket pan). I sprayed it with olive oil Pam before I started and also sprayed the top of the chicken. When I flipped it, the breading kind of stuck. Should I have sprayed both sides with oil before cooking? I’m going to purchase an oil sprayer to use peanut oil instead of Pam next time. Do you have any tips on keeping the breading from sticking? Thank you for the yummy recipe and directions as I’m new to air fryers.
staysnatched says
You should never use Pam in the air fryer. Aerosol cans ruin the nonstick coating of the air fryer baskets. I talk about this in my How to Use an Air Fryer post here. https://www.staysnatched.com/how-to-use-an-air-fryer/ It's possible yours may have been impacted by that use. In general, you have to be careful when flipping breaded items in the air fryer.