A Tender And Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwich
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This healthy yet hearty Tender And Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwich rivals its counterparts, serving up a ‘restaurant feel’ meal at home. Air fryer instructions also included 🙂
If you’re planning to feed a small crowd, or even just lunch for you and your family, don’t spring for the fast food so quick. Instead, consider this incredibly healthier ‘Chick Fil A-esque’ crispy chicken sandwich. A single chicken breast will yield four FILLING sandwiches, and this method is designed for the spicy and non-spicy chicken sandwich lovers alike! Guys, the solution for both your wallet AND your waistline is RIGHT HERE!
Three key attributes ‘crank up the crisp’ in my recipe for A Tender And Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwich. Follow my EASY recipes for Creamy Southern Coleslaw and 3 Ingredient Charleston Flash Pickles to top these mouthwatering sammies off!
Keys to CRISPY – FIRST, grab a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Once the cutlets are marinated and coated, they will hang out for 15 minutes atop the wire rack to allow air to circulate on all sides. This is going to dry the coating while the chicken remains moist and tender beneath the yogurt marinade.
NEXT, these cutlets bake right on that wire rack! Again, air is circulating on all sides for even crisping. A shot of cooking spray keeps things from sticking.
LAST, a screaming HOT oven allows for a much shorter bake time. Combined with the crisping that the wire rack allows for, anticipate a super moist, extremely tender cutlet under all that CRISPY COATING!
Buttery toasted Brioche rolls, sweet slaw, and crispy flash pickles perfect this crispy chicken sandwich.
These un-fried, ridiculously delicious baked crispy chicken sandwiches begin with all white meat chicken breasts marinated in Greek yogurt and hot sauce! They’re then coated with panko breadcrumbs that have been enhanced with simple pantry seasonings.
After a short rest atop a wire rack, they’re baked at high heat for a short duration, all the while crisping up and ready to hit that toasted buttery bun. Serve them plain or opt for loaded as I’ve done here. Recipes for both my Creamy Southern Cole Slaw and 3 Ingredient Charleston Flash Pickles are linked herein, and ‘perfect’ this already absurdly delicious sammie!
I bake my breast pieces, however you can also use an air fryer. Instructions for using your air fryer and other kitchen tips associated with this recipe are located in the notes section of the recipe card. I am all about fried chicken, don’t get me wrong. Remember my Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders? Made with love and absolutely FRIED! What I do NOT love about fried is the splatter despite my use of a splatter screen.
This baked spicy crispy chicken sandwich recipe can be as mild or as zippy as you want it to be because the amount of hot sauce added to the yogurt marinade is entirely up to you.
I use two chicken breasts that I purchase in twin packs from my local box store. These breasts are generally very large, so I am able to yield EIGHT CHICKEN PIECES from just those two! Firstly, I slice each breast in half lengthwise, then into 2 equal pieces from each half. Secondly, and using the flat side of a meat mallet, I pound the pieces gently enough NOT to make them too thin, but to ’round out’ the straight edges from where I cut. Most importantly, the use of yogurt keeps the calories in check despite the idea of this sandwich being an indulgence. Combine this with my method for Crispy Baked Oven Fries and a Copycat Peach Chick Fil A milkshake. The combo will be part of your repertoire of main dishes for sure.
This crispy baked chicken sandwich recipe is reminiscent of a Chick Fil A chicken sandwich, the seasonings added to the breadcrumbs spot on! Reach for the bottle of hot sauce to make it spicy!
Ingredients for A Tender and Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwich
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
fat-free Greek yogurt
hot sauce
salt pepper
panko breadcrumbs
paprika
garlic salt
chili powder - optional melted butter for basting
All images and text ©Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average, LLC
Top this sandwich YOUR WAY! For instance, the sandwiches shown in these yummy photos include my pickles, southern slaw, and mustamaise. My pub sauce is excellent, too! Gussy ’em up just the way you like ’em and dig in 🙂
- 3 Ingredient Charleston Flash Pickles
- Five Ingredient Honey Mustamaise
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw
- A Pub Sauce Worthy of Double Dipping
And don’t forget the French fries and the milkshake!
A Tender And Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwich
Equipment
- MUST: baking sheet with wire rack to fit
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ cup Greek yogurt full fat
- 3 dashes hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup panko
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 6 to 8 Brioche buns lightly toasted
- cooking spray
optional
- ½ cup butter melted, for basting
- coleslaw
- pickles
- lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Ready a baking sheet lined with foil and fitted with a wire rack. Use cooking spray to lightly spray the surface of the wire rack. Set aside.
- Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Next, cut each half, depending on how large they are, into 2 or 3 pieces. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to GENTLY round out the pieces. DO NOT POUND THEM THINNER THAN 1/2-INCH.
- To a large zip-top plastic bag, combine the yogurt, the hot sauce ** see notes, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of tap water. Seal bag and shake well to combine. Use a small whisk if necessary.
- Rinse and pat dry each piece of chicken. Add to the yogurt marinade and seal. Pop into the fridge while preparing the breading.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the panko with the paprika, the garlic salt, and the chili powder and mix until well combined. Remove chicken from the marinade one piece at a time and dredge in the panko mixture. Press to coat if necessary, and place onto the wire rack. Repeat with each piece of chicken.
- Allow the cutlets to stand at room temperature undisturbed for at least 15 minutes and up to 25 minutes before placing into the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip and bake for 15 minutes more. Cutlets are fully cooked when they register 165°F.
- During the last 5 minutes of the bake, place the Brioche tops and bottoms on the edges of the wire rack to lightly toast. Be careful so as not to burn.
- IF BASTING – use a pastry brush to lightly brush melted butter on both sides of the fully cooked cutlets before assembling the sandwiches.
Notes
The nutrition value can vary depending on what product(s) you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Please note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not deviate unless otherwise specified.
So crispy and delicious looking chicken. Superb.
Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 296. See you again next week!
I’d like to try this in the air fryer. It looks delicious!
Donna, I am just about to re-write/re-shoot this post with all new photos and step-by-step instructions. If you run across any tips (should you make these) please circle back and let me know. Not only do I love new air fryer tips, but I can also share your recommendations in the recipe card! x – Jenny
This sounds & looks absolutely delicious! And easily converted to gluten free being a Celiac!
Visiting from Esme’s table today where we’re sitting together.
You’re most welcome to join me in a cuppa at Tea With Jennifer,
Jennifer
Jennifer, this is so kind and I will take you up on that cuppa! Heading your way, and thank you! Jenny
Hey Jenny! I was just wondering if these sandwiches stayed good stored in the fridge overnight
Abby! If I am honest, yes, they stay good. Do they taste as good as fresh? No. Not by a long shot. The “crispy” is more or less gone if/when refrigerated POST BAKE. This is definitely one of those recipes where to make it successful, it needs to be fresh. Also, and super important, the ’15 to 25-minute standing time’ with the ability for air to circulate on ALL SIDES in Step 6 is crucial, so no skipping it 🙂 If you do make these, please stop back and let me know how you enjoyed them – Jenny
We sure enjoyed featuring your awesome post on Full Plate Thursday,535, plus we just pinned it to our features board. Thanks so much for sharing with us and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen, my goodness! Thank you!!! I am grateful as a baby blogger for your generosity 🙂 – Jenny
Looks really irresistible, yummy!
Thanks Irene! This sandwich is a slam dunk for sure!