This crispy air fryer chicken sandwich delivers everything you crave from your favorite drive-through, golden, crunchy coating, juicy chicken, and a spicy mayo that brings the heat, all without a drop of deep-frying oil. Ready in about 25 minutes, it’s a weeknight dinner the whole family will request again and again.
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This air fryer fried chicken sandwich tastes like it came from the drive-through, but it’s made right in your kitchen with simple ingredients. If you love quick air fryer dinners, you’re going to love my Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs and Air Fryer Turkey Breast too!
The secret to extra-crispy air fryer chicken
Here’s the thing most air fryer chicken sandwich recipes get wrong , they skip pre-toasting the panko. Without this step, the air fryer simply dries out the crumbs instead of giving you that golden, crunchy coating you’re after. Do not skip this step!
Stir the panko with the olive oil until evenly coated, then microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until lightly golden brown. This takes 1 to 3 minutes total. Keep a close eye on it – panko goes from golden to burned fast (I know from experience).
This one extra step is the difference between a sandwich that tastes air-fried and one that tastes as if it came from a restaurant.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy without the grease. Pre-toasting the panko in the microwave is the secret to that golden, crunchy coating that actually stays crispy – no deep fryer needed.
- Ready in about 25 minutes. No long marination, no complicated steps. This comes together fast on busy weeknights.
- Spice you can control. Hot sauce goes right into the egg dredge AND the mayo, so you can dial the heat up or down to suit your family.
- Kid-approved (and husband-approved). My kids devour these after school, and my husband sneaks extras when I’m not looking. This recipe just works.
Ingredients
- Panko bread crumbs – these Japanese-style breadcrumbs create a lighter, crunchier coating than regular breadcrumbs. They’re the key to those craggly, crispy edges that make this sandwich rival fast food.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – mixed with the panko before microwaving so the crumbs toast evenly and turn golden before they ever hit the air fryer.
- Hot sauce – goes right into the egg dredge AND the spicy mayo, building heat into every layer. I like Frank’s RedHot, but use whatever your family loves.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – pounded to an even 1/2-inch thickness so they cook evenly and fit perfectly on a bun.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Not into spicy? Skip the hot sauce in the dredge and mayo. Mix a little honey into the mayo instead for a sweet spread.
- Want more heat? Add a pinch of cayenne to the panko mixture, or swap the hot sauce in the spicy mayo for sriracha.
- Chicken thighs instead of breasts? Boneless, skinless thighs work here too. I haven’t tested this recipe with thighs yet, so cooking times may vary. Use an instant-read thermometer and look for 165°F. If you try it, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
- Make it a wrap. Skip the bun and slice up the chicken, wrap it up in a flour tortilla with lettuce, pickles, and spicy mayo.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Instructions
Step 1: Stir panko with oil in a microwave-safe bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until light golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on this – panko goes from golden to burned fast (I know from experience). Transfer to a shallow dish and let cool slightly.
Step 2: Whisk together the egg, 2 tablespoons of hot sauce, flour, garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a separate shallow dish.
Step 3: Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag and pound to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Halve each breast crosswise, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Working with one piece at a time, dredge in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with the toasted panko, pressing gently to adhere.
Step 5: Lightly coat the air fryer basket with vegetable oil (I dab oil on a paper towel and run it over the basket). Arrange chicken in the basket, spaced evenly apart.
Step 6: Cook at 400°F until chicken is crisp and registers 160°F, 7 to 12 minutes. Flip halfway through. Check after 7 minutes, timing depends on the thickness of your chicken.
Step 7: While the chicken cooks, combine mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon hot sauce in a small bowl for the spicy mayo.
Step 8: Place chicken on a bun and top with spicy mayo, lettuce, pickles, and jalapeños if using.
Sarah’s Tips
- Do not skip pre-toasting the panko. Without this step, the air fryer simply dries out the crumbs instead of giving you that golden, crunchy coating.
- Use the air fryer basket, not foil. Foil blocks the airflow underneath and you’ll lose that crispy bottom.
- Don’t crowd the basket. The air needs to circulate around each piece for even browning. Cook in batches if your air fryer is smaller.
- Want toasted buns? After cooking the chicken, wipe out the basket with paper towels, arrange buns split-side down, and cook at 400°F for 2 to 3 minutes.
FAQs
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooked chicken separate from buns and toppings in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Pop the chicken back in the air fryer at 280°F for about 5 minutes to bring back the crispiness.
Freezing: I haven’t tested freezing these yet, so I can’t say for sure how the coating holds up. If you try it, please let me know in the comments!
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
-Sarah
Recipe
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Mayo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce separated, 2 tablespoons for dredge, 1 tablespoon for sauce
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breats, trimmed
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 4 hamburger buns
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- sliced jalapeños for topping
- sliced dill pickles for topping
Instructions
- Combine panko with oil in medium sized glass bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently until light golden brown. This will take 1-3 mins. Stop to stir every 30 seconds.1 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Whisk egg, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, flour, garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, together in shallow dish.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pound chicken to uniform thickness about 1/2 inch thick.2 boneless skinless chicken breats, trimmed
- Cut each breast in half crosswise, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- Rub or spray base of air-fryer basket with a light coating of vegetable oil. Arrange chicken pieces in basket, spaced apart evenly.
- Set temperature to 400 degress and cook chicken until crisp and registers 160 degrees, 7 to 12 minutes. Flip chicken pieces halfway through cooking to ensure crispness on both sides.
- Combine mayonnaise and the remaining one tablespoon of hot sauce in a small bowl.1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Place a chicken piece in bun and top with sauce, lettuce, pickles and/or jalapeños.
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Notes
- Since air fryer models differ, check for doneness at the low end of the time range.
- To toast buns: wipe out the basket after cooking the chicken, arrange the buns split-side down, and cook at 400°F for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. To reheat, cook in the air fryer at 280°F for 5 minutes.
The best chicken sandwich, our kids loved them!
So easy and great tasting! Not greasy and everyone loved them. Thanks for the great recipe.
would’ve been nice if you would’ve got the recipe right!! 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt & 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper whisked in with the batter.