This copycat Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich recipe gives you the crispy spicy chicken sandwich goodness you know and love without hitting the drive thru. Making it at home is easy, much less expensive than ordering it from the restaurant, and a tasty way to satisfy any fast food craving.

There are the crazy days when life explodes when the drive thru feels like a must, but then there are the days when the drive thru beckons you with visions of your favorite fast food meal.

Here’s looking at you Chick Fil A Spicy Deluxe sandwich.

There are days when I find myself wanting to go to the drive thru just to satisfy the craving for the spicy crunchy chicken sandwich.

And those are the days that making that drive thru run is not the responsible, adult decision.

Because you know, if I buy myself one then I have to buy one for my husband and kids and that means spending about half our grocery budget for the week on one meal.

But I’m here to tell you making a homemade Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich can be just as satisfying and less expensive!

This version recreates that crispy chicken with a spicy kick and all the classic toppings.

You still get those flavors your love in the original but this version lets you skip the line while saving a little money especially if your whole family loves these sandwiches.

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

Chicken– 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally to make 4 chicken cutlets or 4 thinly sliced chicken breasts.
Buttermilk– If you don’t have any make your own by stirring together a cup of whole milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
Hot sauce– Texas Pete or Frank’s. You could also substitute buffalo sauce or even sriracha.
Dill pickle juice– Right from the pickle jar for a hint of briny flavor
Spices– Paprika, garlic powder, and salt
Breading ingredients– All purpose flour, powdered sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper
Oil– Peanut oil or canola oil to fry the chicken in
Cheese– Pepper jack is traditional but you can use cheddar, monterey jack, American, or colby
Sandwich toppings– Pickles, lettuce, tomatoes
Buns– Brioche or sandwich buns but you could use potato buns instead
Sauce– Optional mayonnaise or Chick Fil A sauce for serving

How to Make

Making this copycat Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich recipe at home is pretty easy.

Start by whisking together the buttermilk, hot sauce, pickle juice, paprika, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl to make a marinade.

Add the chicken, turning to coat it.

Cover it and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to an hour.

After the chicken has marinated, make the breading by stirring together the flour, powdered sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt in a shallow bowl.

Then bread the chicken by removing one piece of chicken from the marinade, using tongs.

Let the excess marinade drip off and then dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing it in to coat it.

Set the breaded piece of chicken aside on a plate while you repeat this with the other pieces of chicken.

Once all the chicken is breaded, heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees.

When the oil is at temperature, fry each piece for 3-4 minutes per side or until each piece is golden brown and cooked through to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel lined plate while you cook any remaining chicken pieces.

Once all the chicken is fried, put a slice of pepper jack cheese on each hot chicken breast so it melts slightly.

Then build the sandwiches by spreading mayonnaise or Chick Fil A sauce on the bottom bun followed by pickles.

Put the chicken with the melted cheese on top of the pickle and top that with lettuce and tomato.

Close the sandwich, serve, and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

The sandwiches themselves are best served fresh and tend to get soggy if you store them after they are assembled.

However, you can store the leftover chicken in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat it in the air fryer or oven at 375°F for 5–7 minutes to stay crispy.

Tips and Tricks

Part of the beauty of making a copycat Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich at home is that you can substitute and modify things until your heart is content.
Turn it into a spicy grilled deluxe by skipping the breading. Just grill the marinated chicken instead.
For a Nashville Hot variation, brush the fried chicken with spicy oil made from cayenne and paprika mixed into melted butter. You could also drizzle a little honey over the chicken for a sweet heat twist.
To make this in the air fryer, spray the breaded chicken lightly with oil and air fry at 380°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.

Other Copycat Chick Fil A Recipes

This copycat Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich is a spot on dupe of the real thing right at home!

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other copycat Chick Fil A recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this COPYCAT CHICK FIL A SPICY DELUXE SANDWICH, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

Chick Fil A Spicy Deluxe Sandwich (Copycat Recipe)

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Course: Dinner, Lunch, Sandwich

Cuisine: American, Southern

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Chill Time: 30

Total Time: 1 10

Servings:

Calories: 817kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

For the chicken:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets) or 4 thin sliced chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp hot sauce like Texas Pete or Frank’s RedHot
2 tbsp dill pickle juice
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

For the breading:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper use more or less for spice level
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder

For frying and assembling:

Oil for frying peanut oil or canola oil recommended
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 brioche or sandwich buns toasted
8 dill pickle slices
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
4 slices tomato

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, pickle juice, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Add chicken cutlets and turn to coat.
1 cup buttermilk, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 2 tbsp dill pickle juice, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Mix well.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp chili powder
Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk marinade, letting excess drip off. Dredge in the flour mixture, pressing gently to coat evenly. For extra crispy coating, dip once more in the buttermilk and back into the flour.
Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a large skillet to 350°F. Fry each piece for about 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Oil for frying
Place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each hot chicken breast to melt slightly.
4 slices pepper jack cheese
Spread mayonnaise or Chick-fil-A sauce on the bottom bun, then layer pickles, the chicken with melted cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Top with the bun and serve immediately.
4 brioche or sandwich buns, 8 dill pickle slices, 4 leaves green leaf lettuce, 4 slices tomato

Notes

Part of the beauty of making a copycat Chick Fil A spicy deluxe sandwich at home is that you can substitute and modify things until your heart is content.
Turn it into a spicy grilled deluxe by skipping the breading. Just grill the marinated chicken instead.
For a Nashville Hot variation, brush the fried chicken with spicy oil made from cayenne and paprika mixed into melted butter. You could also drizzle a little honey over the chicken for a sweet heat twist.
To make this in the air fryer, spray the breaded chicken lightly with oil and air fry at 380°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.