Air Fried Spicy Chicken Sandwich {Popeyes Copycat}

Remember when spicy chicken sandwiches took over the nation? Like, people fighting over chicken sandwiches take over. What a time that was. That spicy chicken sandwich is so easy to recreate at home. Perfectly brined with pickle juice and hot sauce, breaded and air fried to crisp perfection, all on a soft butter brioche bun, this spicy chicken sandwich might just be better than the fast food counterpart.

These sandwiches go perfectly with air fryer potato wedges, or even mustard potato salad - the options are endless!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Expert Tip
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Air Fried Spicy Chicken Sandwich {Popeyes Copycat}
• 💬 Comments

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Whole milk
• Pickle juice
• Louisiana hot sauce
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Old bay
• All purpose flour
• Salt
• Mayonnaise [not pictured]

A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.

Instructions

1. Pound the chicken: Using either a meat mallet or any heavy objects in your kitchen, pound out the chicken breast until the chicken breast is big enough to fit your bun.
2. Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken to a mixing bowl. Marinate in the hot sauce, pickle juice and milk. Let the chicken sit as long as you have time for - the longer the better! I recommend at the very least, 30 minutes.
3. Dredge the chicken: To another mixing bowl, add the flour, spices and salt. Add in 2 tablespoons of the liquid marinade to the chicken and stir. Let most of the marinade drip off the chicken, and add to the seasoned flour. Dredge on both sides.
4. Air fry: Spray the chicken on both sides with cooking spray - I used avocado oil spray. Put in the air fryer basket, and air fry for 10-15 minutes at 390°F. The timing will depend on your individual air fryer, so keep an eye out at the 10 minute mark!
5. Assemble the sandwiches: Liberally spread the spicy mayonnaise on both sides of your brioche buns. Top with the chicken breast, bread and butter pickles, and finish with the top bun!

Substitutions

• Chicken breast - If you prefer dark meat, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well.
• Milk - For extra tang, you can use buttermilk. You can also use cream that you have on hand, such as half and half or heavy cream.

Variations

• Non-spicy - omit the hot sauce and cayenne completely, and use regular mayonnaise on the bun.
• Deep fried - you can deep free these chicken breasts instead of air frying. I recommend using a neutral oil such as canola or peanut oil.
• Chick-fil-a style- top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes for a "deluxe" chick-fil-a sandwich
• South American twist - Slather the bun with chimichurri aioli instead of spicy mayo for an herby twist!

Equipment

This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Air fryer
• Meat mallet

Storage

These chicken sandwiches are best made fresh. If you are looking to make the chicken ahead of time, you can marinate it up to 24 hours prior to cooking. The chicken will be extra moist and juicy! Dredge and air fry when you're ready to eat.

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