Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (2024)

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There are a lot of copycat, Chick-fil-A recipes out there, but there’s none as good as this copycat Chick-fil-a Chicken Sandwich. You may not go to Chick-fil-A again after tasting this sandwich!

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (1)

Chick-fil-a is definitely my favorite fast food restaurant out there. For one, it feels like it’s healthier than other places.

When I was in second grade, I remember writing down that I wanted to work at Chick-fil-a when I grew up.

I’m sure that was mainly because my oldest sister worked there, and it just seemed so cool.

Although I outgrew the desire to work there, I still love their food.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (2)

My kiddos love it too – whenever you ask my four-year-old what he wants to do, he’ll say, “Let’s go to Chicken-Filet!”

Can I really argue with that?!

Because it’s so delicious, it does cost more than just dropping by a McDonalds.

The other day, I was having a huge craving for it though!

So I searched and searched for recipes, and finally found this one. Along the way, however, I discovered a great debate: Does Chick-fil-a marinate their chicken in pickle juice?

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (3)

Well, I had to find out for sure, so I went to the expert – my sister, Kristalyn. Here’s what she said (sorry the first bit is cut off, it’s the best I could do):

Does Chick-fil-A Soak Their Chicken in Pickle Juice?

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (4)

So there you have it, the nuggets and original sandwich are NOT made with pickle juice, but the chargrilled and chicken strips are. However, I decided to switch things up a little bit and marinate the chicken breast in a mixture of pickle juice and a few other spices.

I added something extra to the batter as well. These sandwiches taste verysimilar to Chick-fil-a, just with a slightly new kick to them. Personally, I think they taste even better, but, of course, I’m biased!

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Best Chick-fil-A Sandwich

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (5)

INGREDIENTS:

For marinade:

  • ½ cup pickle juice
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp sugar

For Sandwiches:

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. dry milk
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. ground mustard
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
  • Peanut oil
  • 8 pickle slices
  • 4 buns
  • 3 Tbsp. Softened butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (6)

Put thawed chicken breasts and all the marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and shake.

Place in fridge for at least thirty minutes to let the chicken soak up the marinade.

After marinating the chicken, take it out of the fridge and cut each chicken breast in half so you have four thin slices.

Wrap in plastic wrap and pound until it is about ¼-inch thick.

Put enough peanut oil into a deep frying pan to cover the chicken (about 1 inch) and start to heat.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (7)

In a bowl, whisk milk, water, and egg. In another dish, combine the flour, powdered sugar, dry milk, baking soda, ground mustard, pepper, salt, and Cajun seasoning.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (8)

Dip chicken into milk mixture and cover.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (9)

Immediately place into the next dish and coat completely.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (10)

Shake off excess, and place in oil.

Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Fry in peanut oil until chicken is cooked and the coating turns a nice, golden color, about four minutes on each side.

Heat a smaller frying pan. Butter each side of the bun, and place on the pan for a very short time.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (11)

Place chicken on buns, and top with two pickles.

Homemade Chick-fil-A Sandwich

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (12)

Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwiches

Yield: 0

Ingredients

For marinade

  • ½ cup pickle juice
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp sugar

For Sandwiches

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. dry milk
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. ground mustard
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
  • Peanut oil
  • 8 pickle slices
  • 4 buns
  • 3 Tbsp. Softened butter

Instructions

  1. Put thawed chicken breasts and all the marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and shake. Place in fridge for at least thirty minutes to let chicken soak up the marinade.
  2. After marinating chicken, take out of fridge and cut each chicken breast in half so you have four thin slices. Wrap in plastic wrap and pound until it is about ¼-inch thick.
  3. Put enough peanut oil into a deep frying pan to cover chicken (about 1-inch) and start to heat. In a bowl, whisk milk, water, and egg. In another dish, combine the flour, powdered sugar, dry milk, baking soda, ground mustard, pepper, salt, and Cajun seasoning.
  4. Dip chicken into milk mixture and cover. Immediately place into the next dish and coat completely. Shake off excess, and place in oil. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  5. Fry in peanut oil until chicken is cooked and the coating turns a nice, golden color, about four minutes on each side.
  6. Heat a smaller frying pan. Butter each side of the bun, and place on the pan for a very short time. Place chicken on buns, and top with two pickles.
  7. Notes

Notes

Inspired by http://www.fromaway.com/cooking/chick-fil-a-copycat-chicken-sandwiches

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (13)
Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (14)

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (15)

Katie Clark

Katie is a Colorado-native, BYU graduated, and most importantly, wife to one and mother to three beautiful boys. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others – especially about pregnancy, breastfeeding, cooking, and crafts. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She loves spending time with her family and helping others find joy in family life.

Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe | Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients of a Chick Fil A chicken sandwich? ›

A boneless breast of chicken seasoned to perfection, freshly breaded, pressure cooked in 100% refined peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips, green leaf lettuce, tomato and American cheese. Also available on a multigrain bun.

What is the secret ingredient in Chick-fil-A chicken? ›

Chick-fil-A's secret to juicy chicken lies in their bringing process. Brining is the process of soaking meat in a solution of salt, sugar, and water. This helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. Before cooking it, Chick-fil-A soaks its chicken in a solution of salt, sugar, and milk for up to 24 hours.

Does Chick-fil-A use pickle juice in their batter? ›

There are two crucial ingredients chick-fil-a uses that most recipes dont have- pickle juice and sugar. They also use MSG- but its also ok without it if you dont like it. Just cut up the breasts into chunks and follow recipe for nuggets.

What does Chick-fil-A marinate their chicken in? ›

The primary ingredients used in Chick Fil A's chicken marination include a combination of salt, sugar, and a host of spices. These spices include garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper.

How many ingredients in a Chick-Fil-A sandwich? ›

We heard that there's 55 ingredients in Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and majority of them are chemicals so we.

What is the ingredient in the Chick-Fil-A sandwich that gives it more flavor? ›

While MSG is present in some of our menu offerings as a flavor enhancer, we also offer a variety of options that do not contain added MSG. To help our customers make informed decisions, we provide ingredient statements on the Chick-fil-A app or on your local restaurant's menu page.

What makes Chick-fil-A chicken so juicy? ›

But don't just take it from me — this is the (not-so-secret) secret that's fueled the love affair so many people have with Chick-fil-A. It's the pickle brine! Well before being fried to perfection, the chicken breasts are brined with pickle juice for super-juicy, tender meat.

Why does Chick-fil-A chicken taste different? ›

One Reddit user, who claims to be a former Chick-fil-A manager, says the chicken is marinated in pickle juice and then quickly dipped in buttermilk before breading. If that's the case, it would certainly make sense because Chick-fil-A's chicken does have a slightly tangy, vinegary flavor to it.

What does pickle brine do to chicken? ›

It breaks down the proteins in the meat, leaving you with chicken that's exceptionally succulent with well-balanced tart, tangy, and savory flavors. This easy chicken pickle recipe involves marinating chicken in pickle juice overnight, then throwing it on the grill until it's moist and lightly charred.

Why does Chick-fil-A soak their chicken in pickle juice? ›

This key ingredient helps carry moisture and flavor deep into the chicken in the same way it would help flavor a cucumber. A soak in a salty liquid would also cause some proteins in chicken breast to break down, so you're left with less stringy chicken and more juicy breast meat.

What brand of pickles does Chick-fil-A use on their sandwiches? ›

Chick-fil-A's pickles come from one source and one source only: Bay Valley Foods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

What kind of lemon juice does Chick-fil-A use? ›

According to the Stockpiling Moms blog, a clever lemonade fan obtained the secret recipe while visiting the Chick-fil-A corporate offices and Chick-Fil-A uses only Sunkist brand lemons. That detail was confirmed by Chick-fil-A's own site The Chicken Wire.

How does Chick-fil-A soak their chicken? ›

It's the pickle brine! Well before being fried to perfection, the chicken breasts are brined with pickle juice for super-juicy, tender meat. People go wild for this chicken.

Does Chick-fil-A cook their chicken in oil? ›

Ever since our founder Truett Cathy created the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, we've been cooking our hand-breaded chicken exclusively in fully refined, heat-processed peanut oil.

Is Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich healthy? ›

The grilled chicken sandwich delivers 380 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 44g carbohydrates, 28g protein, and 755mg sodium. With a marinated boneless chicken breast, lettuce, and tomato, served on a multigrain bun, this sandwich is the most nutritious menu option overall.

Is Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich breaded? ›

Many of our menu items are hand-prepared daily, right in our restaurant kitchens. For example, the chicken breast we use to make our sandwiches, strips and nuggets is breaded by hand; it never comes to us as a pre-breaded nugget that needs to be reheated.

Does Chick-fil-A use MSG in their chicken sandwiches? ›

When it was publicized that Chick-Fil-A uses MSG, people got upset. The popular fried chicken chain Chick-Fil-A is in hot water this week after somebody read the ingredients list and learned that the tasty breading contains, horror of horrors, monosodium glutamate. (That's MSG.)

What is Chick-fil-A sauce ingredients? ›

Soybean oil, sugar, BBQ sauce (tomato paste, corn syrup, vinegar, natural hickory smoke flavor, caramel color, spices, garlic*, onion*, natural flavor, oleoresin paprika), water, mustard (distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spice, garlic*), distilled vinegar, egg yolk, salt, cider vinegar, ...

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