Faux Fried Chicken Sandwich with Jalapeno Honey Sauce

Name: Faux Fried Chicken Sandwich with Jalapeno Honey Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 Chicken Breasts (pounded into 1/2" thickness); 1/3 cup Flour (Whole wheat, almond, gluten-free, etc); 1 Egg (beaten); 1/3 cup Panko (Original, I like whole wheat); Salt and Pepper; 2 TBSP Butter (salted or unsalted); 1 clove Garlic (minced); Pickled Jalapenos (as many as tolerated!); 1/4 cup Honey

Kristina V
November 9, 2021

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Crispy AND juicy, this fried chicken sandwich with jalapeno honey sauce is just the ticket for an easy weeknight meal!

Fried Chicken sandwich with jalapeno honey sauce and potato wedges on the side

Ever get a craving for a chicken sandwich from one of your favorite fast-food joints, but don’t feel like eating out… yet again!?

Well, have I got THE solution for you! Not only is this chicken made a bit healthier than those fully submerged in mystery oil at a restaurant, but it also delivers BIG on flavor! While the texture here never fails, the real key to that satisfying “Mmmmm!” comes straight from my Jalapeno Honey Sauce! Wow, my mouth is watering as I write this… I can make the same thing twice in one week, right???

Let’s do this thing!

Process for Making this Faux Fried Chicken Sandwich with Jalapeno Honey Butter!

The first thing I like to do is set up my breading station. This involves grabbing three plates using about ⅓ cup of flour on the first, a beaten egg on the second, and ⅓ cup of breadcrumb on the third. HOWEVER, for this recipe in particular I didn’t use just ANY flour and breadcrumb. I like to mix it up a little bit. Ya know, live life on the wild side. So to make things a little healthier, I used almond flour and plain panko breadcrumbs.

Now I will say that I HIGHLY recommend using the plain panko no matter what because it just adds sooo much texture and crunch without having to deep fry the chicken with an inch of breading. When it comes to the flour, I say get freaky Falisha! You could use whole wheat (I’ve used this with success), gluten-free, buckwheat, etc!

So once you choose your flour, season this and your panko with salt and pepper. If you are trying to reduce sodium intake you can always use some of your favorite salt-free seasonings.

three stage breading station. flour, egg, panko

Next, grab your cutting board, kitchen mallet, plastic wrap, and chicken breasts. Before you assault the chicken, grab your cast iron skillet (large enough to fit both pieces at once) and throw about ¼” of extra virgin olive oil in there. Place this on medium heat to get hot while you finish prepping the chicky. Lay your chicken on the board and cover with plastic wrap. GENTLY smack that chicken in the thickest areas to make each piece ½” thick.

chicken breast with plastic wrap cover, kitchen mallet shown

Grab those bad boys and dress them up! Make ‘em look all nice and tasty! Flour, egg, panko! Flour, egg, panko!

There they are…. Looking ready for the hot tub….

Head to your skillet and throw a little bit of panko in to see if the oil is hot enough. If it immediately sizzles and cries a little when you throw that in then it should be good to go. However, if it pops and jumps and immediately turns the panko dark, you need to turn that skillet down and let it cool just a bit.

If y’all are wondering why I call this process faux frying, it’s for two reasons. First, I’m using extra virgin olive oil. This is one of the healthier oils you can use, especially if you have high cholesterol. Secondly, the amount of oil I use is quite shallow. If those suckers are getting dunked in a deep fryer, then I feel as though we have the right to be proud of ourselves and claim this is fake frying….. Just wanted to clear that up..

Anyhow, gently put the lil guys in the tub.. I like to go on the first side for about 5-6 minutes and wait for the color to start creeping around the edges before flipping. Usually, the second side needs about 2-3 minutes. We are looking for a nice dark golden color on both sides! Remove and place on a plate lined with a couple of paper towels and (if you are making a larger batch of these) place in a warming oven until needed.

Here is a great resource for knowing the temperature to safely cook your chicken: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart | Food Safety and Inspection Service (usda.gov)

breaded chicken just placed in oil in cast iron skillet, close up

Golden brown chicken in oil in a cast iron skillet

Making the Jalapeno Honey Sauce

Meanwhile, back on the… stovetop. We need to gather the cast of characters for the… wait for it… Jalapeno Honey Sauce! I feel like there should be fanfare at the mention of this deliciously sweet and spicy creation! It’s just so freaking good man.

Cast of characters for the jalapeno honey butter sauce, honey, jar jalapeno, slat, butter, garlic,

Finished jalapeno honey butter in saucepan

So we have the jarred sliced jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, honey, and butter baby! I like to use salted butter so I don’t have to add any to the concoction. First, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic to infuse the butter with a little garlicky flava flave! Once it looks and smells satisfactory, add the honey and jalapenos. Cook this together on medium-low for a few minutes and let it get a little bubbly happy. Remove from heat.

Grab yourself a lovely fluffy roll and place a piece of that juicy, crispy, flavorful chicken on there. Use a spoon to grab some of those jalapenos out of the sauce and pile on your chicken, then for the big finale… drizzle that magic sauce all over that puppy!

portrait of fried chicken sandwich with jalapeno topping

Enjoy!