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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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.
Catherine says
This is seriously SO good - thank you!! Made it last night and my boyfriend, who used to work at Chick Fil A, said "wow this is just like the real thing". Thanks for such great and easy to follow recipes.
staysnatched says
haha glad to hear he thinks it's the real thing!
Susan says
I made this recipe last week and my husband said it was the best chicken sandwich I ever made. He had a real Chick Fil-A sandwich yesterday, and said mine was better! And the sauce is fantastic and so easy! Used the leftover on other sandwiches. I rarely comment on recipes, but this was a big winner!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you both enjoyed it.
Ana M Henderson ✨ says
My first Stay Snatched recipe. Although the color of my chicken was not as beautiful as yours the sándwich was DELICIOUS!!! Will definitely be trying out more recipes.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Adryan says
I made this last night and my husband was very apprehensive due to the pickle/milk marinade (he kept reminding me how much he doesn't like pickles). However, he loved this sandwich SO MUCH and kept going back for more. We agreed this will be a new staple in our meal rotation! Highly recommend.
staysnatched says
Yay! I personally don't like pickles! So when I say it doesn't taste like it, I mean it.
Seeta says
I made this recipe today, and it was amazing!!! The breading is perfect and the chicken is so juicy! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used a mix of pickle juice and almond milk, and I dredged with the egg as suggested. I may do flour-egg-flour next time to get a thicker coat. Thank you!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed the sandwich.
Emily says
Just got an air fryer for Christmas and have been following Brandi on Instagram for awhile so I decided to make this recipe first. My boyfriend is not a fan of Chick-fil-A but I convinced him to try this and he loved it and the sauce. This recipe (both sauce and sandwich) is a very close replica and was overall very delicious!
staysnatched says
Yes! I'm glad you both enjoyed it.
Lai says
This sandwich was a hit in my home! My husband has requested that I put this in our meal rotation.
staysnatched says
Yes! Definitely add it to the rotation.
Alyssa S says
Made this chicken for dinner, fantastic! Let it brine all day as I had time and planned ahead, turned out great!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Felicia says
Wow! Decided to try to make this as nuggets with my kids- ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! Usually, that would be begging for disaster! But it was simple, quick and they loved it! They say it was better than Chick-fil-A! Definitely another Stay Snatched recipe that will become a family staple! And don't forget to follow Brandi's tips for air fryer fries! So good!
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad to hear it become a staple!
Erica says
Yes! Me and my fiancé made this last night we didn’t have all the exact seasonings for example we didn’t have Dijon mustard so we used Nances mustard.... let me tell you this recipe was the bomb!!!
staysnatched says
Awesome! Glad you were able to make it work.
Patti says
This sandwich looks, smells, and tastes just like a fast food chicken sandwich! The meat is so tender (thanks pickle juice)! Highly recommend making the sauce as well.
staysnatched says
haha fast food at home!
donovan wettlaufer says
I really love this recipe along with other recipes you have on here!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it.
Austin says
Hi,
Should you pat dry the chicken after you brine the chicken in the pickle juice? I noticed my breading was coming off the chicken really easily.
Thanks
staysnatched says
No, I usually don't. You can try that. The breading is slick because of how juicy the chicken is. I recommend handling it delicately.
Emma says
These always look SO dang good on your instagram so I tripled the recipe to freeze and have for easy meals on busy days. Just had my first one from frozen.. SO GOOD. tastes so fresh still!
staysnatched says
That is a wonderful idea!
Fran says
So delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! My chicken breasts were a little smaller so I took them out a smidge early. I didn’t have mayo so I omitted that and the Xantham gum from the recipe. But the chicken really did taste like chick-fil-a! The peanut oil is really the trick I think. Overall so tasty
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Angela says
This recipe was the main catalyst in my asking for a new air fryer for Christmas and the very first recipe I made in it.
Two very important things to note:
1. I LOVE me a Chick-fil-a. I'm from a city that for a LONG time boasted my state's only Chick-fil-a.
2. I HATE, HATE, HATE pickles. Though I always appreciated that the pickle juice left by the pickle on a Chick-fil-a sandwich added to its deliciousness.
I feel the need to include these two facts for my fellow pickle haters that may be hesitant to make this because of the pickle juice brine... DO NOT BE DETERRED! This recipe is SPOT ON with Chick-fil-a and–dare I say–even BETTER.
