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This Chicken Cutlet Sandwich is everything you want in a great chicken sandwich. Crispy breaded chicken, a creamy homemade barbecue sauce, crunchy pickles, and toasted bread come together for an easy meal that’s even better than takeout. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or whenever you’re craving a restaurant-style sandwich at home.
As a certified nutrition coach and mom of five, I am always looking for meals that everyone will actually get excited about. This chicken cutlet sandwich is one of those recipes. The crispy chicken and flavorful sauce make it feel like a treat, but it’s surprisingly simple to make at home and much fresher than anything from a drive-thru.
Once the chicken cutlets are golden and crispy, pile them onto toasted bread with creamy barbecue sauce and pickles for a sandwich that’s hard to resist.
If you’re a sandwich lover like me, you might also enjoy my Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Chopped Italian Sandwich, or Air Fryer Grilled Cheese. And if you’re looking for more chicken recipes, my Chicken Tinga and Chicken Al Pastor are always family favorites and are delicious served with rice.
Key Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients for making this chicken cutlet sandwich. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are sliced into thin cutlets so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs create the crispy golden coating that gives the sandwich its signature crunch.
- Pickles: Pickles add brightness and crunch that balance the richness of the chicken and sauce.
- BBQ Sauce: Barbecue sauce gives the sandwich a smoky, slightly sweet flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: A little Dijon adds tang and depth to the sauce.
- Toasted Bread: Toasting the bread helps prevent sogginess and adds texture to every bite.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the Pounding Step: Evenly sized cutlets cook more consistently and stay juicier.
- Overcrowding the Pan: Too many cutlets at once will steam instead of crisp.
- Using Untoasted Bread: Toasted bread holds up much better to sauces and juicy chicken.
- Overcooking the Chicken: Cook just until the chicken reaches 165°F to keep it tender and juicy.
- Assembling Too Early: Build the sandwiches right before serving for maximum crunch.
How To Make Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets and lightly pound them to an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Bread the Cutlets: Coat each cutlet in flour, dip into beaten eggs, then coat evenly in breadcrumbs.
✏️ Tip: Consider adding some onion powder and garlic powder to the flour mixture for added flavor. About 1/2 teaspoon each.
Cook Until Crispy: Sear the breaded chicken in a skillet until golden brown, then transfer to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Make the Sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and Dijon mustard until smooth.
Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread the sauce on toasted bread, add pickles and chicken cutlets, then serve immediately.
How to Keep Chicken Cutlets Crispy
For the crispiest chicken cutlets, start by patting the chicken dry before breading. When cooking, avoid overcrowding the pan so the cutlets can brown properly instead of steaming. Once cooked, place them on a wire rack rather than stacking them on a plate to help maintain their crunch.
I also recommend toasting the bread before assembling the sandwiches, which helps keep everything crisp and prevents the bread from getting soggy.
Common questions
These chicken cutlet sandwiches pair well with a variety of sides! They’re great with a light salad, soup, fries, or chips.
Yes. Cook the chicken cutlets up to 3 days in advance and reheat in the oven or air fryer before serving.
Absolutely. Air fry at 375°F until the chicken reaches 165°F and the coating is crispy.
Yes. Freeze the cooked cutlets for up to 3 months and reheat in the oven for the best texture.
Brioche buns, ciabatta rolls, sandwich bread, potato buns, and sourdough all work well.
Variations
There are lots of ways to make these sandwiches your own from changing up the sauce or the bread! Here are some options:
- Italian Style: Give these an Italian flavor by adding Italian seasoning, and mozzarella cheese and using marinara instead of the sauce.
- Buffalo Style: Replace the barbecue sauce with buffalo sauce.
- Bread: Use any favorite bread from ciabatta rolls to regular sandwich bread.
- Add Cheese: This recipe doesn’t call for cheese but it would be delicious to add melty cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese to the sandwiches.
- Make It Spicy: Add hot sauce to the mayo mixture or top with jalapeños.
- Swap the Sauce: Feel free to use any sauce you like best. My In-N-Out sauce recipe would be delicious too! 😍
- Make It Healthier: Serve on whole grain bread and add lettuce and tomatoes. Dietitians often recommend focusing on lean chicken and vegetable toppings when building healthier sandwiches.
Storage recommendations
It’s best to store the components of the sandwich separately. If you have leftover chicken patties, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or an air fryer until warm and crispy.
What to Serve with Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches
- Baked potato wedges
- Sweet potato fries
- Healthy Coleslaw
- Dill pickle potato salad
- Classic Macaroni salad
- Creamy Cucumber salad
More Sandwich Recipes
- Chicken Avocado Ranch Burrito Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Gyro Sandwich
- Chicken Caesar Wrap
- Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below.
Chicken Cutlet Sandwich With BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 slices of your favorite bread, toasted
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- pickles, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast in half and lightly pound with a mallet to reach to an even thickness. This will also tenderize the meat.
- Season the chicken cutlets with kosher salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge into the 1/2 cup whole wheat flour.
- Dip them into beaten 2 large eggs, allowing the excess to drip back; dredge into the 1 cup breadcrumbs, making sure the cutlets are evenly coated on all sides.
- Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and drizzle with the 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cook the cutlets, in batches, in the pan until just golden; transfer to the prepared sheet pan and bake for 12 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165ºF.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading some sauce on the 8 slices of your favorite bread toast, top with pickles and cutlets.
Notes
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness for even cooking.
- Toast the bread before assembling for the best texture.
- Use a thermometer and cook the chicken to 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before assembling.
- Store the chicken, sauce, and bread separately for the best leftovers.
- Add cheese during the last few minutes of cooking if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Juicy and Delish. Everyone loved it.
Perfect. So glad.
Use panko instead of bread crumbs. Or a mixture of breadcrumbs and panko. Just to give it a little crunch. Or if you want a slightly different flavor grind up some wheat germ and throw that in the mixture.
Hi. Thanks for the feedback. Sounds great. Love it. Why not.