If I love anything, I love a good fried chicken sammie. This recipe is a copycat version of the Chick-Fil-A version we all know and love.

But as good as their sandwiches are, I equally love getting to go with one of my friends, bribe our kids to eat, and then they go play. We get a somewhat-uninterrupted conversation in a public setting, we get our kids to actually eat, and we get to have a glorious fried piece of goodness. Winning!

In my attempts to create a perfect fried chicken sandwich at home, I tried and failed and tried and failed and tried again, until I landed on this super yummy recipe.

Try if you dare. And add a heaping helping of coleslaw on top if you are feeling naughty.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

**Insert ingredients picture that I forgot to take because 1. I’m an idiot and 2. I was too dang excited that I forgot!**

But… what you are going to do is take 3 large chicken breasts, cut them in half to make 6 thinner slices of chicken breasts and pound them until they are uniform in thickness.

Then, you are going to take 1/2 cup of dill pickle juice from any jar, pour over chicken, and marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

In a bowl or shallow dish, combine 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt, and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil. Stir to integrate seasonings into flour.

In a medium-sized bowl, add 1/4 cup of milk and 2 eggs. Stir to combine.

Over medium-high heat, heat 1 cup peanut oil to about 350°F. (Yes, I know my skillet is ugly, but it is well seasoned.)

Next, set up your dredging station. Take a chicken breast out of the pickle juice, dunk in egg/milk mixture, and coat completely on both sides in flour. Repeat until all of the chicken is dredged.

Fry each piece of chicken for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked throughout.

Remove from pan and repeat with other pieces of chicken. I allowed the chicken to drip on wire rack that was over a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Toast some hamburger buns.

Then assemble your sandwich with pickle slices, for a traditional Chick-Fil-A sandwich.

I made mine a little more fancy with mayo and pickles on the bottom bun, then a healthy scoop of coleslaw over the top of the chicken. And voila, you have a copycat version of the Chick-Fil-A sandwich.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half, and pounded to 1/2″ thickness
• 1/2 cup pickle juice
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup peanut oil
• hamburger buns, toasted
• pickle slices, for serving

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts inside of a bowl and cover with pickle juice. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, and all of the spices in a bowl or shallow dish.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk and the eggs.
4. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat peanut oil to about 350°F.
5. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk/egg mixture, then transfer to flour mixture to completely coat both sides. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
6. Fry each piece of chicken for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked throughout.
7. Place on wire rack or paper towels to allow any excess oil to be absorbed.
8. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with pickles. Or if you are feeling frisky, add mayo and pickles to bottom bun, and top with a heaping scoop of coleslaw.