Pro Tip: Use this recipe to dupe Chick-fil-a tenders and nuggets for picky toddlers!
I have sent this recipe to my family, my husband's family, my coworkers, my friends... I can't stop talking about it. I can't stop making it. I want everyone to make it. I'm obsessed. THANK YOU, BRANDI!
staysnatched says
As a fellow pickles hater myself, THANK YOU! I try to tell pepple it tastes nothing like pickles lol.
laura says
Made it tonight! Husband was skeptical at first but it was delicious! Husband said "save the sauce!" This recipe is $2 cheaper than a chick-fil-a sandwhich and much healthier!! Thanks!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
V L says
I made this last week and it was so delicious! My whole family enjoyed it, and I’ll definitely be making it again.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Madison says
Finally made this and it lived up to the hype! Both my husband and I devoured these sandwiches and will absolutely be making them again (and again and again...) It's a new go to for when we want Chick-fil-a!
Used egg & milk for buttermilk which was a great substitute and do not sleep on brioche buns (toasted with butter) - no other substitution there!
staysnatched says
Lol so glad it was worth the hype!
Jessa says
This was so good and so quick an easy to make! Definitely a new favorite on the household!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear it's a favorite!
Beejal says
OMG THESE ARE EPIC!! My folks came over last min for Super Bowl so we decided to make these for everyone and needless to say they were a huge hit! Everything in me not to eat two! If you haven't made these yet I highly recommend!
staysnatched says
haha I love to hear that!
Alicia says
This was amazing! I am allergic to gluten so I substituted the flour for gluten free 1:1 baking flour and it turned out perfect!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad it worked out!
Kay Namovich says
Everyone in my family loved this, even me, who is not a fan of the real chick-fil-a
staysnatched says
I'm so glad to hear this!
Chelsey says
I’ve been lurking for FAR TOO LONG on Brandi’s page! I finally got my air fryer out and tried this recipe. It was SO good! The outsiders the chicken was crunchy and spiced just right. I made it for lunch and it was such a treat. Between working from home and helping my daughter with school, this recipe didn’t require a lot of my attention & that’s what I loved the most!!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jessica Peixoto-Soares says
It wasnt bad and my kids liked it, but I don't think it should be a called a chik fil a copycat.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We all think so and so do other reviewers.
Pam Miller says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was perfect. My husband was so skeptical about marinating in pickle juice. He was pleasantly pleased with the outcome. It is now added to our dinner "rotation."
We had ours with a pretzel bun. So good!!
staysnatched says
I love the pretzel bun idea!
Erin says
I used this recipe to make Chick-fil-A nuggets rather than the sandwich - SO good!
staysnatched says
This is wonderful for nuggets!
Jules Clute says
What did I do wrong? I miss my Chic-Fil-A since I moved. But this didn't work for me. I have an air fryer toaster oven (KitchenAide) and am wondering if times and temps need to be longer and higher. They didn't have any pickle taste. And I had to use egg and milk because, after the Texas Freeze last week, the 2 grocery stores in my town didn't have buttermilk. I love to cook with buttermilk and wanted to. The coating came off. Maybe coat with flour, dip in egg and mild, coat in flour? Or wait until the stores resupply. On a positive, the chicken was tender and juicy.
staysnatched says
I've never used an oven so I'm not sure there. I'm not clear on what didn't work because you say it was tender and juicy. You may have to do some testing and figure out what will work for you.
AM says
Hi! I am planning to make these and was wondering if I could use jarred jalapeño juice instead of pickle juice since that’s what I have on hand! Thanks!!
staysnatched says
I've never tried this.
Alex says
So happy that I finally made this recipe after eyeing it on Brandi's IG stories for weeks! It really does taste like Chick-Fil-A and was so easy to make. Her Chick-Fil-A sauce recipe is spot on, too! Delicious.
staysnatched says
Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jamie says
Made this recipe as is- and it’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing!!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
AM says
So I used jalapeño juice instead of pickle juice and I think it works fine since the taste was good, however, strange thing happened. Despite spraying the chicken and basket with canola oil spray, after air frying, there were big patches of uncooked flour on the chicken. And the batter fell off. Which I assume can be fixed by using the egg, but I’m just not sure why the chicken still looked like it was coated with uncooked flour. This was my first time using the air fryer so I’m not sure what went wrong!
staysnatched says
If you don't spray the food with oil, it's always going to look like uncooked flour. The oil will allow it to sink in. It sounds like you didn't spray it enough. You have to spray those areas. I also never use canola oil for health reasons, so I can't tell you from experience how it will react here.
