This spicy chicken sandwich is quick & easy to make, yet so juicy and tender to give you a scrumptious burst of flavor in every bite. Tenderized in a buttermilk marinade and topped with spicy mayo, this sandwich is so incredibly delicious and comes together with just a few ingredients.
The best chicken sandwich in the comfort of your home!
A good fried chicken sandwich has always been my ultimate obsession.
Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, and KFC are all widely known for their iconic spicy chicken sandwiches, which are usually my go-to choice for takeout.
As much as it’s one of my favorite foods, after countless sessions, I’ve finally cracked the code to make the best spicy crispy chicken sandwich in the comfort of your home, and it is so easy that anyone can follow along!
Perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, each piece of chicken is loaded with incredible flavor that will satisfy all your fried chicken cravings, and only calls for a handful of ingredients to make.
This spicy chicken sandwich recipe was inspired by Popeyes and KFC in making the perfect sandwich that combines the buttery brioche and juicy chicken from Popeyes, and the spicy mayo and fresh vegetables from KFC.
It calls for a simple two-step process, to be soaked in a buttermilk marinade, then to be dredged in a flavorful flour mixture.
The succulent chicken pieces are then ready to be deep-fried to golden and assembled into your sandwich for the perfect bite.
With simple pantry ingredients, the marinade and flour mixture comes together in seconds – in which all the “effort” that’s really needed is to resist your temptation and wait for the chicken to be marinated for a few hours or ideally overnight.
Although it requires a little bit of patience, letting the chicken marinate overnight makes a world of a difference so I would highly suggest preparing it in advance! I promise you though, it is well worth the wait. ;)
What do I need to make a spicy chicken sandwich?
This spicy chicken sandwich sandwich recipe not only calls for an easy two-step process but requires simple ingredients that are commonly found in your kitchen.
Here are all the ingredients you will need:
To marinate the chicken:
To marinate the chicken:- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: I recommend using the larger pieces without trimming the fat, as this will make the chicken extra juicy and tender.
- I prefer using chicken thighs over breasts for this sandwich as it results in that delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture, but feel free to use chicken breasts if you prefer a denser, more meaty texture.
- A cup of buttermilk: This is an essential ingredient to tenderize the meat while making it extra flavorful.
- Buttermilk can be commonly found in grocery stores, but in case they are not available, I recommend mixing a cup of whole milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Stir these ingredients together and set aside for 5 minutes before adding in the spices.
- Buttermilk can be commonly found in grocery stores, but in case they are not available, I recommend mixing a cup of whole milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Sriracha, salt, pepper, and garlic powder: to season the marinade.
To assemble the sandwich:
- Flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne powder: to be chicken to be dredged in. If you prefer a less spicy version, you can skip or reduce the cayenne powder.
- Sriracha + mayonnaise: to make the burger sauce.
- Burger buns: lightly toasted with butter. I highly suggest using brioche buns as it adds that heavenly touch your tastebuds deserve.
- Your choice of toppings. I used sliced pickles, tomato, and lettuce for this recipe, but feel free to use your own favorite toppings! Having a few different options available also makes for a fun activity to have your loved ones.
- And of course, cooking oil to fry the chicken! I recommend using a deep fryer or a deep frying pan to avoid overcrowding, as well as to prevent any oil splatters.
Tips & tricks to make the best spicy chicken sandwiches
This crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich recipe calls for a simple method, but there are a few key tips to truly bring your sandwich to the next level. Here are some helpful tips for your cooking process:
Marinate the chicken overnight for best results!
This will bring out the maximum amount of flavor in your chicken and tenderize the meat to have that glorious melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you are running low on time, I would suggest marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours in the buttermilk mixture.
Mix in some of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture.
I like to add about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and whisk it in with a fork, to create the extra-crunchy pieces for the coating. Press the flour mixture firmly onto both sides of the chicken, to ensure the entire surface is well-coated.
Fry the chicken at 325˚F until golden brown, ensuring to flip it halfway.
Depending on the size of the chicken, it will take about 3-4 minutes on each side to cook to perfection. The thickest part of the chicken should register 165˚F (75˚C) and should have a golden brown and crispy exterior.
I suggest frying one or two pieces at a time, as this will help maintain the temperature the entire way. To avoid splatter, I recommend using a deep frying pan for your frying – here is a link to my stainless steel saute pan that I used in my video.
Be creative with your toppings!
My personal preference is to add a slice of tomato, garlic dill pickles, and lettuce, but the choice is all yours. Please feel free to add any of your favorite toppings, you really can’t go wrong with this!
Serve with lightly toasted brioche.
Regular burger buns will do the job, but using brioche buns for your crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich truly brings it to the next level.
Soft & buttery brioche with a hint of sweetness truly makes for the most delicious spicy crispy chicken sandwich you can make at home.
I recommend toasting it with some butter before assembling the spicy chicken sandwiches. Be careful not to burn them as they are quite delicate!
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious spicy chicken sandwich recipe, and please leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram if you have any questions. Happy cooking!
Other easy dinner recipes you may like:
- Homemade Spaghetti Meat Sauce
- Easy Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- 15-Minute Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
- Melt-In-Your-Mouth Italian Meatballs
- Easy Baked Chicken Kabobs
The Best Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
Buttermilk Marinade
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken thighs pounded to even thickness
- 1 cup buttermilk see notes below
- 2 tbsp Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce
- 1 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder
Flour Mixture
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne powder reduce cayenne for less spice
Spicy Mayo
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Sriracha or your choice of hot sauce
To assemble
- cooking oil for frying
- 4 burger buns lightly toasted with butter
- lettuce, tomato, and/or pickles sliced, or your choice of toppings
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, Sriracha, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add chicken thighs and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne powder in a large bowl.
