These crispy air fryer chicken sandwiches are perfectly juicy and fresh when paired with mashed avocado, fresh tomato, and baby arugula.
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If you love crispy, crunchy, restaurant-style fried food, get yourself an air fryer (if you don’t already own one) and make our crispy air fryer chicken sandwiches! This recipe is a healthier alternative to what you can find at most restaurants and fast-food chains, since air fryers don’t require any oil, that tastes just as good.
With a quality sandwich bun and fresh toppings like arugula, tomato, and avocado, these homemade crispy chicken patties are a delight to bite into. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and super satisfying for lunch or dinner.
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich Ingredients
This simple air fryer chicken sandwich is made with a homemade crispy chicken patty and a few fresh and flavorful toppings. Here’s the full list of ingredients you’ll need to make our recipe:
- Chicken breast
- Egg
- Milk
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt & pepper
- Burger buns
- Pepper jack cheese
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Baby arugula
The cheese, avocado, tomato, and arugula keep this sandwich feeling light and fresh, but still filling and flavorful! Note that you can swap the pepper jack for your favorite type of cheese – we just love a little bit of spicy flavor with our fried chicken.
How To Make An Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Making this crispy air fryer chicken sandwich recipe is super easy, you can even do it without buttermilk. The only real cooking involved is breading the chicken patty and popping it in the air fryer. After that, you just have to assemble!
Here’s how to make a crispy air fryer chicken sandwich:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together with a fork to fully combine.
- Prepare the chicken patties one at a time. First, fully coat one patty in the egg wash and let excess liquid drip off before transferring it to the breadcrumbs. Evenly coat the entire patty with breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken well so they stick, then shake off any excess. Repeat this process to double coat each patty (egg, breadcrumbs, egg, breadcrumbs) and set aside.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees F. Once it’s hot, transfer the patties to the air fryer basket and cook for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check to make sure the patties are slightly crispy on both sides – this is how you will know if they’re done. (Alternatively, you can check the temperature with a meat thermometer). If they’re ready, top each patty with a slice of cheese and put them back in the air fryer, but don’t turn it on! The heat of the air fryer will quickly melt the cheese in about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Finally, assemble the chicken sandwiches. Spread the mashed avocado on the bottom half of both buns, then add the chicken patties. Top each sandwich with a slice of tomato and a handful of baby arugula, and serve immediately.
Double coating the chicken patty in egg and breading will make sure that you are left with that super crispy breading that any good chicken sandwich needs. Make sure to really press the chicken patty into the breadcrumbs while coating to ensure it all sticks.
Tip: If you want to change up the recipe a little and make a spicy crispy air fryer chicken sandwich, add some ground red cayenne pepper and/or chipotle powder to the breadcrumbs for an added kick!
Crispy Chicken Sandwich Variations & Serving Suggestions
You can easily customize this crispy chicken sandwich with your favorite toppings. Here are a few suggestions:
- Swap pepper jack cheese with cheddar, American, swiss, or Monterey jack
- Add lettuce and sliced onion
- Add condiments like mayo, BBQ sauce, ketchup, or Chick-Fil-A sauce
- Coat the patty in your favorite hot sauce to make a spicy chicken sandwich and top it with lettuce and ranch dressing or blue cheese
We recommend serving these air fryer chicken sandwiches with french fries, tater tots, sweet potato fries, kettle chips, or a side salad. They’re so easy and delicious for lunch or dinner, especially in the summer when you can eat outside. We also love making this recipe for an easy game day dinner!
What Makes This Easy Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich Recipe The Best
The key to a great chicken sandwich is a crispy and juicy fried chicken patty. Our double coating method does just that! You get the perfect crunch on the outside, with moist and juicy chicken on the inside thanks to air fryer technology. Combine that with a spicy pepper jack cheese, some mashed avocado, and fresh tomato and arugula, and you have a light but flavorful chicken sandwich that is perfect for any lunch or dinner.
Try this easy crispy air fryer chicken sandwich next time you’re craving Chick-fil-A on a Sunday. Don’t forget to rate, comment, and share below, and check out more of our sandwich recipes here!
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast sliced into two patties
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon milk
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 slices pepper jack cheese
- 2 burger buns
- 1 medium avocado mashed
- 2 slices fresh tomato quarter-inch thick
- 2 handfuls baby arugula
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs with garlic powder and onion powder, then season with salt and pepper. Whisk together with a fork to fully combine.
- Prepare the chicken patties one at a time. First, fully coat one patty in the egg wash and let excess liquid drip off before transferring it to the breadcrumbs. Evenly coat the entire patty with breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken well so they stick, then shake off any excess.* Repeat this process to double coat each patty (egg, breadcrumbs, egg, breadcrumbs) and set aside.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.
- Transfer the patties to the air fryer basket and cook for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check to make sure the patties are slightly crispy on both sides – this is how you will know if they’re done. (Alternatively, you can check the temperature with a meat thermometer). If they’re ready, top each patty with a slice of cheese and put them back in the air fryer, but don't turn it on! The heat of the air fryer will quickly melt the cheese in about 1 to 2 minutes.*
- Spread the mashed avocado on the bottom half of both buns.
- Once the cheese is melted, carefully remove patties from the basket and place on buns. Top each sandwich with a slice of tomato and a handful of baby arugula. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
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