Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Craving a spicy chicken sandwich but don’t want to wait in line? In that case try our crispy Cajun spiced fried chicken sandwich! Juicy chicken breast coated with a spicy breading and fried to perfection.
Lately, I’ve been craving a spicy chicken sandwich. You know the one I’m talking about, the sandwich from Popeye’s. But, the truth is, I don’t want to deal with the hassles of going out, waiting in line, etc. So, Kim offered to make me one instead.
Now, she already makes a mean fried chicken tenders recipe. I was confident she could pull it off. The spicy fried chicken sandwich she made was amazing! It was perfectly seasoned, with a crispy crust, and tender juicy chicken.
Between you and me, I like this version better than Popeye’s spicy chicken sandwich. She also included directions for her Cajun mayo, which is a must-have for this meal.
How to make a spicy chicken sandwich?
First, before you get started, you need to make the dry and wet mixes. Let’s start with first dry mix.
In a large dish combine all-purpose flour, Cajun seasonings, and salt. Use a whisk or fork to blend everything.
Afterward, make the wet mix. In a large bowl or dish, use a fork to combine 2-eggs, hot sauce, and milk.
In regards to the hot sauce, I recommend using Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.
After that, make the final dry mix. Using a food processor, crush 1-sleeve of saltine crackers.
Dump them into a bowl and use a spoon to mix them with all-purpose flour and more Cajun seasonings.
At this point, it’s time to fry some chicken. Place a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add the oil to the pan.
You want about 2-inches of oil in the skillet. Additionally, you want the oil to heat to 350° F. Not everyone has a thermometer, so once the oil starts to shimmer it should be hot enough to fry.
Then, as the oil heats, prepare your chicken breast. Sprinkle the raw meat with salt and pepper.
Starting with the first dry mix, dip one piece of the poultry into the mix, remove it, shake it off and dip into the wet mix.
Submerge it into the wet mix, lift it out, let it drip, and finally dip it into the second dry mix. Remove it, shake it off and place it into the hot oil.
Repeat the process until all the chicken has been fried. The poultry will need to cook in the hot oil for 7-8 minutes on each side.
Needless to say it’s important for the fried chicken to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Last, once the chicken breast is done, it’s time to build the sandwiches.
To make Kim’s Cajun mayo grab a small bowl and combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Cajun spices.
Spread that onto a bun, add lettuce, pickles and fried chicken. That’s it, your spicy chicken sandwich is done!
Recipe Tips:
- This recipe is not overly spicy. If you enjoy a nice kick of spices, then I recommend increasing the Cajun seasoning to 2-tablespoons in the first dry mix. However, you may want to omit the teaspoon of salt in the first dry mix to avoid over salting the sandwich.
- Don’t have a food processor. That’s okay, place the saltine crackers into a large freezer bag and use your hands to crush them.
- I’ve been frying chicken for a long time. Before I had a meat thermometer, I would simply slice the chicken open at the thickest part to check the doneness. While it’s not the recommended method, it will still work well enough in a pinch.
- When frying chicken it’s important to understand the oil temperature will lower as you add cold chicken to the pan. You will need to make adjustments to the heat (from low to medium) to maintain the proper cooking temperature. Don’t be afraid to increase or decrease the heat to ensure the meat cooks properly.
Other Chicken Recipes You May Love:
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cutlets or tenderloins
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1/2 cup iceberg lettuce
First Dry Mix
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, plus more for extra heat
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, plus more for extra heat
- 1/4 cup milk
Second Dry Mix
- 2 cups saltine crackers, one sleeve, crushed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Cajun Mayo Spread
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- First, start by preparing the dry and wet mixes.
First Dry Mix
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, Cajun seasoning, and salt. When dipping the chicken in the dry mix and shake off any excess.
Wet Mix
- In a separate shallow dish, use a fork or whisk to beat together the eggs, hot sauce, and milk. When dipping the chicken into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the dish.
Second Dry Mix
- Use a spoon to combine the crackers, flour, and Cajun seasoning. When dipping the chicken into this mixture and pat gently to ensure the cracker mixture sticks to the chicken.
Making the Fried Chicken Sandwich
- In a heavy bottomed skillet or pan, heat about 2 inches of oil over low to medium heat (oil should reach 350 degrees F.). While the oil heats, prepare the chicken.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Then follow a dry, wet, dry method of dipping the chicken beginning with the flour and Cajun seasoning mix and ending with the saltine cracker mix.
- Place the dipped chicken into the hot oil and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165° on an instant read thermometer. Take care not to cook the chicken too quickly, otherwise, the outside will burn but the inside will be under cooked.
- While the chicken cooks, toast the buns and make the Cajun mayonnaise. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Cajun seasoning. Place the mayonnaise into the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- After the chicken cooks, place it on a wire rack to cool and assemble the sandwiches. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise on the tops and bottoms of each bun. Add 1 to 2 slices of lettuce on the bottom bun, then add a piece of chicken. Finally, add the top bun, and serve with chips and a pickle.