Food Literacy Students
Copycat Chick-Fil-A
You have likely stumbled across this blog post because you are craving a Chick-fil-A sandwich. One of the following situations probably just took place:
- 1. It was a long day. You are a hungry but broke college student. You are tempted to go out to eat. Where to? To Chick-fil-a, of course! But the low balance on your bank account causes you to pause and consider if you can really afford it.
- 2. You are with your friends, and everyone wants to go out for food together. The consensus is…well, of course: Chick-fil-a! But the cost and calories cause you to reflect on the potential consequences of this decision.
- 3. You just thought about Chick-fil-a (well, of course)! But you don’t have the time or energy to go change out of your sweats and get into the freezing cold car.
Ladies and gentlemen have no fear! Whether one of these situations really took place or not, we have a wonderful solution 😉 THE HOMEMADE CHICK-FIL-A SANDWICH from StaySnatched!
Can you even tell that it wasn’t bought from the real fast food chain?! Look at that genuine thumbs up! Follow this recipe by @StaySnatched and our personal tips to make this easy, cheap, less processed and delicious alternative to a Chick-fil-a Sandwich. After this, you are going to be saying to everyone around you: “Eat more chicken – AT HOME!”
Cost Breakdown
Let’s take a look at the cost breakdown for these sandwiches:
| Ingredient | Amount | Unit Cost of Ingredients | Recipe Cost of Ingredients |
| Boneless, Skinless Chicken breast | 2 6-8 oz breasts | $2.49/lb | $1.87 |
| Pickles | 1 cup pickle juice 4 pickle chips | $2.99/ 16 fl oz | $2.99 |
| buttermilk | 1/2 cup | $0.89/ half pint | $0.44 |
| flour | 1/2 cup | $2.49/ 5 lbs | $0.07 |
| garlic powder | 1/2 tsp. | $1.25/ 2 oz | $0.05 |
| paprika | 1/2 tsp. | $1.25/ 2 oz | $0.05 |
| salt and pepper | to taste | – | – |
| powdered sugar | 1 Tbsp. | $1.79/ 32 oz | $0.11 |
| cayenne pepper | 1 tsp. | $3.59/ 1.5 oz | $0.40 |
| egg | 1 eash | $3.99/ dozen | $0.33 |
| cooking oil | $3.79/ 48 fl oz | $3.79 | |
| buns | 2 buns | $3.00/ 8 buns | $0.75 |
| Mayo | 1/4 cup | $3.99/ 30 fl oz | $0.27 |
| Dijon Mustard | 2 tsp. | $1.25/12 oz | $0.03 |
| Yellow mustard | 1 tsp. | $1.19/ 20 oz | $0.36 |
| BBQ sauce | 2 tsp. | $1.69/ 18 oz | $0.03 |
| Honey | 2 Tbsp. | $4.99/ 12 oz | $0.42 |
| Total Cost | $11.96 | ||
| Total Cost per Serving (4 servings) | $2.99 |
Tips to make this cheaper
- Find chicken that is cheaper per pound, look at multiple grocery stores.
- Use frozen chicken rather than fresh chicken, it is usually cheaper.
- Buy spices in bulk so you can only get the amount needed for the recipe instead of the whole bottle.
- Save money by buying a jar of pickles for the essential juice and then using the remaining pickles for your sandwiches.
Homemade Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches
Description
Follow this recipe by @StaySnatched and our personal tips to make this easy, cheap, less processed and delicious alternative to a Chick-fil-a Sandwich. After this, you are going to be saying to everyone around you: “Eat more chicken – AT HOME!”
Ingredients
Chicken
Sandwich Toppings
Chick-Fil-A Sauce
Instructions
- 1. Making the sauce is super easy! Just mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. If you don’t have xanthan gum, you can substitute it with cornstarch and water in order to make the sauce a little thicker. And then…enjoy it with the sandwich!
- 2. Cut chicken breasts in half. You can use a sealable bag or a large bowl to brine the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or sealable bag along with the pickle juice and buttermilk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3. Add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sweetener to a large bowl – large enough to dredge the chicken. Stir to combine.
- 4. Add the egg to a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- 5. Pour the cooking oil into a large sauce pan and bring the temperature to between 350 to 375 °F.
- 6. Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge both breasts in the beaten egg and then the flour. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil using a pair of tongs.
- 7. Keep the chicken in the oil until crispy and golden brown on the outside. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take about 3-5 minutes to cook. Be careful with the tongs when you pull the chicken out. You don’t want to lose any of the breading on the chicken.
- 8. Your chicken is likely fully cooked at this point, but it is important to use a meat thermometer and ensure that the internal temperature is at or just over 165°F.
- 9. For toasted buns, toast the buns for 3-4 minutes at 400°F in the oven, sauté the buns for a moment in a pan, or toast in the toaster.
- 10. Gather the chicken, buns, homemade Chick-fil-a sauce, and other desired ingredients, and assemble your homemade sandwich!
Notes
- We cut the chicken breasts in half to have four sandwiches. You can cut the chicken to the size you desire to fit in your buns.
- Add lettuce and tomatoes for an extra crunch, and to add a vegetable to the dish.
- Have fun while making this recipe! It is okay to make mistakes! The first time we tried to fry the chicken, we accidentally lost some of the breading. It didn’t look as good, but it still tasted great 😉
- Be cautious while using the oil – it is very hot!
- If you want an even healthier way to eat this homemade Chick-fil-a Sandwich, you can air fry the chicken. If you air fry the chicken, bread the chicken as the steps say, and then spray or pour a little oil on the chicken before closing the air fryer.
homemade, Chick-fil-a, easy
Reference: https://www.staysnatched.com/air-fryer-chicken-sandwich/
