✔ Published · new copycat recipe with air fryer and heat-level options
This copycat Burger King spicy crispy chicken sandwich stacks a juicy, shatteringly crunchy chicken fillet with a creamy, fiery sauce on a toasted potato bun. Ready in about an hour, and yes, it's as good as it sounds!
What Is the Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich? (Quick Answer)
It is a crispy breaded chicken fillet with a spicy kick, served with a spicy sauce, lettuce and tomato on a toasted bun. To make a copycat at home, marinate thin chicken breast cutlets in hot-sauce buttermilk, coat them in cayenne-spiced flour, fry at 350°F (175°C) until 165°F (74°C) inside, and stack them on potato buns with a creamy sriracha mayo.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Rub a little marinade into the seasoned flour before breading. Those little clumps fry into the shaggy, extra-crunchy crust that makes a fast-food chicken sandwich so addictive, and they grab onto all that spice.
Why You'll Love This Spicy Chicken Sandwich
- Seriously crunchy: cornstarch and baking powder keep the crust crisp even under the sauce.
- Juicy inside, thanks to a hot-sauce buttermilk marinade.
- Heat you control, from medium to fiery, in both the breading and the sauce.
- Simple pantry spices, nothing you need to hunt for.
- Air fryer option for a lighter, no-pot version.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: sliced into thin cutlets so they cook quickly and fit the bun. Boneless thighs work too.
- Buttermilk and hot sauce: the acid tenderizes the chicken and seasons it all the way through. No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Flour, cornstarch and baking powder: cornstarch makes the crust crisper and baking powder helps it puff into a light, crunchy shell.
- Cayenne and paprika: the cayenne brings the heat, the paprika the red-orange color.
- Potato buns: soft, slightly sweet buns that hold up to a big fillet. Regular hamburger buns are fine.
How Spicy Is It? Adjusting the Heat
The heat comes from three places: the hot sauce in the marinade, the cayenne in the breading and the sriracha sauce. Adjust them to suit your table.
| Heat level | Cayenne in breading | Sauce |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | 1/2 teaspoon | Plain mayo or 1 teaspoon sriracha |
| Medium | 1 teaspoon | 1 tablespoon sriracha |
| Hot (recipe as written) | 2 teaspoons | 2 tablespoons sriracha |
| Extra hot | 1 tablespoon | Add 1/2 teaspoon more cayenne or a dash of habanero 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
- Keep the oil at 350°F. Too cool and the crust soaks up oil; too hot and it browns before the center reaches 165°F (74°C). Use a clip-on thermometer and fry only 2 fillets at a time.
- Even thickness matters. Thin, even cutlets fry through in about 6 minutes, so the crust doesn't over-brown while a thick end catches up.
- Let the breading rest. Ten minutes on a rack hydrates the flour so the coating sticks instead of sliding off in the oil.
- Drain on a rack, not paper. Paper towels trap steam and soften the bottom crust. We want crunch all the way around!
- Go easy on the cayenne at first. Use 1 teaspoon in the breading for medium heat. You can always crank it up with the sauce.
- Sauce just before serving. Build it right before eating so every bite stays loud and crunchy.
Copycat Burger King Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich
4
sandwiches20
minutes20
minutes720
kcal1
hour10
minutesA copycat-style spicy crispy chicken sandwich: chicken breast cutlets marinated in hot-sauce buttermilk, dredged in a cayenne-spiced flour and fried at 350°F until crisp and 165°F inside, then stacked on toasted potato buns with a creamy spicy sauce, lettuce and tomato. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken and Marinade
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb total)
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Louisiana-style
1 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the Spicy Breading
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (use 1 teaspoon for medium heat)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
- For the Spicy Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sriracha
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- To Assemble
4 potato buns or soft hamburger buns
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups shredded iceberg or green leaf lettuce
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
Directions
- Marinate the Chicken
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets, then trim them into rounded fillets slightly wider than your buns. Pound any thick parts to an even 1/2 inch.
- Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Bread and Fry
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt and baking powder in a shallow dish. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the marinade and rub it in with your fingers to make small craggy bits.
- Lift each fillet from the marinade, let the excess drip off and press it firmly into the flour on both sides. Rest the breaded fillets on a rack for 10 minutes so the coating sets.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot or deep skillet to 350°F (175°C); it should be about 2 inches deep. Fry 2 fillets at a time for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
- Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let the oil return to 350°F before frying the next batch.
- Make the Sauce and Assemble
- Stir the mayonnaise, sriracha, honey, cayenne and smoked paprika until smooth. Taste and add more sriracha if you like it hotter.
- Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
- Spread spicy sauce on both bun halves. Layer lettuce and tomato on the bottom bun, add a hot chicken fillet and close the sandwich. Serve right away.
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Air Fryer and Oven Options
| Method | Temperature | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep fry (best crunch) | 350°F (175°C) oil | 5 to 7 min | Fry 2 at a time, to 165°F (74°C) |
| Air fryer | 380°F (195°C) | 12 to 15 min | Spray both sides with oil, flip halfway |
| Oven | 425°F (220°C) | 18 to 22 min | On an oiled rack over a sheet pan, flip once |
| Reheat | 400°F (200°C) | 6 to 8 min | Oven or air fryer, until 165°F (74°C) |
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Marinate ahead: the chicken can sit in the buttermilk for up to 8 hours in the fridge.
- Sauce: make it up to 4 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
- Freeze: freeze breaded, uncooked fillets on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Fry from frozen at 325°F (165°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, until 165°F (74°C) inside.
- Leftovers: refrigerate cooked fillets within 2 hours for up to 3 days and reheat as in the table above.
More Burger King Copycat Recipes
For a milder whole-fillet sandwich, try our Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Royal sauce, or the long Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich, or make Burger King chicken nuggets for the kids. Serve it all with Burger King onion rings and zesty sauce. I also have a copycat Burger King Ch’King for the hand-breaded sandwich that left the menu.
Browse all our Burger King copycat recipes for the full menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on a Burger King spicy crispy chicken sandwich?
The drive-thru style sandwich is a crispy breaded chicken fillet with a spicy sauce, usually with lettuce and tomato, on a toasted bun. Toppings vary by version and country, so this copycat recipe builds the classic combination at home.
How do you make the chicken sandwich less spicy?
Use 1 teaspoon of cayenne in the breading instead of 2 and cut the sriracha in the sauce to 1 tablespoon. You can also swap the spicy sauce for plain mayonnaise for kids.
What temperature should the chicken reach?
Fry until the thickest part of each fillet reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. With 1/2-inch cutlets in 350°F oil, that usually takes 5 to 7 minutes.
Can I make it in the air fryer?
Yes. Bread the fillets, spray them well with oil and air fry at 380°F (195°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 165°F (74°C) inside. The crust is a little less craggy than deep-fried.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs stay extra juicy. Trim and pound them to an even thickness and fry them the same way to at least 165°F (74°C).
How do I reheat leftover fried chicken fillets?
Store the fillets without sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 400°F (200°C) oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes until hot and 165°F (74°C) in the center.
