There is nothing better than an Air Fryer Copycat KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Nothing you get beats KFC’s rich, delicious, and yummy breading. I love a great air-fried chicken sandwich!

A deliciously moist and authentic copycat recipe for the famous KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich. This Air Fryer fried chicken is golden brown, breaded perfectly, and absolutely delicious. It’s soaked in buttermilk for typical Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken. And, of course, I used all of the secret spices to keep it accurate to KFC.
KFC Copycat Air Fryer Fried Chicken Sandwich
Let me tell you, you can not get any better Fried Chicken in this world than KFC. It’s amazing! I know a few of you disagree and say that Chick-Fil-A Chicken is better, but for true crispness, I would vote for KFC all of the ways.
Most fast-food restaurants have started selling chicken sandwiches, which are all taken on one another. Today, I made a simple Air Fryer Copycat KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich.

The KFC Secret Spice Blend

Before we get into how to make this KFC Fried Chicken Sandwich, I wanted to go over the secret spice ingredients with you; there are 11. Everyone found out about them based on a newspaper article going back to a newspaper article published here.
The Spice Blend Includes:
- Salt
- White Pepper
- Black Pepper
- Dried Basil
- Celery Salt
- Dried Mustard
- Garlic Salt
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Oregano
- Paprika
- Thyme
In theory, there is an additional one: MSG, but since I’m making this recipe at home for my family, I have omitted it. But you can buy it on Amazon or at the local grocery store.
Air Fryer Copycat KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich Ingredients

- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- Brioche Buns
- All-Purpose Flour
- Potato Starch
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Pickle Chips
- Secret Spices (See Ingredients Above)
- Spicy Mayonnaise
How to Make KFC Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer

Prepare your dredging station. In a small bowl, whisk to combine eggs and buttermilk. Add 1 ½ cup flour into a separate bowl or tray with raised edges. Then, combine 1 ½ cups flour, potato starch, and secret spices in a third large bowl or tray.

Dredge the chicken in plain flour first. Then, soak the chicken in the eggs and allow excess to drip off. Next, place chicken into the seasoned flour and coat completely. Place the chicken back into the eggs and the seasoned flour for a second time. This gives a thick and crunchy crust.

Preheat the air fryer to 390* for 5 minutes. Once heated, line the basket with foil and place chicken breasts inside. Spray the chicken breasts with canola oil and cook for 13 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts, and cook for an additional 11 minutes.
Prepare sandwiches. Add 1 tbsp of spicy mayo to the bottom brioche bun. Top with pickles and fried chicken breast. Serve with wedge fries and coleslaw, and enjoy!

Some Common Questions Asked About Making Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Do air fryers work for fried chicken?
Yes, the hot air circulating around the air fryer creates a light and crunchy batter, absolutely delicious for fried chicken.
There is nothing better. For best results, add a thin layer of olive oil or other high-heating oil, which will help your fried chicken crisp up.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken
The real key to making fried chicken would be to preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees F, air fryer setting,t his way when you add your chicken up, the breading sears.
The other key is to really make sure that your coating is covered with a high-heat oil; otherwise, at the end of the cooking process, you will get a chicken with either white spots (dried flour) or dried brown spots. (meaning your breading has dried out)
Another key is to really flip your chicken halfway. This way, both sides are evenly exposed to the heating element.
How Long Do I Cook Air Fryer Chicken?
The true timing of your chicken will depend on two factors, how thick your chicken is and what type of air fryer you own; here is a general rule of thumb for air frying chicken:
- Chicken Thighs: whether boneless or bone-in: They will air fry for about 25 to 30 minutes. T
- Chicken Breasts: The general rule of thumb is about 10-15 minutes.
- Chicken Tenders: Average time is about 8 to 15 minutes.
Whatever chicken you use, ensure the internal temperature reaches the USDA Federal Guidelines. And one of the best tools that you can use is your Meat Thermometer.
Tips and Tricks
- For best results, spray your chicken with a thin layer of cooking spray on the breading, which will help it crisp.
- Spread out the chicken in the air fryer basket. This way, the hot air can flow around the chicken, which will help it crisp up.
- Flip halfway, so both sides get evenly cooked.
- Make sure to use about the same size chicken breasts so that the chicken will be cooked simultaneously.
Some More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes for You to Try:
- BBQ AIR FRYER CHICKEN BREAST
- AIR FRYER TRADER JOE’S FRIED RICE
- AIR FRYER EASY CHICKEN TENDERS
- EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
- AIR FRYER HONEY BBQ CHICKEN TENDERS
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Air Fryer Copycat KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Description
Ingredients
Secret Spices:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2s teaspoons ancho chili powder
Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 Brioche Buns
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons potato starch, optional, but adds more crunch to the breading
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 10-12 sliced pickle chips
Spicy Mayo
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Prepare your dredging station. In a small bowl, whisk to combine eggs and buttermilk. Add 1 ½ cup flour into a separate bowl or tray with raised edges. Then, combine 1 ½ cups flour, potato starch, and secret spices in a third large bowl or tray.
- Dredge the chicken in plain flour first. Then, soak the chicken in the eggs and allow tje excess to drip off. Next, place chicken into the seasoned flour and coat completely. Place the chicken back into the eggs and the seasoned flour for a second time. This gives a thick and crunchy crust.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390* for 5 minutes. Once heated, line the basket with foil and place chicken breasts inside. Spray the chicken breasts with canola oil and cook for 13 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts, and cook for an additional 11 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare spicy mayo. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree for 15 seconds. Alternatively, add to a bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.
- Prepare sandwiches. Add 1 tbsp of spicy mayo to the bottom brioche bun. Top with pickles and fried chicken breast.
- Serve with wedge fries and coleslaw, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Cooking Spray
- Parchment Paper, optional
Nutrition
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