Fake Chick-Fil-A-Chicken Sandwich
Submitted by firestarter
Copycat Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich pressure-fried in peanut oil with a subtly sweet flour coating, dill pickles, and buttered buns. Closer to the original than you’d expect.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThe secret to Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich isn’t a complicated spice blend. It’s pressure frying, peanut oil, and a touch of powdered sugar in the breading. This copycat version nails all three, giving you that signature juicy, tender chicken with a thin, crispy coating that shatters when you bite through.
The powdered sugar in the flour mixture is the move most home recipes miss. It doesn’t make the chicken taste sweet. Instead, it promotes browning and gives the crust a golden, almost caramelized finish that regular flour alone can’t achieve. Combined with salt, pepper, and paprika, the coating is simple but effective.
Pressure frying is what sets this apart from regular fried chicken. The sealed pressure cooker traps steam, cooking the chicken through in just 3 ½ minutes while the hot peanut oil crisps the outside. You get juicy, fully cooked breast meat without the dryness that comes from pan-frying thin cutlets.
The build matters: buttered buns, two dill pickle chips on the bottom, chicken on top, then the lid. That’s it. The pickles cut through the richness of the fried chicken and buttered bun. Don’t overthink it. For a deluxe version, add lettuce, tomato, and a swipe of mayo.
Chef Tips
- Use a pressure cooker you’re comfortable frying in. Not all pressure cookers are designed for oil. Check your manual first.
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness before breading. This ensures they cook evenly in the short fry time.
- Let the chicken rest on paper towels for a minute after frying. It stays crispier than going straight onto the bun.
Variations
- Spicy version: Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture and brush the cooked chicken with hot sauce before assembly.
- Oven-baked option: Skip the pressure frying and bake breaded chicken at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway, for a lighter version.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the peanut oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat to about 400℉ (200℃).
In a small bowl, beat the egg and stir in the milk.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pepper, and salt.
Dip each piece of chicken in milk until it is fully moistened.
Roll the moistened chicken in the flour mixture until completely coated.
Drop all four chicken pieces into the hot oil and close the pressure cooker.
When steam starts shooting through the pressure release, set the timer for 3½ minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, spread a coating of melted butter on the face of each bun.
When the chicken is done, remove it from the oil and drain or blot on paper towels.
Place two pickles on each bottom bun; add a chicken breast, then the top bun.
To make a deluxe chicken sandwich, simply add two tomato slices and a leaf of lettuce.
Mayonnaise also goes well on this sandwich--it is a side order at the restaurant.
Comments
Pretty close. You can also cook in 1/2 of peanut oil on the stove top in a heavy pan. 3 min per side then place in oven on a cookie sheet at 400 deg for 5-7 mins. Let stand for 5 mins.
Awesome! Finally found a cure for the real thing not being open on Sunday! Prob stop going at all now with these beauties! Now to learn how to make waffle cut fries...
Let me preface this by saying that I didn't use peanut oil or a pressure cooker. I pan fryed as Greg suggested. I didn't think it resembled CFA at all, but was just good southern fried chicken. The salt amount may be incorrect as it is WAY too salty.
Marinate the chicken in pickle juice. I worked there and thats what they did. It really makes a difference.