- Add 2 tbsp of the marinade to the mixture and mix with a fork. Dredge the chicken with the flour mixture, making sure each piece is evenly coated. Prepare the sauce by mixing together Sriracha and mayonnaise.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet until it reaches 325˚F (165˚C). Fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. The thickest part of the chicken should register 165˚F (75˚C).
- Generously spread the spicy mayo on both sides of the buns and add your preferred toppings and the chicken. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
♥ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a 5-star rating or leave a comment below to share your experience, or tag @cookerru on Instagram to showcase your creations!
48 comments
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope they will like it.
So happy to hear that, Helan! Thank you so much for sharing! x
I don’t tolerate spice well, has anyone tweaked this recipe to make it less spicy? If so, how did you accomplished that and was the chicken still favorable with less spice?
You could always add less of your choice of spice, or omit it entirely! It won’t change the way the breading works
Made this last night for my SO and I and it was honestly hands down the best burger we both have ever tried! The overnight marinade really works wonders. Thank you SO much for sharing this!
It’s my absolute pleasure, Max! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!!
Made these last night with my husband and they came out amazing! The chicken was SO juicy and flavorful, and so tender they practically melted in my mouth. This will be our go-to recipe from now on.
Amazing!! I am so happy you enjoyed it Tiffany!
My family and I devoured these in seconds. It tasted absolutely heavenly! I loved the simplicity of the recipe and the ease of preparation. Definitely recommend
That’s wonderful to hear! Simple and delicious meals are truly a lifesaver for the weekdays Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us Cassie!
Found this recipe on Pinterest, and this was easily the best chicken sandwich I have EVER tried. Leagues better than the Popeyes sandwich. My whole family devoured them in seconds. Thank you!
What an honor! I am so thrilled to hear that Melissa! I am so happy your family enjoyed the recipe
This was delicious! I don’t usually cook with thighs, but I followed the recipe exactly. I wouldn’t change a thing. Everyone agreed this is a keeper.
Yes! They truly do make a huge difference in the tenderness! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Jennifer, thanks for sharing!
Tried this recipe tonight and both my fussy eaters absolutely LOVED it Thank you xx
So glad to hear that Seehan! :)
Followed recipe to a tee. Marinated overnight.. It was delicious, everyone loved it.
Marinating overnight truly does make a difference! So happy you enjoyed it Nancy!
Absolutely incredible. This is the best chicken sandwich I have ever tried, family raved about them so much I will have to make another batch very soon!! Thank you so much for sharing!
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you so much for sharing your experience Sara :)
Made these for dinner tonight. Thumbs up all round. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Amazing! So happy you enjoyed it Lee-Anne :)
This was so simple to make and so heavenly tender and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, next time I will be making two burgers for each person :D
These tasted incredible.. better than any chicken sandwich I have ever tried. Huge thank you for the recipe! Will be making it again soon.
The best!!!
Followed the recipe exactly, but the breading came off during the frying process. :(
How can I prevent this in the future?
5/5 for flavor of the breading, but I need it to stick! I’ve never made any kind of fried chicken before, so any advice is much appreciated.
Cheers!
Sometimes that happens if there was still to much of the marinade on the chicken just a small tap through with a paper towel will make your flour stick.
KFC chicken burgers use to be my favourite until I tied this recipe. Let’s just say that I will NEVER eat KFC chicken burgers again. I absolutely love these more, 10000000000% more. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
❤️
Excellent!!
Definitely the best chicken sandwich. I shared with a couple of my neighbors and they all asked for the recipe
I am so intimidated by frying food. This was so easy and so delicious. Will be making again for sure!
Very tasty! Recommended!
Amazing! Frying food has been my kryptonite, but your recipe got me over the hump. The mayo mix is a keeper too. Thanks!
Absolutely incredible, making this for my family for the second time in one week. You cannot go wrong with this recipe. Sent it to everyone.
Made this late last summer and for some reason, its perfect for those best, sweetest late summer tomatoes. This recipe is hands down the best fried chicken. Deeply flavored after that buttermilk marinade, which I’ve got going now. It’s a year since I made this. Those end of summer tomatoes are here again and this is the perfect sandwich combo for them. Thank you so much❤️
will this work with ckn breasts?
Yes! Chicken breast will work well with this recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
So delicious! It was a hit for the fam – thanks for sharing.
Hi, did this yesterday with my son and a good friend, was inspired by a recent trip to NYC and was keen to recreate some of the experience I had there at home.
Complete sucess, we knew it would be good but it was better than expected, used a French loaf of brioche to cut the perfect slices of bread and fry them in butter on both side, what a beautiful sandwich! ❤️
Used strong budlak sauce together with the mayonnaise sriracha sauce to get that extra kick, excellent!
Much appreciation from Sweden!
Made these tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit even with my picky teen girls. Will definitely be making these again! Also, siracha mayo!!
Awesome! Very crunchy with the right amount of spices. I definitely will do this again.
I just tried this recipe, it very good. I use 1/2 tp cayenne. we had Sriracha mayo, so I mixed in a bit of hellmanns mayo and a pinch of ketchup to it. my wife asked if we could have it again tomorrow.
My son loves a spice deep fried chicken sandwich and this recipe “is the one.”! I have previously made a really delicious spicy chicken sandwich recipe from a celebrity food network cook, but this one is better! Thighs and buttermilk marinade made the difference!
I would like to try this recipe and wondering if I can bake the chicken rather than fry and if so, would it be best to do so at a higher temp as other recipes call for baking in an oven at around 425.
the best chicken sandwich ever! thank you for sharing your recipe.
Excellent!!!!
This is an excellent recipe!!! My husband raved about it until last bite and afterwards. Definitely included on the monthly menu.
Thank you for sharing.
SJ