It’s true this sandwich takes a little work. It’s not as simple as putting some deli meat between two slices of bread, but the payoff in flavor is so worth the effort. The juicy fried chicken with the tang and crunch of coleslaw, the sweet bread and butter pickles and the zesty special sauce between two toasted bun halves is something you won’t soon forget. It may take a little time, but none of the work required to put this sandwich together is difficult.
Start by getting chicken breasts that are not too big so that when you cut them in half and pound them a little, they are a reasonable size to put in a sandwich. If over-sized chicken breasts are all you can find, try slicing them in half horizontally so that they are thinner to begin with and then cut each half into two pieces. Marinating the chicken in buttermilk does help keep it moist and tender, so don’t skip that step if you can help it.
Spritz the chicken a couple of times during the cooking process. A little extra oil will help brown and crisp the coating on the outside of the chicken and if you are using an EVO bottle of olive oil it will only deliver ¼ teaspoon with each trigger pull – enough to do the job without breaking the calorie bank.
You can use coleslaw that you’ve made yourself or you can purchase a bag of coleslaw. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover coleslaw that you might have around. If you don’t have coleslaw, just a slice of tomato and lettuce will finish the sandwich off nicely too. Of course, you could always do both – tomato and lettuce on the sandwich and coleslaw on the side. For that matter, why not throw some Homemade French Fries into the air fryer and make a serious meal of this sandwich!
If this seems like too much work for lunch… make it dinner. Either way, just make it. You won’t regret it. I should have called this the No Regret Air Fried Chicken Sandwich.
Question. I’m a celiac, so could I use either corn starch in place of flour or rice flour? Thanks
Definitely! You could use gluten-free flour or any gluten-free flour substitute like rice flour or corn starch.
Looks delish! I was just wondering why do you use baking powder? Does it make the coating better? Thanks!
Hi Mary Jane. It gives a little lift to the coating, making it a little thicker and crispier. ML
your recipes don’t seem to be printing out. any suggestions?
Hi Katheleen. If you click on “Print Recipe”, it should take you to another page with a printable version of the recipe. From there, just print from your browser and it should work.
Thanks. ML
Wow! Worth every bit of the effort! My family gave the highest of praise to these sandwiches! Thank you for this recipe and all of your recipes and videos. You make everything seem doable! BTW- I’ve got your pizza dough waiting in the fridge for tomorrow. Can’t wait to see how it turns out for me. Making Strombolis instead of pizza, though.
Just curious where the celery seed come into play? Did I miss it in the instructions? I guess you add it to the seasoned flour? Sounds yummy!
Thanks for catching that typo, Robin. Yes – in with the other spices in the seasoned flour. 🙂
ML
Absolutely delicious! No one even cares to go out for chicken sandwiches now. Thanks for this recipe!
When you increase the temp to 400 degrees, do you remove the chicken or leave it in the basket while it increases the temp. I’m new at air frying. Thanks!
Hi Karen,
You can leave the chicken in the basket and just increase the temperature. It won’t take long for the air fryer to increase just 20ºF.
ML
It’s in my airfryer as I type this. It smells amazing! Can’t wait to taste it!
I have the power xl airfry oven. I did put a little oil on the rack but the coating still stuck pretty badly. Do you have any tips on how to keep things from sticking when it is a wet coating like this? Thank you. The taste was fabulous. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Julia. If you’re really having trouble with sticking, cut a small piece of parchment paper and put that down underneath the chicken. It’s best if it doesn’t cover all the holes in the bottom of the basket, but the chicken will still cook well even if it does. Remember to spray the chicken well – a coating of oil on the chicken is still way better than deep-frying it.
As usual another recipe that is a winner. One question….I bought a big air fryer the last time you were on the Q. Found it to be a bit too big for just two of us so gifted it to my daughter (grandchildren were so happy). Bought a small on but it’s too small. What size do you suggest for just too people? Thanks, Kate
Hi Kate. I think the 3.4 qt. size is perfect for two.
ML
Hello
Why the powered sugar?
