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Buttermilk-brined, lightly breaded chicken fillet, fried golden brown, with mayo and pickles on a toasted brioche bun. This Copycat Hardee's Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich, made better at home in about an hour (plus brine time).

Copycat Hardee's Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich

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Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 4 Servings

Description

Buttermilk-brined, lightly breaded chicken fillet, fried golden brown, with mayo and pickles on a toasted brioche bun. The classic Hardee's chicken sandwich, made better at home in about an hour (plus brine time).

Ingredients 

Brine:

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally (4 fillets), or chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Light Breading:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

For Frying & Assembly:

  • Vegetable or peanut oil for frying
  • 4 brioche-style buns
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 16 dill pickle slices

Instructions

  • Brine. Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Submerge chicken. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  • Air-dry. Drain chicken, place on wire rack over a baking sheet, refrigerate uncovered 30 minutes.
  • Mix breading. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings.
  • Heat oil to 350°F (1 inch deep in a skillet or Dutch oven).
  • Bread chicken. Press each fillet into breading, turning to coat. Press firmly. Let rest 1 minute on rack.
  • Fry 2 fillets at a time, 3–4 min per side, until 165°F internal and deep golden brown.
  • Drain on a wire rack — never paper towels.
  • Toast buns butter-side down in a dry skillet, 1 minute.
  • Build: bottom bun → 1 tbsp mayo → fried chicken → 4 pickle slices → top bun.
  • Serve immediately.

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Shallow dredging dish
  • Heavy skillet or Dutch oven
  • Wire Rack
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Tongs

Notes

Notes

  • Buttermilk brine for 4 hours minimum. It's the texture secret.
  • Air-dry the brined chicken before breading.
  • Cornstarch + baking powder in the breading = light, crispy texture.
  • Don't drain on paper towels. Wire rack only.
  • Toast the bun — keeps the bottom from going soggy.
  • Real mayo and dill (not sweet) pickles.
  • Air fryer version: Bread, spray with oil, cook at 380°F for 8 min + 5–7 min after flipping.
  • Storage: Refrigerate cooked chicken (no bun) up to 2 days. Reheat at 375°F in air fryer 4–5 min. Freeze cooked, wrapped individually, up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 20gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1895mgPotassium: 442mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 496IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 2mg