Description
This Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is the ultimate chicken sandwich experience, featuring perfectly pounded, oven-baked chicken pieces tossed in a lightened buffalo sauce. It’s layered with a vibrant, acidic Grinder Slaw and a thick, herbaceous Homemade Ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt. This easy, non-fried recipe delivers maximum crunch and flavor.
Ingredients
Crispy Buffalo Chicken
- 1/2 cup pickle juice, for marinating
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Buffalo Sauce, for marinating
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup skim milk, or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 3 tbsp Tapioca flour, can use arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Grinder Slaw
- 4 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp lite mayo
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Homemade Ranch
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp skim milk, or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp lite mayo
- 1/2 small lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, diced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 cup diced cucumbers
Buffalo Sauce & Assembly
- 1/3 cup Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 3 tbsp light butter, melted
- 4 sandwich buns
Instructions
Prepare and Marinate the Chicken
Trim the chicken breasts and pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Cut each chicken breast in half “hamburger style” to get 8 pieces. In a large bowl, whisk together the pickle juice and 1/2 cup Frank’s Buffalo Sauce. Add the chicken pieces, toss to coat, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or overnight). Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
Make the Toppings
Prepare the ranch and slaw while the chicken marinates. Ranch Dressing: Whisk together the Greek yogurt, milk, lite mayo, and lemon juice. Stir in the parsley, cucumbers, dill, and all the seasonings. Refrigerate. Grinder Slaw: Whisk together the lite mayo and apple cider vinegar. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the shredded lettuce and toss until well coated.
Bread and Bake the Chicken
Set up the breading station. In one bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. In a second bowl, whisk the garlic powder, ranch seasoning, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, almond flour, and tapioca flour. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and heavily spray the rack with cooking spray. Dip the marinated chicken into the egg mixture, then coat in the dry flour mixture, pressing firmly. Place the breaded chicken on the greased wire rack.
Bake the Chicken
Bake the chicken for 8 minutes. Flip the pieces and bake for another 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F).
Toast Buns and Assemble
While the chicken finishes, prepare the final sauce and buns. Buffalo Sauce: Melt the light butter and whisk in the 1/3 cup Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce. Toast Buns: Turn on the broiler. Place the open-faced buns on a baking sheet, spray the insides with cooking spray, and broil for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.
Assemble the Sandwich
Dip each crispy chicken piece into the buffalo sauce, or drizzle the sauce over the chicken. On the bottom bun, spread a layer of homemade ranch, then add a handful of the grinder slaw. Place the buffalo-coated chicken on top of the slaw. Drizzle with extra ranch and top with the final bun. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pounding the Chicken: For the crispiest result and even cooking, ensure the chicken is pounded to a uniform thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. This increases the surface area for the crispy coating.
Preventing Soggy Buns: To prevent the bun from getting soggy, toast it under the broiler until it’s lightly golden brown. Additionally, place a layer of the creamy ranch dressing directly on the bottom bun before adding the slaw the fat acts as a moisture barrier.
Make-Ahead Ranch: The homemade ranch dressing is highly recommended and can be made 1 to 2 days in advance. The flavors deepen and marry overnight, making the ranch even more herbaceous and flavorful.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Sandwich
- Method: Oven Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Sandwich
- Calories: 780
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 1020mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 85g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 225mg
Keywords: Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Chicken, Oven-Baked, Grinder Slaw, Homemade Ranch, Non-Fried