In this irresistible Air Fryer Spicy Chicken Sandwich, savor the bold flavors of juicy fried chicken perfectly paired with a creamy, spicy mayo sauce, all nestled in a toasted brioche bun for the perfect bite. Every mouthful is a celebration of crispy, spicy goodness that you won’t be able to resist!

Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Sandwich Recipe
It feels like a new specialty chicken joint pops up every week, and the lines are always unbelievable! Near me in suburban Chicago, there are several within a 10-minute drive, and they’re always packed. Even fast-food chains are rolling out chicken sandwiches that everyone wants to get their hands on.
Can these be made right in the comfort of your own home? You bet they can… all using your air fryer!
Buttermilk is a very special ingredient that tenderizes the meat and infuses a juiciness and natural flavor that’s simply awesome. This is what elevates an ordinary chicken sandwich to the perfect chicken sandwich.
Top it with a smear of spicy sauce, some crisp lettuce, fresh tomato and pickles, and a buttery bun, and you’ll have a crispy chicken sandwich that rivals any specialty chicken spot.
Are you a sucker for a good sandwich? Try my Best Damn Instant Pot Shredded Beef Sandwiches, Heather’s Drool Worthy Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches, or Best Damn Instant Pot Pulled Chicken next!

Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, or pound them down to about a half-inch thickness.
- Buttermilk: What gives us that irresistible, juicy chicken
- Seasoning: Paprika, garlic powder, and salt, ground pepper, onion powder, and cayenne are all great spices to use in this recipe.
- All purpose flour: This is key to achieving that crispy outside.
- Eggs: Whisked and ready to coat the chicken.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Use store-bought or make your own for added crunch and texture.
- Mayonnaise: This will be the base for our spicy sauce.
- Hot sauce: Use a hot sauce catered to your desired spice level. If you’re not into spicy foods, you can substitute with BBQ sauce for a milder flavor.
Topping Suggestions
- Brioche buns: A soft brioche bun adds a sweet touch to balance the chicken’s heat.
- Lettuce, tomato and pickles: These classic sandwich toppings add freshness and texture.
Preparation
Start by pounding the chicken breasts to even thickness (about ½″) and cut crosswise to make two equal halves. Set aside.
Top Tip
We cut the boneless breast of chicken in half because we want our chicken to fit on a bun. If you decide to pound the chicken, we don’t want to pound them thin, just enough to even out the thicker parts.

Next, pour 1 cup of buttermilk into a large zip-top bag and mix it with paprika, garlic powder, and a teaspoon of salt. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, seal the bag, and let it sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Several hours is even better, and overnight is best!
Now it’s time to set up the breading station. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, onion powder, and salt. Beat the eggs in another bowl. Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs to a wide plate.
Take the marinated chicken, one at a time, and let the excess buttermilk mix drip off. Then, coat it in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour and dunk it into the egg mixture. Let the excess egg drip off, and then place it on the plate with the panko breadcrumbs. Press it right into the bread crumbs to coat it well. Then, place the breaded chicken on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken.

Cooking
Spray the air fryer basket or tray with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil and preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 5 minutes. When ready, add the chicken, spray it all with cooking spray, and air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
While the chicken is cooking, mix mayonnaise and hot sauce in a small bowl and set aside. You can also toast the sandwich buns and set them aside. When the chicken is done, check its internal temperature at 165°F.
Serving
Now, it’s time to build your sandwich! Place the chicken on your buns. Spread the spicy mayo, layer on fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and top with pickles. Enjoy!Tip: To make the buns even tastier, I like to spread a little butter on the inside and toast them first.

What to Pair with Spicy Chicken Sandwiches
There are plenty of side dishes that go well with spicy chicken sandwiches. This Country Creamy Coleslaw is a great option to add some coolness and extra crunch. Put your air fryer to work with these irresistible Air Fryer Homestyle French Fries, or make it an ultimate comfort food meal with this decadent Best Damn Baked Mac and Cheese!
Storage & Reheating
If you have leftovers, store the chicken separately from the buns and toppings to prevent them from getting soggy. The chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the sandwich in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through. You can also use a toaster oven or air fryer for quicker reheating. Assemble your sandwich with fresh toppings, and enjoy!
PrintRecipe

Air Fryer Buttermilk Spicy Chicken Sandwich
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4 sanwiches
Description
This Spicy Chicken Sandwich is all about big flavor without the fuss. The chicken gets its juiciness from a buttermilk marinade, while a simple spicy mayo sauce adds just the right amount of heat. Crispy, satisfying, and perfect for when you’re craving something bold.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Breading
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Spicy Mayo
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts to even thickness (about ½″) and cut crosswise to make 2 equal halves. Set aside.
- In a large container or ziptop bag, add buttermilk, garlic powder and salt; whisk until well combined. Add chicken breasts to the buttermilk mixture and marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
- Setup Breading Station: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, onion powder and salt. In another bowl, beat 2 eggs. Finally on a wide plate add the panko breadcrumbs.
- Take the marinated chicken, one at a time and let the excess buttermilk mix drip off, then coat it in flour. Shake off excess flour and dunk into egg mixture. Let excess egg drip off and then place it on the plate with the panko breadcrumbs. Coat well with the breadcrumbs, pressing in if need be. Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Spray air fryer basket or tray with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil and preheat air fryer at 390° for 5 minutes. When ready, place chicken into air fryer and use air fry setting at 390°(F) for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While chicken is cooking, use a small bowl and mix mayonnaise with hot sauce. Set aside. You can also toast the sandwich buns and set aside.
- When the chicken is done, check for internal temp of 165°(F). Then place chicken on buns with the spicy mayo spread, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. And of course, top with pickles! Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Category: Lunch, dinner
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: American

Julie Jones says
This was really easy, and delicious! We cook for my mother-in-law as well, and she can’t handle any spice, so we left out the cayenne and served hers with regular mayo, but my husband and I made spicy mayo, and it was a great addition. Thanks for the recipe!
Norman S. says
Just the right amount of spice for my wife and I. Very tasty chicken recipe. Will add to our rotation for chicken dinners. Thanks.
Melissa N. says
This turned out perfectly crunchy and the chicken was so tender and flavourful! My go to recipe from now on!
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks for the feedback, Melissa! I love this one too!
Helen Byl says
This is the second time I have made this. First time was delicious. The second time I didn’t have pinko so I used corn flake crumbs and this took it to a whole new level. Wonderful recipe. My grandson loves it.
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Helen! Corn lakes are such an awesome breading for chicken! Thanks so much for the note and i’m glad you and the grandson are enjoying the recipe!
Cheryl says
Made this recipe for dinner this evening. Started marinating chicken last night. Perfect spice level for me. Hubby added more spice to the mayo. Chicken was so juicy. Thumbs up from this household.
Jenny says
I made these for dinner tonight. I marinated the chicken for 24 hours. We skipped the cayenne because there are some in my family that can’t do spicy. These turned out amazing! Everyone enjoyed them. We will definitely be making these again! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks, Jenny! We love these too! Even without the cayenne they’re fun to make and enjoy. I appreciate the feedback.
Susan says
This chicken sandwich was amazing. I did not have time to marinate for the 2 hours but still delicious. And the sauce was amazing. I will definitely make again.
RecipeTeacher says
Isn’t is good! We love it too! Thanks for the feedback, Susan.