Chick-Fil-A has been a recent addition to our lives, definitely more recent than to most people. We lived in Washington, DC for three years and moved back to Los Angeles only recently to find that Chick-Fil-A was staging a takeover attempt against In-N-Out for the longest drive thru line title. Having only been back in LA for a short time when we wanted fast food we were all too eager to have In-N-Out instead so it took us even longer to discover the delicious chicken and lemonade. OH, the delicious lemonade. I would go out of my way and stay in that line just for this lemonade.
Up here in Northern California we have settled in to a good groove. We alternate between the two, sometimes you need animal style burgers and fries and sometimes you need that lemonade and crispy chicken sandwich while watching your kids play in the play structure. It is hard to go wrong between the two! So when I came across the recipe for the copycat of the crispy chicken I got really excited but also conflicted since I need that lemonade to go with it! The last time I went to the restaurant with a friend I actually asked the manager behind the counter if he could tell me anything about the lemonade. They actually make it fresh there and he gave me this ratio. Trying it at home, I am sold. Now we sometimes have this meal at home with oven baked potato wedges as a surprise for my oldest and a treat for me!
Butterfly chicken into two thin filets. Score in diamonds. Marinate chicken in the pickle juice for an hour.
Add milk and egg into a bowl, mix together. Mix together dry ingredients in a second bowl. 
Heat the oil in a skillet to about 350. Dredge each chicken piece into the egg, then into the flour mixture. 
Fry each chicken piece for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. 
Make into a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and pickles. Serve with delicious lemonade! 
Chick-Fil-A Inspired Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (either two large or 4 small breasts)
- 3/4 cup dill pickle juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1 cup peanut oil , for frying
- 4 Hamburger Buns
- Lettuce
- Tomato Slices
- Pickle Slices
Instructions
- Butterfly chicken into two thin filets. Score in diamonds.
Marinate chicken in the pickle juice for an hour.
- Add milk and egg into a bowl, mix together.
- Mix together dry ingredients in a second bowl.
- Heat the oil in a skillet to about 350.
- Dredge each chicken piece into the egg, then into the flour mixture.
Fry each chicken piece for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through.
- Make into a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and pickles. Serve with delicious lemonade!
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Moms Need to Know
Chick-Fil-A Inspired Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Sunkist lemon juice (this took me 12 lemons, but mine were a bit on the smaller side)
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 1/3 cups water
Instructions
- Add the sugar to the lemon juice, mix well.
- Add in the water and mix well again.
- Let sit in the fridge for an hour, then mix again just before serving.
- Best over ice.
It tastes EXACTLY like Chick fila! I will make this again.
Woohoo!
Can you use a bottled lemon concentrate for the lemonade?
You can make the lemonade however you’d like. Enjoy 🙂
I am wondering if you have an idea on how to change the recipe to make their spicy chicken sandwich
I’ll add it to my research list. Thanks for the suggestion.
That looks so good I might break my vegetarian diet. That lemonade tough, i love lemonade yummy!
Thanks Florentina! That lemonade is legit addicting.
So, nobody has made a comment on whether or not it comes close to the taste. I have tried 3 copy cat recipes and all have disappointed me. Supposedly former employees say the fried version is not marinated in pickle juice. The one thing all of these recipes seem to lack is that sweet oily taste you get when you bite into that chicken. Does anyone have a batter recipe that comes close?
When I made this version I taste tested against their nuggets. I thought it was pretty spot on. The only thing is that my nuggets were about 45 minutes “old” so I couldn’t fully compare right out of the fryer.
I LOVE Chickfila! This I will have to try, my family would love it too!
You won’t regret it!
OMG! I am so making this dish this weekend. I love it! It looks amazing!
Thanks!!
I love fried chicken and this recipe looks easy and I think we’re going to fall in love with it! The first time we had Chick Fil A was in NC and we recently got one in CT but it’s still far so this is a must
You’ll love this, and I have done a side by side taste comparison. It is just right on!
That sandwich looks and sounds amazing! I’m sure my kids would totally go for something like this at mealtime.
You dont have to tell me twice to pin this!! I love Chick-Fil-A and I would like to see if I can do a copycat version of course with the lemonade!!!
Thanks so much for the pin! I hope you love it!
I need to try this asap. I love Chick Fil A but I hate spending a lot of money on fast food. I’m going to see how this comes out.
Yes! Especially since Chick-Fil-A is pretty expensive as far as fast food goes too 🙂
Yum! Even if chick-fil-a was close by I’d love to make this at home and avoid the line!
Me too! The line is always crazy!
I just pinned this. I love that I can make this on a Sunday when I can’t get the real thing. Thanks for this!
Thanks so much for the pin! I hope you love it!
I’ve never been to Chick-fil-a, because there aren’t any where I live. I will have to try this to see what all the fuss is about!
The lemonade is what brings me back all the time. It is ADDICTING. Don’t get me wrong though, the chicken is yummy too 🙂