Chicken cutlets brined in pickle juice and buttermilk are breaded and air fried to create the most tender, flavorful Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich! Serve these crispy chicken sandwiches on brioche buns topped with the ultimate sandwich sauce.
Round out this meal with Crispy Oven Baked Fries for game day or a fun family dinner anytime!
I’ve made these crazy delicious Air Fryer Chicken Sandwiches several times now and this recipe is something really special.
Fresh, crispy chicken cutlets piled on brioche buns with lettuce, tomato, and a sauce that will seriously knock your socks off.
Table of contents
Better Than Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Although you may instantly think Chick-fil-A when you see a recipe for a dill pickle brined chicken sandwich, for once I am happy to say that this is not a restaurant quality recipe. It is SO much better!
They are bigger, fresher, and made with high quality ingredients. And, while not exactly diet food, this air fried chicken sandwich is far more wholesome than fast food chicken sandwiches.
Less oil, less mess, and a little bit better for you. All good things.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Pick up thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breast or slice regular thickness breasts in half through the middle to create thinner chicken cutlets.
- Pickle brine – Buttermilk and dill pickle juice from a jar of pickles make up the two-ingredient marinade. Both of these ingredients help tenderize the chicken and add so much great flavor.
- All-purpose flour – For the breading.
- Seasoning – The flour is seasoned with garlic powder (or granulated garlic), smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Eggs – To help the breading adhere to the chicken cutlets.
- Chicken sandwich sauce – Mayonnaise, BBQ Sauce, Dijon mustard, sriracha, and honey for a seriously delicious sauce.
- Buns and toppings – I love these on brioche buns but you can use any type of sandwich buns you love. I top them with fresh and crunchy green leaf lettuce (the BEST lettuce for sandwiches and burgers), sliced tomato, and dill pickle chips to drive home the pickle flavor.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Sandwiches
The Pickle Brine
- Slice or pound the chicken to about ¼-inch thickness, if needed. Cut the pieces down to the size of your buns. You should get four to six pieces of chicken.
- Place the chicken in a sealable plastic storage bag and pour the buttermilk and pickle juice over the top. Seal the bag and refrigerate for two to four hours.
Bread the Chicken
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Dredge a piece of chicken in the flour mixture, coating both sides and shaking off the excess.
- Next, dip it into the egg, coating both sides.
- Then dredge it again in the flour, using your hands to pat the flour mixture onto the surface of the chicken.
- Transfer the breaded chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat the breading process with the remaining chicken.
Air Fry the Chicken
- Coat the air fryer basket with oil. Transfer the breaded chicken to the air fryer and spray the tops with oil. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes.
- Flip the pieces over and continue to cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisped and the internal temperature registers a minimum of 165 degrees F when measured in the thickest piece of chicken.
Place only as many pieces of chicken in the air fryer as you can comfortably fit without touching. You will likely need to cook it in batches. I LOVE my basket style Cosori Air Fryer.
The Ultimate Chicken Sandwich Sauce
This sauce is the perfect compliment to these crispy chicken sandwiches. But, it doesn’t stop there. It’s also great on Classic Beef Burgers or my seriously delicious Turkey Burger Recipe.
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. This sauce will keep well for several days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
- Chill – You can air fry the breaded chicken right away or, transfer it to the refrigerator to rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. Chilling the breaded chicken will help ensure the breading will adhere to the chicken when cooked.
- Oil – It’s best to use olive oil in a mister or a non-propellant cooking spray, like Chosen Avocado Oil Spray. Regular nonstick cooking sprays can damage the nonstick lining of air fryer baskets over time.
- Cooking Time – When cooking in batches, the second and subsequent batches may cook more quickly than the first. Check the chicken a minute or two shy of the total cooking time.
- Spice it Up – Add a little cayenne pepper to the breading or increase the amount of sriracha in the sauce for a spicy chicken sandwich.
- Keep Warm – Air Fryer Chicken Sandwiches are at their best immediately after cooking. But, to keep them warm between batches, place them on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven.
Alternate Stovetop Directions
Don’t have an air fryer? You can cook the breaded chicken in a skillet on the stove.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the breaded chicken being sure not to overcrowd the skillet.
- Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until nicely browned, then flip and continue to cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured in the thickest piece of chicken.
- Repeat as needed with the remaining chicken, adding additional oil, if needed.
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Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich (Pickle Brined)
Chicken cutlets brined in pickle juice and buttermilk are breaded and air fried to create the most tender, flavorful Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich! Serve these crispy chicken sandwiches on brioche buns topped with the ultimate sandwich sauce.
