This air fried chicken sandwich is the bomb! Tender, juicy chicken breast with a perfectly seasoned & crispy air fried coating. An easy air fryer recipe that’s perfect for a party of one or the entire family!
You know how much I love cooking in my air fryer. Some people thinks it’s too bulky and just another annoying appliance, but I’m here to tell you it’s been a lifesaver in our kitchen – especially when I do not feel like cooking!
This air fried chicken sandwich is similar to the many copycat Popeyes fried chicken sandwich recipes that are readily available online – but in an air fryer version!
Ingredients needed
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp. paprika – divided
- 2 tsp. salt – divided
- 2 tsp. pepper – divided
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 4 brioche buns
- Toppings of choice
How to make an air fried chicken sandwich
- In a large bowl, add the buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and whisk to combine.
- Cut both chicken breasts in half, vertically/crosswise, so you have two separate pieces about the size of your buns. Add the pieces to the bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, in a large bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and garlic powder and stir to combine.
- Spritz your air fryer basket with cooking oil, I use olive oil and this oil spritzer, so that it’s completely greased.
- Give the chicken breasts a stir, then dredge the pieces one by one in the flour mixture, making sure they’re fully coated, and place into the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may have to cook these in multiple rounds.
- Using your spritzer, spritz the top of the coated chicken breasts in the air fryer basket, then place the basket into the air fryer for cooking.
- Cook at 400 degrees F. for 12 minutes, then carefully flip using tongs, and cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches the recommended 165 degrees F. When you flip, if you notice dry flour spots, you can spritz these areas with olive oil.
- When done, remove and serve immediately. Top with sliced pickles, mayo, or your favorite toppings of choice.
Recipe FAQs and Notes
Is air fried chicken healthy?
Cooking air fried chicken in an air fryer uses less oil than traditional frying. Because of this, less oil is absorbed into the outside coating. This will reduce the overall calorie and fat content of the recipe compared to traditional frying.
How does an air fryer work?
Air fryers allow hot air to circulate the food, allowing the entire surface area to be evenly cooked.
Recipe notes
- If you notice dry spots as they cook, spritz with oil.
- For a spicy air fried chicken sandwich, add 1 Tbsp. hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture.
Recommended kitchen resources for this recipe
Wanderlust and Wellness participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Please see my affiliate disclaimer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Priced from high to low, these are my top recommended air fryers.
Ninja OP401 Foodi 8-Quart Pressure, Steamer, Air Fryer All-in-One Multi-Cooker, Black/Gray
The Ninja Kitchen Foodie has everything! This multi-cooker can do everything from air fry to pressure cook to bake and roast. If you don't have an Instant Pot/pressure cooker, this is the gadget for you! *This is my current air fryer.
Ninja Air Fryer, 1550-Watt Programmable Base for Air Frying, Roasting, Reheating & Dehydrating with 4-Quart Ceramic Coated Basket (AF101), Black/Gray
If you're looking for a high-quality air fryer only, I recommend this Ninja Air Fryer.
Farberware Multi-functional Powerful and Versatile No Oil Smell, No Splatter, No Mess Fast Cooking Air Fryer
If you're not sure about using an air fryer and don't want to invest a ton of money, this is the basic air fryer I started with.
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart Programmable Air Fryer with 8 Cook Presets, GW22639
If you're looking for a mid-range air fryer with fun color options, GoWISE has great options.
Enjoy these popular air fryer recipes!
- Air Fryer Gluten-free Chicken Parmesan
- Cajun Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Carne Asada
- Air Fryer Tuna Cakes
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Air Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe
Air Fried Chicken Sandwich
This air fried chicken sandwich is the bomb! Tender, juicy chicken breast with a perfectly seasoned & crispy air fried coating.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp. paprika - divided
- 2 tsp. salt - divided
- 2 tsp. pepper - divided
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 4 brioche buns
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and whisk to combine.
- Cut both chicken breasts in half, vertically/crosswise, so you have two separate pieces about the size of your buns. Add the pieces to the bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, in a large bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, 1 Tbsp. paprika, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and garlic powder and stir to combine.
- Spritz your air fryer basket with cooking oil, I use olive oil, so that it's completely greased.
- Give the chicken breasts a stir, then dredge the pieces one by one in the flour mixture, making sure they're fully coated, and place into the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may have to cook these in multiple rounds.
- Using your spritzer, spritz the top of the coated chicken breasts in the air fryer basket, then place the basket into the air fryer for cooking.
- Cook at 400 degrees F. for 12 minutes, then carefully flip using tongs, and cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches the recommended 165 degrees F. When you flip, if you notice dry flour spots, you can spritz these areas with olive oil.
- When done, remove and serve immediately. Top with sliced pickles, mayo, or your favorite toppings of choice.
Notes
- If you notice dry spots as they cook, spritz with oil.
- For a spicy air fried chicken sandwich, add 1 Tbsp. hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 606Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 1645mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 32g
The recipes included on this website are written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or medical professional, and the nutritional data on this site have not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist, registered dietician ,or other medical professionals.
Jennifer is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Wanderlust and Wellness since 2016. She creates easy, approachable gluten-free recipes for the everyday home cook; because cooking gluten-free doesn’t mean food has to be complicated or tasteless.
Leave a Reply