Crispy Chicken Mini Sandwiches: A Deliciously Spicy Recipe That Will Win Your Heart

Introduction

Welcome back to my channel! Today, I’m excited to share a recipe that’s sure to become a favorite in your household: crispy chicken mini sandwiches. These little beauties are made with homemade bread, creamy coleslaw, and spicy cornflakes fried chicken. If you're looking for a satisfying snack or a fun lunch, these sandwiches combine everything you love into one irresistible bite!

Now, let’s dive into this step-by-step guide.

Preparing the Dipping and Breading Station

The first thing we need to do is set up a breading station to coat our chicken. I've got three bowls ready to go. In the first bowl, I’ve crushed plain cornflakes. If you have a food processor, feel free to use that to crush them more finely.

In the second bowl, I’ve combined flour with red chili powder, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly. Since I’m skipping the chicken marinade step for convenience, I’ve added extra red chili powder to the flour mixture to bring more flavor and spice to the chicken. If you prefer, you can marinate your chicken beforehand with chili powder and other seasonings of your choice for added flavor.

For the third bowl, we’re going to make our wet mixture. I’ve used buttermilk, which is just fresh lemon juice mixed with milk. If you're unfamiliar with buttermilk, this is a great alternative. To the milk and lemon, I added two eggs and whisked it all together until smooth.

Air-Frying the Chicken

Now, I’m using an air fryer to cook the chicken, and I’ve found that adding a drizzle of olive oil to the crushed cornflakes helps achieve that perfect golden crispy coating without the need for deep frying. Once the breading station is ready, it’s time to coat the chicken.

Take each chicken breast, dip it into the buttermilk mixture to coat it thoroughly, then dip it into the flour mixture. Afterward, dip it again in the buttermilk before pressing it into the cornflakes, making sure the chicken is fully coated with the crunchy flakes. You can skip the first step and directly dip the chicken into the flour, then the buttermilk, and finally coat it with the cornflakes if you prefer.

Now, let’s air fry! Carefully place the breaded chicken onto the air fryer rack and set the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Let it cook for about 25 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Making the Creamy Coleslaw

While the chicken cooks, we can prepare a creamy coleslaw to complement the spicy chicken. In a bowl, I’ve combined shredded cabbage, carrots, and some finely chopped jalapeños for an extra kick. For the dressing, I mixed mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix everything until it’s nice and creamy, then refrigerate until we’re ready to assemble our sandwiches.

Making Homemade Bread

Next, let’s move on to the homemade bread. For the dough, we’ll need flour, oil, sugar, warm water, yogurt, salt, and instant yeast.

To begin, add all the ingredients to a stand mixer and knead for about 8 minutes until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough. If you’re not using a stand mixer, you can knead by hand. Remember to add the warm water gradually—this helps you control the dough’s consistency. Once the dough comes together, add the salt. Don’t add the salt at the beginning, because it can interfere with the yeast’s ability to rise.

Knead the dough for another 8 minutes, until it’s soft and smooth. Dust it lightly with flour, then transfer it to a greased bowl and cover it with a cloth to let it rise until it’s doubled in size.

Shaping and Cooking the Bread

After the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Then, divide the dough into small balls and gently roll each ball into a small circle. Aim for a medium thickness—neither too thin nor too thick—so that the bread has the perfect texture.

Once shaped, place the dough circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for another 20 minutes.

Now, heat a pan on a high flame. Once it’s hot, place the bread circles into the pan. After about a minute, flip them over and reduce the heat to low. This step is crucial: we want to make sure the bread cooks evenly inside without burning on the outside. The bread will puff up and develop golden spots, signaling that it’s ready. Once done, set the bread aside and let it cool slightly before slicing.

Spicy Sauce for the Sandwiches

To elevate our crispy sandwiches, let’s make a spicy sauce. In a bowl, combine sriracha chili sauce, creamy mayonnaise, a touch of chili mayonnaise, and a hint of honey for sweetness. Mix everything until smooth. This spicy sauce adds a delicious burst of flavor and will pair perfectly with the crispy chicken.

Assembling the Sandwiches

Now it’s time to assemble our sandwiches! Start by spreading some lettuce on each sandwich base. Drizzle a little of the spicy sauce over the lettuce, or you can brush the sauce directly onto the chicken. Place a crispy chicken filet on top, followed by a generous scoop of creamy coleslaw. I like to drizzle a little extra spicy sauce on top for an extra kick.

Place the top half of the bread onto the sandwich, and there you have it—a delicious crispy chicken mini sandwich that’s sure to satisfy!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If the process seems a little overwhelming, don’t worry—you can break it up over two days like I did. Make the chicken one day and finish the remaining steps the next.