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Summertime Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw

33 reviews / 4.8 average

All my friends raved about these fried chicken sandwiches! This recipe for fried chicken is surprisingly easy and SO GOOD. Just soak, dredge, and fry!

Not much to see here, guys.

Just THE BEST CHICKEN SANDWICH EVER. Should we keep talking?

You guys, these sandwiches are the stuff of legends. I mean, I cannot count the number of group texts that have gone back and forth dissecting every last crumb and flavor of this sandwich.

People have their opinions about chicken sandwiches, I know, and admittedly I don’t have Southern roots or anything so I … kind of don’t know what I’m doing. Except I do know what I think tastes good, and I think these are amazing.

I started with a brioche bun – just the right amount of fluffy lightness, and I spread them with butter and toasted them in the oven so they had a little structure to them. Then on went the fried chicken, the bacon, the Swiss cheese. I love the crunch and tang of slaw, so I piled it on high. The crown jewel was a few pickle slices (mine were spicy/sweet) and a heavy handed shmear of honey dijonnaise.

If you’re feeling like this is something you need to eat right now, then you’re understanding.

And if you’re feeling a little nervous about frying chicken, let me just calm you down. This is a VERY EASY fry. It isn’t a fancy picture, but this pretty much shows how to make these chicken sandwiches in a nutshell:

  • buttermilk soak,
  • dredge in dry mix,
  • frying to golden brown juicy chicken perfection.
Batter for fried chicken sandwiches.

With a reasonable amount of common sense, you won’t burn anything and you won’t get oil splattering all over.

You’ll just do the 1-2-3 fried chicken dance (soak, dredge, fry) and people will rave about your chicken sandwiches for literally years.

See, that wasn’t so scary.

Fried chicken on a paper towel.

After you fry your chicken, you’re pretty much done, and the ball is in your court.

Things to consider for your fried chicken sandwiches:

  • Slaw – yes/no? Mayo/no mayo? I believe in mayo slaws, so I vote that direction.
  • Pickles? Dill/sweet? Pickled something? Jalapeños?
  • Cheese? I like Swiss, but if you want to take a spicy angle, Pepperjack is also an excellent choice.
  • Bacon? I don’t know, I guess it depends on how much you love yourself.
  • Buns – going all-out with a biscuit? I like the lightness of brioche, but you do you.
  • Sweet sauce? or spicy? Honey dijonnaise is what’s written into this recipe, but spicy mayo won’t disappoint.

This is your fried chicken sandwich masterpiece.

Make your magic, friends.

Fried chicken sandwiches on a plate.

Watch How To Make Our Fried Chicken Sandwiches:

Print
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Fried chicken sandwich with slaw and pickles.

Summertime Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw


  • Author: Lindsay
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 46 chicken sandwiches 1x

Description

SUPER YUMMY fried chicken sandwiches loaded with Swiss cheese, bacon, pickles, slaw, and honey dijonnaise. Yum!


Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients for Chicken:

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (see notes!)
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning mix (see notes!)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
  • 1 large egg

Dry Ingredients for Chicken:

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning mix
  • 45 cups peanut oil for frying

Tangy Slaw:

  • 3 cups shredded cabbage
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Greek yogurt is a good sub)
  • 2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sandwich Add-Ons:

  • Brioche buns
  • Swiss cheese
  • Pickles, pickled jalapenos, etc.
  • Bacon
  • Honey dijonnaise (easy – see notes)

Instructions

  1. MARINATE: In a plastic bag or glass bowl, combine the chicken with all the wet ingredients. Marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
  2. BATTER: In a shallow bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the oil.
  3. SLAW: Toss all your ingredients together!
  4. FRY: Heat the peanut oil in a frying pan until a speck of water sizzles across the top. Using tongs, shake excess liquid off the chicken pieces. Coat each piece in the dry flour mix. Add to the hot oil. Fry for 5 minutes on one side, then 2-3 minutes on the other side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little more salt (to taste).
  5. ASSEMBLE: Build your ideal summertime fried chicken sandwich! I like bacon, Swiss cheese, honey dijonnaise, pickles, and slaw!

