✔ Updated · step photos, air fryer version and freezer patties
The Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich is a long, crispy breaded chicken patty on a toasted sesame bun with lettuce and a creamy sauce, and it’s my favorite order there. Prefer a thick, craggy whole-breast fillet on a round bun? Try our Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich copycat.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Fry at a steady 350°F, two patties at a time, until 165°F in the center. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and makes the coating greasy.
This copycat-style version builds the patty from ground chicken breast and a little pork fatback for juiciness, seasons it with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and nutritional yeast, then coats it in flour, egg and panko and fries it at 350°F until it's 165°F inside. A lemony homemade sauce and butter-toasted buns finish it in about 50 minutes, with air fryer and freezer options below.
Why You'll Love This Chicken Sandwich
- Crispy outside, juicy inside, a panko-coated patty of ground chicken and pork fatback, fried golden.
- A bright homemade sauce, lemony and creamy, with a store-bought mayo shortcut when you're short on time.
- Freezer-friendly patties, bread a batch ahead, freeze, then fry or air fry from frozen.
What's on the Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich?
The drive-thru classic is simple: a long, breaded chicken patty, shredded lettuce and creamy mayonnaise on a toasted sesame-seed sub-style bun. That long shape is what sets it apart from most chicken sandwiches. Curious how it compares nutritionally with the rest of the menu? Read is Burger King healthy. Craving heat? Our copycat Burger King spicy crispy chicken sandwich brings a cayenne crust and fiery sauce.
This copycat-style recipe keeps the formula but builds a juicier patty from ground chicken breast and pork fatback, and swaps plain mayo for a lemony homemade sauce with Dijon, garlic and crème fraîche. Shape the patties into long ovals for sub-style rolls, or rounds for regular burger buns. Miss the big hand-breaded one? Here’s our copycat Burger King Ch’King sandwich.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Ground chicken breast and pork fatback: lean chicken breast for the classic white-meat flavor, plus a little fatback so the patty stays juicy. If you can't find fatback, use fatty ground pork.
- Seasonings: kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and nutritional yeast, which adds a savory, slightly cheesy depth.
- Breading: flour, eggs beaten with a little water, and panko for an extra-crisp coating.
- Sauce: pasteurized egg yolks and neutral oil whisked into a mayonnaise with Dijon, sugar, garlic and white pepper, then finished with crème fraîche, lemon juice and lemon zest.
- To assemble: sesame-seed buns, butter for toasting and butter lettuce.
About the Sauce: Raw Egg Yolks and a Mayo Shortcut
The sauce is a homemade mayonnaise, so the egg yolks aren't cooked. Use pasteurized eggs, which are the safer choice for everyone and especially important when serving young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system.
Store-bought mayo shortcut: skip the yolks and the cup of oil, and stir the crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon, the grated garlic, sugar and white pepper into 1 cup of good store-bought mayonnaise. It takes 2 minutes, tastes very close, and it’s what I do on busy nights. Either way, keep the sauce refrigerated and use it within 4 days. Want a honey-Dijon twist instead? Try our copycat Burger King Royal sauce.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Chill the patties before breading. Fifteen minutes in the freezer firms them up so they hold their shape through the flour, egg and panko. I skipped it once, and my patties flopped apart in the egg.
- Mix briefly and shape evenly. About a minute of mixing helps the chicken and fatback bind, and patties of the same thickness cook at the same rate.
- Hold the oil at 350°F. Too hot and the panko burns before the center reaches 165°F; too cool and the coating soaks up oil. Let the oil recover between batches.
- Drain on a rack, not paper towels. A wire rack keeps the bottom crust crunchy. Salt the patties as soon as they come out of the oil.
- Add the oil slowly. Drip it into the yolks at first so the sauce emulsifies. If it splits, whisk a fresh pasteurized yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken sauce back in.
Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich (Copycat Recipe)
4
sandwiches35
minutes15
minutes950
kcal50
minutesA copycat-style Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich: a juicy, seasoned ground-chicken patty in a crisp panko coating, fried golden and served on a butter-toasted bun with lettuce and a lemony homemade sauce.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Patties
1 lb ground chicken breast (453 g)
1/4 lb pork fatback, ground (113 g)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- For the Breading
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 g)
2 large eggs, beaten with 1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (90 g)
6 cups vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 inches deep)
- For the Sauce
2 pasteurized egg yolks (or see the store-bought mayo shortcut)
1 cup neutral oil, such as canola
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 pinch white pepper
1/4 cup crème fraîche
zest of 1 lemon
salt, to taste
- To Assemble
4 sesame-seed sandwich buns, split (long sub-style rolls are closest)
2 tablespoons butter, softened, for toasting
8 butter lettuce leaves
Directions
- Make the Chicken Patties
- In a medium bowl, mix the ground chicken and ground pork fatback with your hands for about 1 minute. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast and black pepper and mix until evenly combined.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a thin patty about 1/2 inch thick, in a long oval if you’re using sub-style rolls. Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: the flour, the eggs beaten with the water, and the panko. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat each patty in flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg mixture, then press it into the panko until it’s fully covered.
