Chicken sandwiches have been the center of fast food wars for a while now. Building on the universal popularity, accessibility, and affordability of chicken, together with the drive to create an appealing alternative to burgers, restaurants have gone toe-to-toe in an effort to outdo each other with the crunchiest, creamiest, juiciest, and often spiciest specimens imaginable.
It certainly helps that chicken is essentially a blank canvas for flavor. That said, there are still some essential rules to follow when it comes to constructing the ultimate chicken sandwich.
The Perfect Chicken Sandwich: What to Look For
What makes a great chicken sandwich? Whether it’s fried or grilled, spicy or mild, bare-bones or gourmet, a standout chicken sandwich has a few key components.
Juicy, flavorful chicken: With or without breading, the chicken itself should be well-seasoned and perfectly cooked to retain moisture. Dry chicken can ruin the entire sandwich, which is why using dark meat such as chicken thighs instead of lean, quick-cooking chicken breasts can be a good way to go.
The right bread: A good bun can make or break the sandwich. Soft, pillowy buns like brioche or potato rolls are popular choices, since they provide a good bread to filling ratio, and offer the perfect, tender bite. Ciabatta or sourdough can be used for more rustic-style sandwiches. Just make sure the slices aren’t too thick, so the sandwich isn't tough to chew through.
Toppings that enhance, not overpower: Pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions are classic, along with creamy spreads like mayo, but that’s just table stakes nowadays. From hot honey to pesto, pineapple to potato chips, and all the slaws under the sun, the sky's the limit — as long as your additions complement the chicken without stealing the spotlight.
Crunch factor: A snappy coating is key to fried chicken sandwiches, but even grilled poultry cries out for contrast. Make sure you consider all sorts of textural elements when composing your sandwich, including crunchy and creamy, chewy and soft, juicy and crisp.
Types of Chicken Sandwiches and Recipes
The fried chicken sandwich may be classic, but it’s hardly the only contender in the poultry sammy pantheon. And when you make one yourself instead of ordering out, you can experiment with all manner of unique, globally-inspired sandwich ideas, featuring ingredients you’ll actually feel great about eating.
The Classic Fried Chicken Sandwich: The crispy chicken sandwich is a timeless favorite. Typically made with a breaded and deep-fried chicken breast, the crunch of the fried coating contrasts perfectly with soft buns, pickles, and a creamy mayonnaise or aioli.
Recipes to Try
Vietnamese Cajun Fried Chicken Sandwich: We love incorporating bright, Southeast Asian flavors into the mix by way of fish sauce and lime juice-spritzed pickles, which makes this sandwich a delightful cross between New Orleans po-boy and Vietnamese banh mi.
Crispy Chicken Caesar Wraps: Everyone’s favorite salad masquerades as a portable, hand-held wrap, generously stuffed with dressed romaine and crunchy chicken tenders.
The Grilled Chicken Sandwich: Grilled chicken sandwiches offer a leaner alternative to fried varieties. Marinated or simply seasoned, and frequently found in wraps instead of bread, an endless range of accouterments can be added for interest and flavor, such as cheese, avocado, or pesto.
Recipes to Try
Grilled Chicken Sandwich: McCormick Relish Seasoning adds delightful tang to the bird, while crusty sandwich rolls contribute plenty of crunch.
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich: This zesty, saucy sandwich contains everything you love about wings, without the mess.
The Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Spicy chicken sandwiches boast breading or sauces infused with bold seasonings such as cayenne pepper, chili powder, or hot sauce, and are often paired with cool and refreshing toppings like slaw or ranch dressing.
Recipes to Try
Crispy Mala Chicken Sandwich: A crushed cornflake coating goes into umami overload thanks to Chinese mala seasoning, featuring chili flakes and lip-tingling szechuan peppercorns.
Nashville Hot Grilled Chicken Sandwich: The secret is to add hot chicken seasoning to the marinade and the sauce, for a sandwich scrumptiously spicy enough to make you wanna slap yo' mama.
The Gourmet Chicken Sandwich: Chefs can’t help but take artistic license with chicken, experimenting with brioche buns, artisan cheeses, and chic toppings like truffle mayo, pickled vegetables, and arugula to bring sophisticated flair to an otherwise casual dish.
Recipes to Try
Greek Chicken Burgers with Lemon Pepper Yogurt Sauce: Far be it from us to step into the “is a burger a sandwich” argument. But it’s hard to quibble with this Greek-inspired take, featuring chicken patties shot through with feta and oregano, topped with creamy yogurt and slices of crunchy cucumber.
Gluten-Free Asian-Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Not all chicken sandwiches need to be deep-fried, breaded, and ensconced inside buns. Lettuce cups provide the vessel for juicy chunks of ground chicken, seasoned with rice vinegar and ginger with a scattering of peanuts for crunch.
The Chicken Salad Sandwich: Perfect for picnics or packed inside lunch boxes, chicken salad explores the lighter, fresher side of everyone’s favorite sandwich.
Recipes to Try
Chicken Salad: This is perfect use for last night’s leftover roast on rotisserie chicken, tossed with a simple mix of mayo, celery, onions, and salt.
Curried Chicken and Avocado Salad Sandwiches: This sandwich stuffer is a bit more playful but just as easy as the recipe above, featuring aromatic curry, silky avocado, and a handful of tart dried cranberries.
International Variations: Chicken sandwiches are interpreted around the world in many exciting ways. In Japan, the katsu sando features crispy breaded chicken (katsu) with tangy sauce between slices of fluffy white bread. In Mexico, tortas de pollo use grilled or fried chicken in a sandwich roll piled high with avocado, salsa, and refried beans.
Recipes to Try
Chicken Milanesa Tortas: The Mexican torta depends on crusty rolls and thinly-sliced, deep-fried protein (in this case, chicken of course), complemented with toppings such as spiced mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and avocado.
Shawarma-Style Chicken Wraps: Grilled flatbread makes an excellent alternative to rolls and buns, and wraps snugly around grilled chicken tenders spiked with cumin and paired with yogurt, red onion, and mint.