Hi Latrice. The powdered sugar helps gives the coating a nice crispy finish. It is not overly sweet and the flavor balances nicely with the other spices in the breading.
Any chance of getting the sodium content just for the cooked chicken breasts? The sodium for the entire recipe is way beyond what I can handle but if the chicken alone is low enough I can make other adjustments.
Hi Cathy. Technically the sodium content for all the ingredients in the recipe would be 1294 mg per serving, BUT the salt is mixed into the flour and in most cases you do not need all the flour to coat the chicken. I add 2 teaspoons of salt to the flour which certainly can be reduced or omitted all together to meet your dietary needs. If you like, skip the salt in the coating and just sprinkle a little on the finished chicken and then you really can control the amount.
I’ve been married for 37 years and my husband just said this was the best sandwich he’s ever eaten! Only thing I need to make sure of next time is to pound the chicken thinner. My air fryer cooks on the hot side and I almost burned it. Very juicy inside though!
Haha! Who says you can’t feed an old dog a new dinner! 🙂
ML
Absolutely worth it! My family of four, including the 9 and 7 year old, ate every bite. Tastes like restaurant quality and definitely satisfied a craving! Yum, thank you for sharing this!
Is this spicy? Was wondering because of the Cayenne.
HI Talia. It’s not super spicy, but has just a hint of kick.
Since my husband is on a low sodium low fat low carb diet, I would just season my chicken breasts with paprika, onion & garlic powder, a little lemon pepper, black pepper and a touch of salt, and a spray of olive oil. I wrapped it in aluminum foil let it marinade in the fridge for a couple of hours. I made them tonight for dinner and they were perfect. My husband is a red meat man all the way. He doesn’t care for chicken, but he loved this chicken and is requesting more! He’s making suggestions on different ways to serve it. That’s saying a lot!
One of his suggestions is served on a bun, with lettuce, tomatoes and your delicious sounding sauce! 😋 I can’t wait to try that.
Great air fryer recipe. I used Kentiuy Kernel seasoned four and added cayenne pepper and followed frying temp and times. No parchment and came out PERFECT……
I butterfly my chicken breast as the thinner cooks so nicely with meals. About how long should I air fry them for these sandwiches?
Hi Susan. It will depend on how thinly you slice the chicken breast, but I would guess about 10 to 12 minutes.
Ended up being overcooked. Bottom half stuck to the basket even though it was oiled. I think some airfryers run hotter. Still tasted good, especially with the sauce. I just won’t cook it as long next time.
Air fryers can vary in temperature. You could use an instant read thermometer to test the chicken a few minutes before the end of the cooking time to make sure it doesn’t over cook. You don’t want the chicken breast to go over 170° F. You can try some parchment paper or foil on the bottom of the basket to prevent the coating from sticking. Make sure you poke some wholes in it so the air can circulate around the chicken.
I’d love to make this chicken sandwich but do not have an air fryer. Could I make this in a regular oven.
If not using an air fryer, I would probably resort to gently frying the chicken in a little oil in a skillet on the stovetop. But, you could spritz the chicken well and put it on a rack over a baking sheet in the oven. It will take a little longer in the oven and the timing will depend on the size of your chicken breasts. The internal temperature should reach 165˚F and the chicken should be nice and brown.
I am a seasoned cook. The chicken is over cooked, stuck to basket and overall a big disappointment !
So sorry you were disappointed Sue. The timing of the chicken will depend on the size of your chicken breasts and how thick they are. Checking the chicken for the internal temperature will help you not overcook the chicken. As for the sticking, different air fryers have different baskets (some mesh, some perforated) and non-stick coatings. If you have trouble with your foods sticking in the basket, try lining with a little piece of parchment paper – that will help.
This is a terrific recipe! My whole family loved it and I passed it on to a few friends as well. Also, your Beef Barley Soup is fantastic too. I’m looking forward getting your Air Fry Genius cookbook. I’ve enjoyed all your recipes, not only because they are delicious, they are easy to follow as well.
Watch you on the Q from the start. Always enjoy you. Can’t wait to try the airfryed chicken. Looks delicious. D