This Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich is an easy Chick-fil-A-style copycat you can make at home. The chicken soaks in a tangy buttermilk and dill pickle brine to become extra tender and juicy, then gets air fried until the coating is golden and crisp. It’s a straightforward recipe that brings restaurant-style flavor to your own kitchen.
Bring the flavor of Chick-fil-A into your kitchen!
One of my husband’s favorite meals is the original Chick-fil-A crispy chicken sandwich, and I wanted to recreate that iconic flavor at home using the air fryer. After several rounds of testing I landed on a simple method that reliably produces juicy, tender chicken with a crunchy exterior—without deep frying.
I’ll share the tips and adjustments I discovered while developing this air fryer chicken sandwich. Follow them and you’ll be biting into a sandwich with the same tangy, savory notes you love from the restaurant.
This recipe is ideal when:
- You want a crispy chicken sandwich that feels lighter because it’s air-fried rather than deep-fried.
- You want to feed four sandwiches at home for much less than takeout.
- You’re craving that Chick-fil-A flavor any day of the week—yes, even on Sundays!
Key ingredients
Below are the important components that create the signature taste and texture of this air fryer chicken sandwich. See the recipe card further down for exact measurements.
- Dill pickle juice — Use 1 cup of pickle juice for the brine. You can drain it from a jar of pickles or save the juice from a jar you’ve already finished; it adds a salty-tangy backbone to the brine.
- Buttermilk — Buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken thanks to its mild acidity. It also adds moisture and helps the breading adhere to the chicken.
- Chicken seasoning — A seasoned flour mixture is key to a flavorful crust. Use your favorite chicken seasoning blend or a simple mix of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper if needed.
Instructions
I recommend reading the full instructions before you start. The most important steps are pounding the chicken thin, brining it long enough, and ensuring the pieces have space for hot air to circulate in the air fryer.
Prepare and brine the chicken.
Place two boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Slice each breast horizontally to create four evenly sized pieces. Add the chicken to a large zipper bag with the dill pickle juice and buttermilk, seal, and refrigerate to brine for 12–24 hours. The long brine is what locks in moisture and delivers the tangy flavor.
Bread the chicken.
When the brine time is up, reserve about two tablespoons of the pickle-and-buttermilk liquid and whisk it into two eggs to make the egg wash. Remove the chicken from the remaining brine, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the leftover brine.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, chicken seasoning, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture, dip into the egg wash, then coat again in the flour mixture so the crust adheres well.
Air fry the chicken.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray so the breading won’t stick. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with room between pieces for air circulation, and spray the tops of the coated chicken lightly with cooking spray. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flip gently with tongs, then air fry another 8–10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Remove the chicken and toast the insides of the buns—brioche is recommended—for about 3 minutes at 400°F or quickly in a skillet until lightly browned. Assemble sandwiches with pickles, your favorite sauce (ranch with dill pickle notes is a great match), or classic toppings like lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
What to serve with the sandwiches
To recreate the complete Chick-fil-A-style experience, serve with waffle fries seasoned to taste. Frozen waffle fries crisp up well in the air fryer, or you can bake them in the oven while the chicken cooks.
What I learned while testing this recipe
- Always spray the air fryer basket lightly before adding the chicken. Without a light coating of oil the breading can stick and tear when you flip the pieces.
- Taste and adjust the seasoned flour. I found that reducing the flour slightly and increasing the seasoning produced a more flavorful crust without waste.
- Use plenty of pickle juice in the brine. That tang is a defining characteristic and makes the flavor unmistakable.
- Plan ahead for a long brine. Brining for at least 12 hours yields juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich
4 sandwiches
15 minutes
16 minutes
12 hours
12 hours 31 minutes
Whitney Bond
Ingredients
Chicken Brine
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Chicken Batter
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chicken seasoning (or substitute: 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the sandwiches
- 4 hamburger buns (brioche recommended)
- 1/2 cup dill pickle slices
Equipment
- Air fryer
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut each breast in half horizontally so you have four pieces.
- Place chicken in a large zipper bag with the pickle juice and buttermilk. Refrigerate and brine for 12–24 hours.
- Whisk two eggs with 2 tablespoons of the reserved brining liquid to make an egg wash.
- Remove chicken from the brine, discard the remaining brine, and pat the pieces completely dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow bowl combine flour, chicken seasoning, powdered sugar, and baking powder.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, dip into the egg wash, then coat again in the flour mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and lightly spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Arrange the breaded chicken in a single layer in the basket with space for air to circulate. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flip gently, then air fry another 8–10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Toast buns in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F, assemble sandwiches with pickles and desired sauce, and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you don’t have a prepared chicken seasoning, use the simple substitute listed in the ingredients section.
- Leftover air-fried chicken reheats well in the air fryer at 400°F for 5–6 minutes. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To make a spicy version, add 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce to the egg wash and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
Nutrition Facts
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Protein: 47 g
Fat: 10 g
Sodium: 1506 mg