Are you looking to start cooking more nutritious meals at home? Or do you want to try out new Chicken recipes or experiment with some fresh ingredients?
You’ve probably never had a sandwich with spicy chicken and yogurt before. This may sound strange, but hear me out. Because I enjoy finding novel uses for common kitchen ingredients, I came up with these Spicy Chicken Sandwiches to demonstrate how yogurt can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Simply put, if an ingredient can be used in a variety of dishes, it will be used up less frequently, and food waste is something we try to avoid.
Recipe-1 (Air fried)
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
- Serving: Four persons
- Cooking Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
- Course: Appetizer
- Calories: 520 calories
Ingredients
- 4(4-oz.) Skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper.
- Two large eggs
- Four teaspoons of yellow or honey mustard, plus more for serving
- One tablespoon of Bread-and-butter pickle juice, plus sliced pickles for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or readymade seasoned flour
- Olive oil spray or Avocado oil
- Four lightly toasted potato rolls
- Lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes for serving
Directions
- Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over the Chicken after patting it dry with paper towels.
- Place bread crumbs and flour in separate bowls. Use Shallow bowls or Shallow air-tight containers for the best result. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, mustard, pickle juice, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Dip each Chicken in a pickle juice mixture, letting the excess drip off. Here you should keep it for the rest of about 10 minutes.
- Then Dip chicken breasts in the mixture of flour, letting excess flour drip off. Coat the Chicken in breadcrumbs, gently pressing to adhere. Put breaded cutlets on a plate.
- Spray the air-fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange two cutlets in a single layer in the basket—coat the chicken with cooking spray evenly. Flip halfway through and generously spray the second side with cooking spray. Then cook until golden brown and Chicken just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. You can also slightly dip the Chicken in pickle juice again.
- Spread mustard on the top of a burger bun. Place chicken on the bottom bun. Layer lettuce, tomato, and pickles over Chicken. Close sandwich with top bun. You can also use plastic wrap.
Note
You can also use an egg wash instead of flouring your Chicken after dipping it in milk or water. Finally, you can store the marinated chickens in a shallow airtight container for further use.
Recipe-2 (Baked)
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Total Cooking Time: 40 minutes
- Serving: Four persons
- Cooking Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
- Course: Appetizer
- Calories: 780 calories
Nutrition Information
- Serving:Â 1Serving
- Calories:Â 779.4kcal
- Carbohydrates:Â 80.2g
- Protein:Â 48.9g
- Fat:Â 30.9g
- Sodium:Â 1768.05mg
- Fiber:Â 9.15g
Ingredients
- Hot and Spicy Chicken, Baked
- Just under a cup’s worth of breadcrumbs
- a pinch of dried garlic
- Smoked Paprika, 1/2 Teaspoon
- 12 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
- a pinch of salt and some freshly cracked pepper
- 1.5 Tablespoons of Oil
- 14 cups of unsweetened yogurt
- the equivalent of one-eighth of a teaspoon of salt
- A dash of pepper sauce, around 1 tsp
- 1 breast of boneless, skinless chicken (0.7 lb).
- a slaw made with honey and yogurt
- cabbage slaw mix, shredded, 3 cups (pre-bagged)
- Mayo, 2 Tablespoons
- Yogurt made with whole milk, 1/3 cup
- a Tablespoon of Honey
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 14 milligrams of salt and 1/8 milligram of freshly cracked pepper
- Serving Size: 2 Buns
Instructions
- Turn the oven temperature up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The breaded chicken should be baked on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
- Bread crumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and freshly cracked pepper should be mixed together in a broad, shallow basin or container, then used to coat the chicken in the batter. Add the cooking oil and continue stirring until the seasoned breadcrumbs have the consistency of damp sand.
- You can mix the yogurt, salt, and spicy sauce in a different large shallow basin or container.
- To get an equal thickness of no more than 3/4 inch, place the chicken breast on a cutting board, cover it with plastic, and pound gently with a mallet or rolling pin. The chicken breasts should be halved and seasoned with a little salt and a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Coat the chicken pieces on both sides with the yogurt and spicy sauce mixture, then roll them in the seasoned bread crumbs. Arrange the coated chicken on the wire rack of the baking sheet.
- The chicken should be baked for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the honey yogurt slaw while the chicken bakes. Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, Dijon, vinegar, salt, and freshly cracked pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Toss the shredded cabbage slaw mix with the prepared dressing in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- After the chicken has been baked, you can assemble the sandwiches. Spread some of the honey yogurt slaws on each bun, then top with a slice of the spicy chicken. Enjoy.
 Expert TipsÂ
Allow your Chicken to come up to room temperature
The best-fried Chicken starts with the freshest ingredients, including your bird. If it’s been in the fridge for days, take it out and let it sit at room temperature for about half an hour before frying. Frozen chicken breast is not so good for this recipe.
Cut up your Chicken properly
Use whole Chicken to meet both dark and white meat preferences. Whether you cut up the bird yourself or buy it pre-butchered, you should cut each chicken breast into two or three pieces.
Compared to legs and thighs, smaller breast pieces cook faster. And they are also less prone to overcooking since large breasts tend to turn golden and crispy on the outside before fully cooked.
Marinate your Chicken in buttermilk and hot sauce
For a simple marinade, you can use hot sauce. Hot sauce is the perfect choice for marinating Chicken because it has a lot of flavor and spice. Plus, it’s also low in fat and high in protein.