Servings: 6
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, thin sliced
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup dill pickle juice, from jar of dill pickle chips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
Ultimate Chicken Sandwich Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons BBQ Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Rest
- 4 to 6 sandwich buns, I use brioche buns
- Green leaf lettuce leaves
- Tomato slices
- Dill pickle chips from jar of pickles
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken (about 2 hours before you’re ready to start cooking)
- Slice or pound chicken to about ¼-inch thickness and cut to size of the buns. Place in a sealable plastic storage bag or bowl. Pour the buttermilk and pickle juice over the top and move the chicken around until the liquid is well distributed. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Bread the Chicken
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and set it aside.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, granulated garlic or garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Dredge a piece of chicken in the flour mixture, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg and then dredge it again in the flour, using your hands to pat the flour mixture onto the surface of the chicken. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the breading process with the remaining chicken.
- You can skip to the the next step and air fry the chicken immediately after breading, if desired. Or, transfer the breaded chicken to the refrigerator to rest (no need to cover) for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking (this will help the breading adhere to the chicken so it won’t fall off when cooked).
Air Fry the Chicken
- Coat the air fryer basket with olive oil or a non-propellant cooking spray (like Chosen Avocado Oil Spray). Transfer as many pieces of the breaded chicken to the prepared air fryer basket that will fit without touching (you may need to cook it in batches). Spray the top of the chicken pieces with oil. Air fry at 400 degrees F. for 8 minutes. Flip the pieces over and continue to cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisped and fully cooked. Internal temperature should read a minimum of 165F when measured in the thickest piece of chicken.
- Repeat as needed with remaining chicken. If cooking in batches, the second batch may cook a bit quicker.
- To keep the first batch of cooked chicken warm while the second cooks, place it on a foil lined baking sheet in a conventional oven set to 200 degrees F.
Assemble the Sandwiches
- Serve on buns with lettuce, tomatoes, dill pickle chips and sauce.
Notes
Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich Tips
Chill – You can air fry the breaded chicken right away or, transfer it to the refrigerator to rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. Chilling the breaded chicken will help ensure the breading will adhere to the chicken when cooked.
Oil – It’s best to use olive oil in a mister or a non-propellant cooking spray, like Chosen Avocado Oil Spray. Regular nonstick cooking sprays can damage the nonstick lining of air fryer baskets over time.
Cooking Time – When cooking in batches, the second and subsequent batches may cook more quickly than the first. Check the chicken a minute or two shy of the total cooking time.
Spice it Up – Add a little cayenne pepper to the breading or increase the amount of sriracha in the sauce for a spicy chicken sandwich.
Keep Warm – Air Fryer Chicken Sandwiches are at their best immediately after cooking. But, to keep them warm between batches, place them on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven.
Alternate Stovetop Directions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the breaded chicken being sure not to overcrowd the skillet.
- Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until nicely browned, then flip and continue to cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured in the thickest piece of chicken.
- Repeat as needed with the remaining chicken, adding additional oil, if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sandwich · Calories: 510 kcal · Carbohydrates: 46 g · Protein: 33 g · Fat: 20 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g · Trans Fat: 0.1 g · Cholesterol: 108 mg · Sodium: 934 mg · Potassium: 566 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 3 g · Vitamin A: 427 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 85 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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This was a great base recipe that I adjusted on my end. Unfortunately, the breading was really problematic in the air fryer, didn’t really crisp up or adhere well (I didn’t refrigerate for 30 minutes, as I didn’t have time). Have you tried cooking them at a higher heat (450, maybe?) for less time? The flavor was great, though. Changes I made:
1) added 1/4 cup of Frank’s hot sauce directly into the marinade
2) added 1 tsp cayenne pepper into the seasoned flour mix
3) made some of the chicken with the flour + egg + flour > air fryer
4) made a couple of pieces with just flour > air fryer
5) made a couple of pieces with just flour > stove top, lightly oiled pan
All were delicious, but I may try eliminating the flour and egg all together and seeing how I can incorporate the same seasonings from the flour mix into the actual chicken as a rub instead, without overpowering it. Would save the calories and eliminate the breading issues I had. I also didn’t have buns, so I just made them into a wrap; still delicious! Thanks for this easy recipe!
Fantastic!! Used air fryer. Followed recipe exactly including refrigerating the breaded chicken before air frying. Delicious
Oh, how I love these sandwiches! So happy you loved them too. 🙂 Thanks, Julie!