Hope you’re ready because this one takes some work, but if you put in the effort you will reap the rewards! Let’s start by listing the ingredients and then walking through the preparation process. Chick-Fil-A adds a “secret ingredient” which is actually just powdered confection sugar, but it makes the breading taste phenomenal. If you’re a diabetic this is obviously a problem – so we have included a recipe for diabetic confection sugar as part of our procedure. As we said, the process is a bit more in-depth than it is for some recipes but if you’re willing to put in the time you will reap what you sow!
Ingredients:
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 4 Rolls or Hamburger Buns
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Potato Starch
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1/2 tsp Celery Seed
- Dill Pickles (juice)
- Salt and Pepper (sprinkled)
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Diabetic Confection Sugar – this is their secret ingredient, altered slightly for diabetics.
Diabetic Confection Sugar:
- 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
- 2 cups cornstarch
- 1 cup Splenda
Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and whip until well blended and powdered. There is your confection sugar!
Step 1: Tenderize your chicken.
- Place the chicken breast in a large Ziploc Baggie or in plastic wrap and close it off.
- Place the bag of chicken on a wooden cutting board.
- Use a Meat Tenderizer and pound the chicken until it is about 1/2 inch thick and/or pretty even from end to end.
Step #2 – Brine your chicken in Dill Pickle Juice
Why Use Pickle Juice? That’s what the folks at Chick-Fil-A are using so if you want to get as close to authentic as possible, this is how. Pickle juice also makes the chicken very juicy while cooking. Don’t worry about it ruining your chicken if you’re not a fan of pickles though. It is not going to make your chicken taste like a pickle.
Step #3 – Mix Dry Ingredients and Eggs in Separate Bowls
This is pretty simple. Take all the dry ingredients (Potato Starch, Flour, Celery Seed, Salt & Pepper, Paprika – and last but far from least – Diabetic Confection Sugar) and whisk them together in one dish. In another dish whisk the eggs and milk together.
Step #4 – Coat Chicken With Breading
The next obvious step is to use tongs to dip your chicken pieces in the egg mixture, and then into your dry mixture. Once the chicken pieces are coated you can place them in your air fryer. Using tongs will also help prevent all your mixture from gooping up and sticking to your fingers!
Step #5 – Air Fry Your Chicken
The oil you use is important. Chick-Fil-A uses peanut oil to fry their chicken but as a diabetic that might not be your best option. According to NDTV Foods Canola Oil is the best choice for diabetics. In an air fryer you are also using a lot less oil than you would in a deep or pan fried situation.
VOILA! Put your fried chicken on the buns with pickle chips and mayo and enjoy! As a side note you can use this recipe to make Chick-Fil-A Nuggets – simply cut the chicken into smaller bits during the initial preparation. You can use the same breading and cooking instructions.
Hope you enjoy this recipe!