Buttermilk is also great for marinating meat because of its acidity level. Acidic foods help break down proteins to become more tender. Buttermilk has an acidic content that helps to break down fattier meats like chicken breasts.
This process also happens faster due to the calcium in buttermilk. This means that when you use buttermilk as your chicken marinade, your Chicken will be even more tender than if you didn’t use any liquid at all. It also makes juicy Chicken.
Don’t crowd the basket
The air fryer has a small basket, so don’t overfill it. The basket of an air fryer is about the size of a pie tin. If you have too much food in your basket, it will not cook evenly or fast enough.
And it may become dry or overcooked before being cooked all over. This can also result in unevenly cooked pieces because they won’t all reach the same temperature simultaneously.
Use a timer to get the perfect level of doneness
The most important thing to remember when cooking chicken in an air fryer is to use a timer. This is because it is easy to overcook Chicken, especially if your air fryer has multiple temperature settings.
Air fryer temperature varies for different recipes. If you use a digital air fryer, the fryer will display the cooking time. If you are not using one of these, I recommend setting a timer on your phone or another device. Then you check or how long each piece of chicken needs until it’s ready.
Let the chicken rest before crunching in
It’s important to let the chicken rest before you dig in. The resting time allows the juices to create a juicy sandwich.
Resting also allows the breading to crisp up and stay on the Chicken, which is crucial for texture. If you don’t allow your sandwich pieces to rest, they’ll be soggy and fall off before you can take another bite. While we’re on this topic: remember that if your Chicken is already cooked (like if you were making fried Chicken), then there’s no need for resting time.
Things you should Avoid
No added oil
Air fryers are famous for making fried foods healthier. People assume no oil is needed and end up with dried-out food. An air fryer works similarly to that a convection oven and moves the air around the food instead of the heat from the oven’s bottom.
With all that air movement, the food loses moisture, taking away the delicious flavors you love in fried food. You only need 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of oil each time you use your air fryer to help bring that flavor and moisture back.
You’re not reheating food in your air fryer
Turn your air fryer to 350-400 degrees F for 2-3 minutes, and your reheated leftovers will taste as crispy as the night before. Just think – a crispy, hot, and fresh reheated Chicken sandwich in an air fryer (or any other food you want).
You’re putting too much into it
 I was guilty of the mistake when I first bought my air fryer as I filled it up with homemade french fries, expecting them to cook evenly and thoroughly. I ended up with half-burnt, half-uncooked fries and was disappointed in the results. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook in batches. It means cooking a little at a time.
You’re not using it to its full recipe potential
Air Fryers aren’t just great for cooking food—they’re great for roasting veggies, making baked goods, and even cooking bacon. But what about those things that need a little extra heat? There are some incredible cookbooks out there. Those show how you can use your air fryer to make everything from roasted potatoes to crispy chicken sandwiches.
Cooking Your Food Without Checking It
Every oven, stove, air fryer, and even toaster is different. Just because a recipe says to cook for 15 minutes does not mean leaving it there for 15 minutes without checking on it.
Don’t Leave It Plugged in
 In addition, some air fryers make no noise when opened, so it’s easy to forget you didn’t turn them off. Air fryers, like any other appliance, use energy when plugged in.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I Put Raw Chicken In An Air Fryer?
You can place raw meat/poultry into an air fryer and cook them at 350 degrees for up to 30 minutes. The key is to ensure the food has been thoroughly cooked before placing it in the air fryer. Do not use an air fryer to prepare raw meats/poultry.
2. Can You Put Aluminum Foil In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use aluminum foil to cook food in a home oven. For example, aluminum foil works well for baking sweet treats like brownies and cakes. However, do not use aluminum foil for baking savory foods such as chicken wings or fish fillets. These types of food should be cooked directly on top of the stove.
3. What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken In An Air Fryer?
The best way to cook Chicken in an air fryer is at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. This process cooks the meat evenly while keeping the outside crispy. If you want to cook Chicken at a lower temperature, use 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
 4. What Are The Disadvantages Of Using Air Fryers?
The main disadvantage of using an air fryer is that it is expensive compared to other cooking methods. Also, the food tends to be greasy and unhealthy due to deep frying.
5. What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken In An Air Fryer?
 The best way to know how much heat to use when cooking chicken in an air fryer is to look at what other recipes recommend for cooking Chicken. If you want crispy skin, cook it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you wish for juicy meat, you’ll need to cook it at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.Â
6. Is An Air Fryer Healthier Than An Oven?
An air fryer is much better for cooking food than an oven because it cooks food faster and uses less energy. However, both methods use high temperatures, which may cause some foods to become dry. So, it depends on what kind of food you’re cooking.
Conclusion
As you can see, many ways exist to make the perfect chicken sandwich. The best thing is the flexibility of this recipe. You can add or remove ingredients at will and still have a delicious homemade meal. Just remember to cook your Chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This will ensure that it is cooked without being dry or tough.
Meet our air fryer recipe expert, Jenny J. Brown. Jenny is a culinary enthusiast with a passion for creating healthy, delicious meals using the latest kitchen appliances. As an experienced home cook and food blogger, Jenny has spent years experimenting with air fryer recipes and perfecting her techniques to create meals that are both nutritious and satisfying.