Eva says
So good!!! The marinade is ON POINT with Chick-fil-A! Will definitely make this again and again so I can avoid those long lines! Thank you!!!
staysnatched says
No more long lines! HA!
Stefanie says
These were delicious! I followed the instructions as written and appreciated how easy they were to follow. We’ll definitely be making them again—although I drained my jar of pickles, so I need to find a source for pickle juice so I can make them more often. 🙂 Thank you!
staysnatched says
haha check out Amazon for just pickle juice.
Kia says
Oh so good! This is one is my favorites. This recipe is so is to follow and comes out flavorful and just plain delicious.
staysnatched says
I'm glad it's easy to follow.
Kia says
I give this recipe five stars! So so good it makes your want to slap ya mama(ok maybe think about it ..haha) The recipe is easy to follow and one that I make often.
staysnatched says
haha! I love the slap yo mama.
Christina Smith says
Brannnndi! My kids came in the kitchen asking what smelled so good. When I told them I was making Chick-fil-A sandwiches they kinda smacked their lips & walked off like "Yeah right."(There are NO Chick-fil-A in Hawaii). Fast-forward to about 15 minutes later when I'm laying their plates down in front of them to Feast their EYES- one bite & they went BONKERS! "MOM! How'd you do that?!". When the children are happy(quiet with mouths full), Mama's happy!
staysnatched says
Haha! Yes! I enjoyed reading this.
Melissa says
As a Canadian who can't cross the border anytime soon, THANK YOU! This was delicious! As close as can be without a deep fryer but I feel way better about eating it (and eating it often)! Also, I've been scared to bread with flour in the air fryer, have been using bread crumbs and it's not the same. So thank you for showing me it's possible!
staysnatched says
Yay! You can enjoy it now.
Regina says
Customized to make it a grilled version, and so good! Definitely a family hit. Made grilled nuggets and grilled sandwiches, which for a family of 5, costs over $60 at the restaurant and did it for a quarter of the price at home!
staysnatched says
Sound great. Glad you enjoyed it.
Brad says
Thanks, can't wait to try it out!
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoy it!
Gina says
This sandwich is AMAZING!! Very easy to make and was able to double the recipe with no issues. Also made Brandi’s air fryer fries with it and what a great combo!! AND THE SAUCE- omg so good!!
staysnatched says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Wendy says
Yummy 😋 I’m not sure if I will be giving Chick-fil-A my money anymore cause this recipe was everything. And making the sauce myself from her recipe was great! Chicken was juicy and crust was nice and crunchy.
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it.
Natalie says
The best thing I have made in the air fryer! Easy and absolutely delicious. I used the eggs and buttermilk and the breading was crispy and delicious. With a brioche bun and the sauce (I skipped the xantham gum and it was a bit messy but delicious!), it was next level, thank you!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you loved it.
Vicki says
Why are there no amounts of each ingredient?!?!?!?!?!
staysnatched says
The ingredients are listed. Check out the recipe card!!!!
RP says
Delicious
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Maureen says
I have to admit this was my first time using an air fryer so I could be partially to blame for the three stars. I did follow the recipe, using the egg before the breading. I really didn't feel like the bread was thick enough, even after double dredging. The other part of the failure was definitely my fault as the chicken was dry. I should have taken it out a couple of minutes earlier.
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you need more practice.
Faydalzazay says
this air-fryer nice
tori says
this was very good! first time actually getting the chicken spicy,after numerous recipes. I did use b/s thighs,next time will do breasts. thank you!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Katie D. says
Wow!!!! This recipe is so simple, but the most delicious chicken I’ve made in my airfryer. All of the suggestions/tips you give are so appreciated.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad the tips worked.
T lewis says
Thanks for the great Sunday evening. I used Almond milk as a buttermilk sub with great result. 5 star ⭐️ For sure
staysnatched says
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it.