Crispy Chicken Sandwich (with Honey Mustard Sauce!)

two image collage with one crispy chicken sandwich on top and two stacked sandwiches in the bottom image. sandwiches have lettuce, tomato, and onion. Center color block with text overlay.

This amazing Crispy Chicken Sandwich is easy enough for a weeknight dinner and so tasty you won’t ever need to hit the drive-thru again! Extra crispy with delicious seasonings, this recipe comes together in about 15 minutes!

This sandwich is perfect to serve with Oven Fries or Zucchini Fries and don’t forget the Fry Sauce!

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are all the rage right now but lucky for you, you can make these crowd pleasers right at home! Crispy chicken coated in panko breading and seasoned with garlic and paprika and drizzled with homemade honey mustard sauce. Chick-Fil-A who?

Absolutely everyone has a crispy chicken sandwich out right now. You can’t watch TV without a fast food commercial yelling it to the roof tops. And everyone’s version is better than the competition. Skip out on the fast food frenzy and make your own right at home. No broken drive thru speaker required. These sandwiches are ideal for lunch, dinner, or parties. Make a large batch (or sliders) and feed a whole crowd!

Easy Dinner Recipe

You’re going to love how easy these are to make! Great for a quick weeknight meal on those busy school nights. I like to serve these with a bunch of topping options: lettuce, tomato, sliced onion, pickles, cheese, you name it. Letting each person customize their sandwich is part of the fun!

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There is nothing better than a delicious sandwich and here are a few of our favorites:

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Ingredients Needed

Skip the line at your local fast food joint, these ingredients can be found right in your own kitchen! Plus that homemade honey mustard sauce will rival any chain! As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:

For the Chicken Sandwich:

chicken breasts – 4 small, or if you’re using larger breasts you can decrease to 2, cut in half lengthwise.
panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs are larger and will give a better crunch!
flour – All purpose, this gives a great breading base.
eggs – Lightly beaten to hold everything together.
salt and pepper – To taste.
paprika – For a twist, try using smoked paprika.
onion and garlic powder – For a savory flavor.
vegetable oil – For frying up that chicken to crispy perfection.
condiments and veggies – All up to you. You can never go wrong with a pickle!
burger buns – Sesame seed, Hawaiian, classic, whatever you prefer.

For the Honey Mustard Sauce

dijon mustard – This provides the perfect base to this homemade concoction.
honey – Add more for a sweeter honey mustard or less for a more savory condiment.
mayonnaise – To make this sauce rich and creamy.
fresh lemon juice – You can substitute for lemon concentrate as well (just a splash).
cayenne – To add a hint of spice.
garlic powder – Feel free to up the amount for extra flavor.
paprika – Smoked or traditional.
vinegar – Apple cider or white wine vinegar is best.
salt and cracked black pepper – To taste

How to Make Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Ready in under 20 minutes and you don’t even have to leave the house!

For the Chicken Sandwiches:

The key to this sandwich is an assembly line-like process. Begin by placing the flour in a medium sized, shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs together in another medium sized, shallow bowl. And in a third shallow bowl, stir together the panko, paprika, garlic, and onion powder. Set all three aside.

Pound out chicken breasts lightly until even on both sides and until the chicken is no more than ¼ inch thick. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Now the assembly line can begin. Dredge the breasts in the flour, then eggs, and finally the seasoned panko. Make sure to thoroughly coat the chicken at each step.

Heat your vegetable oil to 350°F in a large, deep skillet over medium-high to high heat. The oil should be about a quarter inch deep. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken in the pan, making sure none of the pieces touch each other. It’s okay to do this in batches. Cook each chicken breast for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. A cooling rack works as well.

Assemble the sandwiches with fresh veggies and your preferred additional condiments. Top with the homemade honey mustard sauce and serve while still hot!

For the Honey Mustard Sauce:

This process couldn’t be easier! In a small bowl or container, whisk the Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, paprika, garlic, cayenne, vinegar, and salt and pepper together until fully combined.

Store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich FAQs

How long will these Crispy Chicken Sandwiches stay fresh?

Like any fried food, it’s best to enjoy these sandwiches right away. However they will stay fresh in the fridge for 2 additional days. As for the honey mustard sauce, that will keep for a week in the fridge so you can use it over and over again. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. When reheating, to keep the crisp, place in the oven until warmed through.

Can these sandwiches be baked instead of fried?

If you’d like to skip out on the frying and the oil, the chicken can be coated and baked. Your coating may not come out quite as crispy but flavor will certainly still be there. Bake in a 400 degree oven until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Tips and Variations

If you’d prefer an extra crispy chicken sandwich, feel free to double dip during the batter process for an extra coating.
Add hot sauce to the eggs when whisking for a hint of spice. Cajun seasoning or a dash of cayenne pepper added to the panko breading works as well.
Don’t pound your chicken too thin. The goal is to get each piece the same in thickness to cook evenly, not to make the breasts completely flat.
For a very southern take, marinate your chicken breasts in buttermilk for about 2 hours before cooking (or even overnight).

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How To Make Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Dish Cuisine American Keyword crispy chicken sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich recipe Prep Time 5 Cook Time 10 Servings Calories 721kcal Author Trish – Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts use 4 small breasts or if using 2 large breasts, cut in half lengthwise
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup flour
2 large eggs lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
vegetable oil for frying

Honey Mustard Sauce

½ cup dijon mustard
6 tablespoons honey
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon white wine or apple cider vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Assembly

condiments and veggies
4 buns

Instructions

Honey Mustard Sauce

Make the sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
½ cup dijon mustard, 6 tablespoons honey, ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon white wine, salt and pepper

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

Place flour in a medium shallow bowl. Whisk eggs together in another medium shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, stir together panko, paprika, garlic, and onion powder. Set aside.
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs, ¾ cup flour, 2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
Place 1 chicken breast at a time in a large ziploc bag and place on a flat surface. Pound lightly until even on both sides until chicken is no more than ¼ inch thick. Remove the breast and season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Dredge the breasts in the flour, then eggs and finally the seasoned panko making sure to thoroughly coat the chicken at each step.
Heat oil to 350°F in a large, deep skillet over medium-high to high heat. Oil should be about a quarter inch deep. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken in the pan not touching each other (you may need to do it in batches). Cook each chicken breast for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil OR to a cooling rack.
vegetable oil
Assemble the sandwiches with fresh veggies and preferred condiments. Top with honey mustard sauce and serve.
4 buns

Notes

Condiments are not included in nutritional information.

Nutrition

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Reinaldo Massengill

Update: 2024-05-17

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Crispy Chicken Sandwich (with Honey Mustard Sauce!)

Easy Dinner Recipe