Dinner · 35 min · american

Copycat Spicy Deluxe Sandwich (Chick-fil-A’s style)

If you like chicken breast, you’ll love this American dinner — 35 minutes from craving to table. At 370 calories and 40g protein per serving, it fits easily into a high-protein day. No specialty equipment and nothing hard to find at a regular grocery store.

Ingredients

• 10 oz Chicken breast
• 1/2 cup Dill pickle juice
• 1/2 cup Low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 2 Brioche buns
• 2 slices Light pepper jack cheese
• 2 leaves Green leaf lettuce
• 2 slices Tomato
• 4 Dill pickle chips

Steps

1. Brine the chicken in pickle juice 30 minutes; the heat lands better on well-seasoned meat.
2. Stir the cayenne and smoked paprika into the flour mix — spice in the breading, not on top, is how the burn stays even.
3. Dredge in buttermilk, then the spiced flour, twice, pressing so the crust comes up craggy.
4. Air fry at 390°F for 12 minutes, flipping once, until crisp and 165°F inside.
5. Lay the cheese on the hot chicken and tent 1 minute so it melts into the crust instead of sliding.
6. Toast the buns, then build: pickles on the bottom, chicken, lettuce, tomato — cool toppings go last so they stay crisp against the heat.

Build my plan

Share this recipe

Know someone who would love this? Send it their way.

Copy link

You might also like