This buttermilk chicken sandwich is spicy, crispy fried goodness nestled between two tender buns. It has all that crispy, flavorful texture we love about a fried chicken sandwich along with a spicy kick of hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning, creating a chicken sandwich with a chicken breast that is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and absolutely delicious.
Do you find yourself headed to the drive-through or Grub Hubbing every time you have a craving for a delicious crispy chicken sandwich? If so, then this recipe is for you.
Why drop five or six dollars on a chicken sandwich that was probably made hours before you ordered it and then just stuck in a warmer when you can make your very own homemade chicken sandwich made with a buttermilk batter for an extra crispy, extra delicious coating? You know what? I can’t think of a reason not to, either!
Why Buttermilk is so Good for Frying
Buttermilk is one of the secret ingredients in this crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich. But why do we add it? What does it do? There are a couple of reasons that buttermilk works so well with fried chicken.
To begin with, buttermilk is slightly acidic. This acidity causes a reaction in the frying batter that creates a more crisp coating. In addition, it has less fat than regular milk, which means that there are fewer fat molecules to disturb the batter, allowing it to cling to the chicken more readily.
Secondly, buttermilk tenderizes chicken. Of course, this won’t happen simply from using buttermilk in your frying batter, but if you marinade your chicken in buttermilk for a few hours, it will tenderize the chicken, making it even more tender and moist once cooked.
Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich
This crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich is the ultimate when it comes to fried chicken sandwiches. You’ve all seen the Popeye’s commercials, I’m sure. You know the ones.
There’s always someone raving about their chicken sandwich in a super colorful way. It makes you really want to go grab one, right? Well, compared to this chicken sandwich, Popeye’s sandwich is simply a pretender.
When you bite into this chicken sandwich, you’ll first experience the bun. It’s a soft, airy bun that’s like a delicious pillow surrounding that delicious chicken. Then you’ll hit the chicken. That crispy fried batter is absolutely crunch-tastic and packed with a spicy kick from the hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and cajun seasoning. From there, you’re biting into the juicy and tender chicken itself.
From the first bite, you’ll be hooked, and you’ll be so glad you took the opportunity to make your very own buttermilk chicken sandwich from scratch. The crispy fried outside, tender chicken on the inside, the soft bun – and let’s not forget the pickles, lettuce, and tomato! The buns and pickles are homemade and we will have those recipes added to the blog soon.
Tips
This recipe is a little more involved than some others that I’ve shared with you, but it’s not overly complicated. It’s simply a matter of dredging and frying. That being said, I have a few tips that will help you make this chicken sandwich the absolute best that it can possibly be.
Beat Thoroughly
Be sure to beat the egg whites, buttermilk, and hot sauce thoroughly until it’s nice and thick. It takes more than a cursory whisking to get this job done here. You want to ensure that the mixture gets nice and thick so you come out with the best breading possible for frying.
Cut Up Bigger Breasts
If you bought big chicken breasts, you can cut them in half to ensure that they’ll fit the bun properly. If you bought huge breasts, cut them in half and then cut the halves lengthwise. This will ensure that you have the proper size for your buns.
Don’t Crowd the Pan
When frying your chicken for the best chicken sandwich, don’t crowd the pan. It’s important to keep your oil nice and hot, and if you put too many pieces of chicken in the pan, you’ll reduce the heat of your oil. The result will be a soggy breading rather than a crispy one. About four pieces of chicken in a large skillet is the maximum that I recommend for frying.
Serving the Best Chicken Sandwich
This is the best version of the classic fried chicken sandwich that you’ll ever eat. As this is a fried chicken sandwich, I like to serve it with the classic sides that always work so well with it. French fries or chips are always a great option. You can also serve it with sides like baked beans, mac and cheese, and coleslaw.
Storing the Chicken Sandwich
The chicken for this sandwich will keep well for about two to three days in the refrigerator. Be aware that the breading won’t be as crispy after it’s been refrigerated and reheated, however, the flavor will still be wonderful. To get the crispiest possible breading upon reheating, you can put the chicken rest in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
For longer storage, you can freeze your fried chicken breasts for up to two months. Allow the chicken to defrost completely in the refrigerator, and then reheat it in the same way we just talked about.
You’ll Love This Chicken Sandwich
A soft roll surrounding a crispy, buttermilk-breaded fried chicken breast topped with pickles, lettuce, and tomato? Oh, yes. It’s so good Try this crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich for yourself, and you’ll see just how amazing it really is.
The buttermilk batter is so crispy, the chicken is so tender and juicy, and the entire thing is a crispy battered explosion of flavor. It’s one of the best sandwiches of any kind you’ll ever make. Give it a try!
Ingredients to Make The Best Chicken Sandwich
- Chicken breasts
- Buttermilk
- Egg whites
- Hot sauce
- All-purpose flour
- Breadcrumbs
- Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
- Cayenne Pepper
- Oil, for frying
- Leafy green lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Pickles
- Hamburger buns
How to Make The Best Chicken Sandwich
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prep
In a shallow bowl, beat together egg whites, buttermilk, and hot sauce. In a separate shallow bowl, add flour, breadcrumbs, and seasonings and mix until well combined.
Step 2 – Preparing the Chicken
Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise and then dip into the buttermilk mixture and then into the flour mixture. Repeat until all the chicken has been coated.
Step 3 – Cooking the Chicken
In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium to high heat. Place battered chicken into hot oil and cook for 7-9 minutes on each sides, ensuring each side is fried and golden brown on both sides. Remove the fried chicken from the pan and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Step 4 – Making the Sandwich
Assemble the chicken sandwich with hamburger bun, lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, and any other desired toppings.
Try This Delicious Recipe Today
Here are a couple more recipes that you can find on the blog:
- Potatoes and Green Beans with Sausage
- BLT Avocado Pasta Salad
- And for dessert, how about a delicious Carrot Cake or Homemade Honey Buns
And here’s a Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese from Great Grub, Delicious Treats you might enjoy as well.
The Best Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1½ teaspoon Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1-1½ cup oil, for frying
- leafy green lettuce, washed, dried
- 2-3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- pickles
- 1 package hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites, buttermilk, and hot sauce together until mixture begins to thicken
- In a large, shallow bowl, add flour, breadcrumbs, and seasonings.
- In a large pan or skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.
- Cut chicken breasts in half, making them bun-size (if breasts are too thick, slice lengthwise as well).
- Dip chicken breasts into the buttermilk mixture and then the flour mixture. Repeat until all of the chicken has been coated.
- Place battered chicken pieces into the hot oil. Cook for 7-9 minutes on both sides making sure both sides are fried evenly, pieces are crispy and golden brown on both sides.
- Once cooked, removed fried chicken from hot oil and place on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Assemble chicken sandwich with hamburger bun, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and any other desired toppings.