Notes

You can use small chicken pieces, large chicken breasts that have been pounded thin, or large chicken breasts that have just been cut in half lengthwise to make a thin piece of chicken. But I wouldn’t use them in at full thickness. I prefer smaller, thinner chicken pieces because they’re easier to cook and they fit better on a bun.

The seasoning mix can kinda be whatever you want. I used a generic all purpose chicken seasoning every time I made this, always with a different brand, and it was always great. I look for ingredients like paprika, pepper, garlic / onion powder, etc.

Toasting the brioche buns in the oven with a little butter to get them golden brown and a little crispy on the inside is a good idea.

Honey Dijonnaise: 1 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard. Season / adjust to taste.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Fry
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: fried chicken sandwiches, chicken sandwiches

One last note – this was the most fun dinner club recipe ever, because we did a Southern theme with mac and cheese, and collards, and fried green tomatoes, and bourbon sweet tea, and crack pie, and it was just the best.

And I have this recipe from Bread Babe to thank for helping me learn how to do the fried chicken sandwich thing!

Guests enjoying fried chicken sandwiches, pasta, sauces and salads on a table.

One More Thing!

This recipe is part of our easy summer dinners page. Check it out!

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102 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    As a Southerner, fried chicken anything is my love language! You made frying look so easy! Can’t wait to try these. Thanks for the awesome recipe, Lindsay!

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    You say “buttermilk” in your intro but in the recipe itself you just say “milk.”

    This looks so good! I’m even going to try the slaw.

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Happy Monday Lindsay,

    So I’ve been playing cool when I hit the Hibachi buffet restaurant. I have to admit I was there last week and I did hit up the delicious Coconut Shrimp. But I did compliment the Shrimp and Coconut with steamed Broccoli in sauce. I avoided the friend chicken wings, avoided the Crab Rangoons, and everything else fried.

    I do like grilled chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomato, pickle, light on the Mayonaise, lots of ketchup or Chipotle sauce. And i did have iHOP yesterday though I’ve been eating right most of the week.

    I’m going to also do mi cardio later this evening to accelerate my metabolic rate and get down the pounds faster. Thank you Lindsay for a thought provoking post. Enjoy your week my friend! 🙂

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    🙌 yaass, love these! Also consumed while pregnant last year as a HARD crazing. Delish yum

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I AM from the South and by the looks and sounds of it you nailed this one. Taste buds will speak for themselves when I try this V soon!!!!!

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Any recommendations for a baked version of this instead of frying? This looks amazing but would love to save some calories by baking it so I can pile the sammy up with bacon and cheese and mayo and other amazing yummy goodness!!

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    2 ways to consume your chicken breasts with these simple and easy kebab recipes. Have with the sauces we have given you. They are lovely with salads, quinoa, flat bread, wraps or even pita. A dinner for two made in just few minutes. Eat Healthy & Stay Healthy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1PCiGeW6eA

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        I used avocado oil because it has a high burn point and doesn’t leave a flavor on the chicken

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I made these for company tonight night and they were awesome! Perfectly moist with a crispy outside. We did all the fixings and it was an incredible sandwich. Thank you for a great recipe!

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I made these last night for my husbands birthday party and everyone loved them. Who knew fried chicken was that easy? One of the things I appreciate most about your site is how you give me the courage to try more intimidating recipes.

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Made this recipe; it was awesome. I have a mini-fryer…5 minutes at 375 degrees was perfect!!!

  11. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I made these for dinner last night, with a gluten free and dairy free modification to meet my family’s dietary needs. These chicken sandwiches were AMAZING. We topped ours with the tangy slaw, the honey dijonnaise, and Swiss cheese.

  12. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I work on a yacht and have to come up with new and diverse menus to feed the crew. Sometimes I get stumped. I’m guessing that you too can appreciate what it means to be in a creative rut!

    I made these for them the other day and we LOVED them! Thank you, so yummy 🙂 Kudos