- Fry the Patties
- Fry the patties two at a time for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and 165°F (74°C) in the center. Let the oil come back to 350°F between batches.
- Drain the patties on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and season them with a pinch of salt while hot.
- Make the Sauce
- Whisk the pasteurized egg yolks, Dijon mustard, sugar, a pinch of salt, the grated garlic and the white pepper in a medium bowl. Add the oil a few drops at a time, then in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until all of it is incorporated and the sauce is thick.
- Stir in the crème fraîche, lemon juice and lemon zest and season with salt. Shortcut: skip the yolks and oil and stir the remaining sauce ingredients into 1 cup of store-bought mayonnaise.
- Assemble
- Spread the cut sides of the buns with butter and toast them in a skillet until golden. Spread sauce on both halves, add a chicken patty and the lettuce, close the sandwiches and serve right away.
Recipe Video
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Air Fryer Burger King Chicken Sandwich
For a version without a pot of oil, bread the patties as usual, then spray both sides generously with oil so the panko browns. Air fry at 380°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 165°F (74°C) in the center. Cook in a single layer, usually two at a time.
From frozen, air fry the breaded patties at 380°F for 14 to 18 minutes, flipping and spraying again halfway, and check the center temperature. The crust is a little drier and less evenly golden than deep-fried, but still crunchy.
Make-Ahead and Freezing the Patties
- Bread ahead: shape and bread the patties up to 1 day ahead. Keep them covered on a tray in the fridge and fry them straight from the fridge.
- Freeze: freeze the breaded, uncooked patties on a parchment-lined tray until solid, about 2 hours, then stack them with parchment between in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Cook from frozen: there's no need to thaw. Fry at 325°F to 350°F for 7 to 9 minutes, turning once, or air fry as above, until the center reaches 165°F.
- Leftovers: refrigerate cooked patties for up to 3 days and reheat them in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes until hot all the way through (165°F). Keep the sauce separate.
- Sauce: make it up to 4 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
How It Compares with the BK Royal Crispy Chicken
Both are crispy chicken sandwiches, but they're built differently. The Original Chicken Sandwich uses a long, thin breaded patty on a sesame sub-style bun with lettuce and mayo, so every bite balances crunch, bread and sauce. The Royal Crispy Chicken line uses a thicker whole-breast fillet on a round bun, with a bolder sauce and toppings that vary by version.
Outside the US, a similar long sandwich is often sold as the Chicken Royale. Menus change by country and over time, so check the Burger King app for what's available near you. For a whole-fillet sandwich at home, try our Popeyes chicken sandwich recipe.
| Original Chicken Sandwich | Royal Crispy Chicken | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Long, thin breaded patty | Thicker whole-breast fillet |
| Bun | Sesame sub-style bun | Round bun |
| Toppings | Lettuce and mayo | Varies by version, often lettuce, tomato and a bolder sauce |
| Best for | A classic, lighter crunch | A bigger, thicker bite |
What to Serve with It
Round out a homemade BK-style meal with our Burger King onion rings and zesty sauce, or make Burger King chicken nuggets for the kids. Browse all our Burger King copycat recipes for more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's on a Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich?
It's a long, breaded chicken patty with lettuce and mayonnaise on a toasted sesame sub-style bun. This copycat-style version uses a patty of ground chicken breast and pork fatback, coated in flour, egg and panko, plus a lemony homemade sauce with Dijon, garlic and crème fraîche.
How do you make a Burger King chicken sandwich at home?
Mix ground chicken and pork fatback with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and nutritional yeast, then shape and briefly freeze the patties. Bread them in flour, egg and panko and fry at 350°F until golden and 165°F inside. Serve on butter-toasted buns with sauce and lettuce.
Is the sauce safe since it uses raw egg yolks?
Raw yolks carry a small risk of salmonella, so use pasteurized eggs, especially when serving young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system. For a quick alternative, stir the crème fraîche, lemon juice, zest, Dijon and garlic into 1 cup of store-bought mayonnaise.
Can I make the chicken patties in an air fryer?
Yes. Bread the patties, spray both sides well with oil and air fry at 380°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 165°F in the center. From frozen, allow 14 to 18 minutes and spray them again when you flip.
Can I freeze the chicken patties?
Yes. Freeze the breaded, uncooked patties on a tray until solid, then store them in a freezer bag with parchment between them for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen at 325°F to 350°F for 7 to 9 minutes, or air fry, until the center reaches 165°F.
Other BK Recipes
Burger King French Toast Sticks (Copycat)
Cooks in 28 minutesDifficulty: EasyCopycat-style Burger King French toast sticks: thick Texas toast cut into sticks, dipped in a cinnamon-vanilla egg custard and baked at 375°F until golden and crisp outside and soft inside. Serve warm with maple syrup for dipping.
Copycat Burger King Whopper
Cooks in 25 minutesDifficulty: EasyA copycat-style Whopper at home: wide, thin beef patties seasoned simply and cooked over a hot grill for a flame-grilled flavor, on toasted sesame buns with mayo, ketchup, dill pickles, white onion, tomato and crisp lettuce.
Copycat Burger King Hershey's Sundae Pie
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