The Ultimate Homemade Chick-fil-A Experience
Love Chick-fil-A but want to make it at home? This copycat recipe recreates the signature flavors of their famous chicken sandwich, nuggets, chicken minis, and mac & cheese. With a perfectly seasoned crispy chicken coating, buttery toasted buns, and creamy mac and cheese, this recipe will satisfy all your cravings—no drive-thru needed!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Taste: Tried-and-tested to match the signature flavors of Chick-fil-A.
- Easy to Customize: Make a classic sandwich, a deluxe version, or go nugget-style!
- Budget-Friendly: Get all the goodness of Chick-fil-A at home for a fraction of the price.
- Meal Prep Friendly: You can marinate the chicken in advance for even more flavor.
For a Thicker Coated Chicken
If you love a thicker, crunchier breading, you can first dip your chicken in the flour mixture, then into the wet batter, and back into the flour before frying. However, after extensive testing, the method that best replicates Chick-fil-A’s signature texture is dipping the chicken directly into the egg wash and then coating it in flour. This creates the light, crispy, yet delicate coating Chick-fil-A is known for.
Mac & Cheese: Inspired by Chef Tini’s Viral Recipe
This mac and cheese is inspired by the iconic Chef Tini’s viral version, but I made slight tweaks to better match Chick-fil-A’s taste. I swapped out some of the seasonings and used American cheese like Chick-fil-A does, which creates that signature creamy texture and flavor.
Chick-fil-A Bread
For the most authentic-tasting chicken minis, I used Sister Schubert’s Parker House Style Yeast Rolls, which taste almost identical to Chick-fil-A’s chicken minis and save time.
For the chicken sandwich, I made my own homemade hamburger buns, but any store-bought hamburger bun will work just fine if you want a quicker option!
Make It Your Own
You can customize your sandwich however you like! I made mine like Chick-fil-A’s Deluxe Chicken Sandwich, which comes with cheese, lettuce, and tomato. But you can keep it classic with just pickles or add your favorite toppings.
Now you can enjoy Chick-fil-A at home with this easy copycat recipe! Whether you’re making a crispy chicken sandwich, nuggets, buttery chicken minis, or creamy mac and cheese, this recipe delivers all the flavors you love. Let me know how you customize yours!
Chick-fil-A Copycat Recipe: Sandwich, Nuggets, Chicken Minis, and Mac & Cheese
Description
This Chick-fil-A copycat recipe includes the iconic crispy chicken sandwich, nuggets, chicken minis, and creamy mac & cheese. Everything is homemade, packed with flavor, and easy to make for a delicious meal at home!
Ingredients
For the Chicken - Brine
For the Chicken - Dry Mixture
For the Chicken - Wet Batter
For Frying the Chicken
For the Chicken Minis
For the Mac & Cheese
Instructions
For the Chicken:
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For however many sandwiches you want (1 breast for 2 sandwiches) pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut in half for sandwich-sized pieces. Cut the rest of the chicken breasts (not pounded) into bite-sized cubes for nuggets.
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Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to a bowl with milk and pickle juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (longer for better flavor).
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
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In another bowl, mix together the flour, powdered sugar, MSG, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
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Drizzle a little bit of the wet batter into the dry mixture and mix to create small flakes (this helps with extra crispy texture).
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Heat peanut oil to 350°F.
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Remove chicken from the marinade, dip directly into the egg mixture, then coat thoroughly in the flour mixture. Shake off excess.
Read "For a Thicker Coated Chicken" section above if you prefer a thicker coating -
Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165 f). Drain on a wire rack.
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Butter the burger buns and toast them until golden.
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Assemble your sandwich with your choice of toppings.
For the Chicken Minis:
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Bake the Sister Schubert’s Parker House Style Yeast Rolls according to package instructions.
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In a small bowl, mix melted butter and honey.
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Brush the warm rolls with the honey butter mixture and serve with crispy nuggets inside.
For the Mac & Cheese:
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Boil elbow pasta for 7 minutes, then drain.
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Mix together salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
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In a pot, melt butter and stir in half of the seasoning.
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Add flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes.
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While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk. Once thickened slightly, add heavy cream.
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Stir in the remaining seasoning and reduce heat to low.
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Gradually mix in half of the shredded cheese until melted.
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Add cooked pasta and stir until well combined.
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Transfer half of the pasta mixture to a large baking dish, sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining cheese, then add the rest of the pasta and top with the remaining cheese.
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Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Broil for the last 1-2 minutes to get a golden, bubbly top.
Serve and Enjoy
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Serve with some waffle fries and chick-fil-a sauce and it will be just like the one you can get at the restaurant!
