Chick fil a spicy chicken sandwich recipe

Hitting the Chick-fil-A drive-thru is a luxury for some. You just can't beat a crispy chicken sandwich that's tangy, savory, and slightly sweet — it checks all the taste bud boxes.

But, like our parents always told us when we asked to go to a fast-food restaurant, we have food at home. Luckily for us, that food could be a Chick-fil-A sandwich dupe. Next time you're craving the mouthwatering taste of a pickle-brined Chick-fil-A sandwich, try one of these options instead. Choose from Sam's Club's Member's Mark Southern-Style Chicken Sandwiches, Aldi's Red Bag Chicken, or our homemade Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe.

The chicken is a blank slate for customizations, so you can get as creative as you want with your sandwich without any upcharges — your wallet will thank you.

You'll be wowed at how comparable they are to Chick-fil-A's version. Let's just say, they're more than just a Sunday option.

Sam's Club Southern-Style Chicken Sandwiches

The Member's Mark sandwiches come pre-assembled in individually wrapped packages — meaning all you have to do is heat them up. I love air frying the chicken and toasting the bun in the toaster for the crispiest results.

It takes about 10 minutes to cook, then you can top it with whatever you like. The classic Chick-fil-A sandwich only comes with dill pickles, but the Deluxe has cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. You can also add your favorite Chick-fil-A sauces — and additional extras like bacon.

Sam's Club sandwiches come in two flavors: original and spicy, so you can recreate any of the fried chicken sandwiches on the fast-food chain's menu.

While it's unclear if the Member's Mark sandwiches are brined in pickle juice, there is dill in the ingredients, which gives a nice flavor punch.

A box of 10 sandwiches costs about $22 — which comes out to about $2.20 per piece. Even with additional toppings, these frozen packages are cheaper than the regular and Deluxe sandwiches at Chick-fil-A. Plus, Sam's Club's spicy option doesn't cost more, like it does at the restaurants.

Aldi Frozen Breaded Chicken Fillets

Aldi's frozen chicken fillets are so popular that they're affectionately known as Red Bag Chicken (because they come in a red bag).

They're a great quick and easy option for making salads, casseroles, or other chicken-based meals. However, the best way to use them is for a copycat Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Once again, I always air fry my chicken at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for about 8 minutes. Because these fillets don't come with a bun, you will need to buy a pack at the store. The good news is, Aldi has some great options at low prices — including brioche, Hawaiian sweet rolls, or regular hamburger buns. I always opt for brioche — I think it elevates the sandwich.

Aldi's Red Bag Chicken costs about $8 (depending on your store), which comes to about $.33 per ounce. You will need to buy a few more ingredients if you want to top the sandwiches, but with Aldi's low prices, you'll still come out spending less money per sandwich than you would at Chick-fil-A.

The most notable difference between Aldi's chicken fillets and Chick-fil-A's chicken is that there is no dill flavor in Aldi's fillets. However, you can combat that by adding a few extra pickles to your sandwich. Or, maybe that's a plus if you don't like that pickle.

Homemade Fried Chicken Sandwich

As with most copycat recipes, making it yourself is almost always more laborious than going out and getting it directly from the source. However, believe us when we say the homemade chicken sandwich is so worth it.

We used our Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe, but there are a few other Chick-fil-A replicas to choose from on our site.

If you're not an expert, pan-frying the chicken can be a little tricky (and messy), but it produces such a crispy chicken breast. After the first one, you'll get the hang of it.

The prickle brine is extremely necessary. The tangy dill flavor is very subtle, but it really makes it taste authentic.

Our homemade recipe is fairly cost-effective too. Most of the ingredients (the seasonings, flour, eggs, and milk) are pantry staples. You'll probably just have to buy chicken, buns, maybe pickles, and peanut oil for frying. However, you could easily use a different type of oil in a pinch.

The Bottom Line

These copycats will never replace the original — especially if you live and breathe Chick-fil-A sandwiches. However, they are delicious options nonetheless and could save you a pretty penny over time.

When you're craving chicken sandwiches, but in a time crunch, Aldi and Sam's Club's options are great choices. But when you have some time and are feeling up to it, we highly recommend trying our at-home recipe. Any which way — you won't be disappointed.

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