Step-by-Step Instructions
- Slice the chicken. Cut chicken breasts into 4 sandwich-size cutlets.
- Pound evenly. Gently pound each cutlet to an even thickness so the chicken cooks evenly.
- Make the marinade. In a bowl or zip-top bag, mix pickle juice, buttermilk, egg, and optional hot sauce.
- Marinate. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Prepare the coating. In a shallow bowl, whisk flour, powdered sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and baking powder.
- Heat the oil. Pour oil into a heavy skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.
- Coat the chicken. Remove chicken from the marinade, let excess drip off, then press firmly into the seasoned flour.
- Rest the coating. Place coated chicken on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps the breading stick.
- Fry until crispy. Fry chicken for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden brown.
- Check doneness. Chicken must reach 165°F in the thickest part before serving.
- Toast the buns. Spread butter on the buns and toast until lightly golden.
- Assemble. Add crispy chicken to the toasted bun with dill pickle chips and optional sauce.
- Serve hot. Serve immediately with fries, waffle fries, coleslaw, salad, fruit, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Frying Tip: Keep the oil close to 350°F. Oil that is too cool can make the coating greasy, while oil that is too hot can burn the coating before the chicken cooks through.
Food Safety Tip: Discard any leftover marinade that touched raw chicken, and always cook chicken to 165°F.
Healthy Tips & Daily Wellness
This copycat chicken sandwich is a comfort food recipe, but you can still build a balanced meal around it.
For a lighter plate, serve the sandwich with a side salad, fruit cup, cucumber salad, roasted vegetables, baked potato wedges, or a simple slaw.
For a lighter sandwich, use a smaller bun, skip extra sauce, add lettuce and tomato, or air fry the coated chicken with oil spray instead of deep frying.
For meal prep, marinate the chicken ahead of time and mix the dry coating in advance. Fry or air fry right before serving for the best crispy texture.
