Crispy Air-Fryer Chicken Sandwiches
Pin itA really good crispy chicken sandwich usually means a pot of oil and a greasy stovetop, and honestly most nights I just will not do it. This one skips all that. You brine the chicken in buttermilk and pickle juice so it comes out tender and tangy, give it a craggy double-dredge, and let the air fryer crisp it up golden. Pile it on a toasted bun with pickles and a little sriracha mayo, and it beats the drive-thru without the mess.
Why this one is so easy
All the crunch of a fried chicken sandwich with no pot of oil to heat up or clean out.
The pickle and buttermilk brine is the whole game, so the chicken is tender and tangy like the drive-thru.
It reheats and re-crisps beautifully, so leftovers still make a great sandwich.
Della's tips
Brine in buttermilk and pickle juice. It tenderizes and gives you that copycat flavor, so do not skip it.
Double-dredge and pat the second flour coat on by hand. That craggy coating is what stays crunchy.
Spray oil on both sides and leave no dry flour. Dry breading stays chalky and white instead of golden.
Single layer, never crowd. Overlapping cutlets steam instead of crisping, so cook in two batches.
Make it your own
+ Spicy: add a pinch of cayenne to the flour and more sriracha in the sauce.
+ Slaw sandwich: top with a quick vinegar cabbage slaw instead of lettuce and tomato.
+ Extra crunch: swap half the flour for panko.
If you are out of something
No buttermilk? Use all pickle juice, or milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
Any bun works: brioche, potato rolls, or plain sandwich buns.
Plain sriracha mayo, or go fuller with a little BBQ, Dijon, and honey stirred in.
You can brine the chicken up to a day ahead. For an even better crust, bread the cutlets and chill them uncovered for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking so the coating sets and does not flake. Cooked cutlets keep three to four days and re-crisp at 350F for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep the sauce and toppings separate until you are ready to build.
Ingredients
Steps
Brine the cutlets in the buttermilk and pickle juice for 2 to 4 hours in the fridge. This is the tangy, tender secret, so give it the time if you can.
Set up a dredge: flour mixed with the garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in one dish, beaten eggs in another. Coat each cutlet flour, then egg, then flour again, patting the second coat on with your hands for a craggy crust.
Preheat the air fryer to 400F and spray the basket. Lay the cutlets in a single layer, in two batches so they do not touch, and spray the tops well with oil. No dry flour patches, that is what browns them.
Air fry at 400F for 8 minutes, flip, then 4 to 5 minutes more, until deep golden and the chicken hits 165F.
Toast the buns, stir the mayo and sriracha together, and build with pickles, lettuce, and tomato.
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Questions, answered
The salt and acid tenderize and season the meat all the way through. It is the copycat flavor trick behind that drive-thru taste.