Copycat Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe
There are some foods you pretty much can't get tired of because they're just that tasty and comforting. Burger King's Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich? Yeah, it's in that category — especially when you make a copycat version at home. "This is a personal fave," says chef and recipe developer Angela Latimer of Bake it with Love. "I could make these all day every day, and no one would complain — not for a while anyway. The copycat seriously rivals the original, but of course, everything is better when it's homemade. The freshness of this chicken sandwich is really delicious."
As for how best to enjoy your homemade BK Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich? This is no time to hold back on the flavor. "I usually pair this sandwich with fries," says Latimer. "I like big fries, like steak fries, and I like to serve ranch as my dipping sauce so I can also dip the sandwich into some ranch bite by bite."
Spicy, crispy chicken balanced by cool, creamy ranch? You really can enjoy these sandwiches multiple times per week with no taste bud fatigue.
Gather the ingredients for a Copycat Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich
To make a do-it-yourself Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich, you'll need plenty of frying oil, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced or pounded thin, with each approximately ½-inch in thickness and trimmed to fit your buns), red hot sauce (your choice on brands), a large beaten egg, all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, hamburger buns, mayonnaise, slices of tomato, and pieces of green leaf lettuce.
Don't worry if you and your intended diners like some heat without things getting super spicy. "Even with the two tablespoons of cayenne pepper, the sandwich is still reasonably spicy without being overpowering," says Latimer.
Heat the oil and prepare the breading
Heat your frying oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, using approximately three to four cups if you'll be cooking in a deep fryer or Dutch oven or one to two cups if you are doing the cooking in a frying pan.
Next, combine the hot sauce, water, and beaten egg in a shallow bowl that will fit your chicken breasts (or in a deep pan or spare pot or whatever accommodates the meat). In a second shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour and the seasoning, meaning the cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder, stirring well to combine the dry ingredients.
Bread the meat, then get frying
If your chicken breasts are thick, cut them butterfly-style in half or use a meat tenderizer and pound until they're thinner (place the meat in plastic wrap and hammer from the inside toward the edges), and then trim the meat to fit the buns.
Dredge the trimmed chicken breasts by starting in the liquid mixture, coating both sides of each chicken breast, and then transferring the meat into the flour and spice blend. Once both sides of the chicken are coated in flour, they can be placed onto a tray or rack while you cook in batches (if needed based on fryer or pan size). Deep fry the chicken pieces for eight to 12 minutes or pan-fry for three to five minutes per side, cooking until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Remove the finished pieces of fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate or tray to drain off excess oil.
Assemble your copycat Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Toasting the buns is optional but recommended — you can ideally use a grill pan (or actual grill), but a quick toast in a toaster or oven works too.
Assemble your sandwiches by first spreading mayo generously on both the top and bottom bun, then place the chicken breast on the bottom bun. Add two slices of tomato and then two leaves of lettuce atop the meat, then close the sandwich with the top bun.
And now, take a bite, and you'll agree that you could definitely eat this sandwich multiple times in a week. Just be warned: You may not be going through the Burger King drive-thru anytime soon.
- Frying oil (2 to 4 cups canola or vegetable)
- ⅓ cup red hot sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trimmed to fit your buns, each approximately ½-inch in thickness)
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 8 slices tomato
- 6 to 8 slices green leaf lettuce
- Heat frying oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven, or use a large heavy-bottom frying pan.
- Combine the hot sauce, water, and beaten egg in a shallow bowl that will fit your chicken breasts.
- In a second shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder.
- If your chicken breasts are thick, cut them butterfly-style in half or use a meat tenderizer and pound until thinner. Trim to fit buns.
- Dredge the chicken breasts by starting in the liquid mixture, coating both sides of each chicken breast, then transfer into the flour mixture.
- Once both sides of the chicken are coated in flour, they can be placed onto a tray or rack while you cook in batches (if needed based on fryer or pan size).
- Deep fry the chicken pieces for 8 to 12 minutes or pan-fry for 3 to 5 minutes per side until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate or tray.
- Toasting the buns is optional but recommended.
- Assemble your sandwiches by spreading mayo on both the top and bottom bun, then place the chicken breast on the bottom bun. Add 2 slices of tomato and leaf lettuce, then close the sandwich with the top bun.
- Serve and enjoy this copycat fast food delight!
| Calories per Serving | 253 |
| Total Fat | 9.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 83.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 16.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Sodium | 312.1 mg |
| Protein | 23.8 g |
