Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Slice chicken breasts into sandwich-size cutlets. Pound gently so each piece is even in thickness.
- Make the marinade. In a bowl or zip-top bag, mix pickle juice, buttermilk, egg, and optional hot sauce.
- Marinate the chicken. Add chicken to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Make 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. Add oil to a heavy skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.
- Coat the chicken. Remove chicken from marinade, let excess drip off, then press firmly into the seasoned flour mixture.
- Rest the coated chicken. Place coated chicken on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes so the breading hydrates and sticks.
- Fry until golden. Fry chicken for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until deeply golden and cooked through.
- Check temperature. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
- Toast the buns. Brush buns with butter and toast until lightly golden.
- Assemble the sandwich. Add crispy chicken to the bun with dill pickle chips and optional sauce.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy hot with fries, coleslaw, salad, fruit, or waffle fries.
Frying Tip: Keep the oil around 350°F. If the oil is too cool, the coating can turn greasy. If it is too hot, the outside browns before the chicken cooks through.
Food Safety Tip: Always cook chicken to 165°F and discard leftover marinade that touched raw chicken.
Healthy Tips & Daily Wellness
This copycat chicken sandwich is a fun comfort food meal, and you can balance it with simple sides and small changes.
For a lighter plate, serve the sandwich with a side salad, fruit cup, roasted vegetables, cucumber salad, coleslaw, or baked potato wedges instead of fries.
For a lighter sandwich, use a smaller bun, add lettuce and tomato, skip extra sauce, or try air frying the breaded chicken with oil spray instead of deep frying.
For meal prep, prepare the marinade and dry coating ahead of time, but fry or air fry the chicken right before serving for the crispiest texture.
