Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich Recipe
This Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich is a vibrant and flavorful delight combining perfectly crispy chicken with zesty, creamy sauces and a fresh cucumber salad. The chicken is coated with a crunchy cornflake crust and air fried to perfection, then coated in a tangy cilantro lime syrup before being stacked on toasted rolls with a refreshing cucumber and jalapeno slaw. This sandwich offers a perfect balance of texture and bright southwestern-inspired flavors that will satisfy any appetite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 chicken breasts (cut into halves lengthwise and slightly pounded out)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 1 cup cornflakes (lightly crushed)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 eggs (beaten)
Sandwich Components
- 4 bread rolls of your choice (toasted if desired)
Sandwich Sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 avocado (halved, seed removed, flesh scooped out)
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Salt (to taste)
Cucumber Salad
- ½ large English cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup cabbage (thinly sliced and chopped)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Chicken Coating Sauce
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil
- 6 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup lime juice
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves (grated)
Instructions
- Make the sandwich sauce: In a blender, combine olive oil, avocado flesh, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, sour cream, and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and add salt as needed. Transfer the sauce to a bottle or jar and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Prepare the cucumber salad: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Add the thinly sliced cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cabbage, tossing well to coat all the vegetables evenly. Set aside.
- Set up the dredging stations: Place the flour mixture (flour, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder) in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in a second bowl, and crushed cornflakes in a third. Dredge each chicken half first in the flour mixture, then dip into the eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with the crushed cornflakes.
- Cook the chicken: Air fry the coated chicken pieces at 360ºF (182ºC) for 14-16 minutes until golden and crispy, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165ºF (74ºC). Alternatively, bake on a foil-lined, cooking spray-coated baking sheet at 425ºF (218ºC) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
- Make the chicken coating sauce: While the chicken cooks, combine avocado oil, finely chopped cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, and grated garlic in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces and thickens into a syrupy sauce, about 5 minutes.
- Coat the cooked chicken: Add the cooked chicken breasts into the skillet with the sauce, turning to coat both sides thoroughly with the thickened sauce.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Place each coated chicken breast on a toasted bread roll. Top with the prepared cucumber salad and a generous drizzle of the cilantro lime sandwich sauce. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour and ensure cornflakes are gluten-free.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeno in the cucumber salad to control spice level to your preference.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, baking is an excellent alternative method.
- Make sure to pound chicken evenly for consistent cooking and crispiness.
- Leftover sandwich sauce can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Keywords: crispy chicken sandwich, cilantro lime chicken, air fried chicken, homemade sandwich sauce, healthy chicken sandwich, cucumber slaw sandwich
