Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Everyone has there favorite “cheat” meal… It might be something you cook up at home or maybe fast food is your guilty pleasure.

One of my husband and I’s favorite foods that we used to get when that craving hit was a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy’s. It’s been a while since I’ve had one, but man that’s a good sandwich, haha… 🙂

Let’s face it – fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food. So flavorful and crispy. Then you have the spicy whatever is on there and tomato, lettuce and of course the bun… So YUMMY!

My spicy chicken sandwich is on par with the flavors of the take-out meal we know and love, but with a few twists to make it a lighter option – from the baked and crispy breaded chicken, toppings of fresh tomato and lettuce and my special spicy sauce that takes this healthier dish to a whole new level!

Now I have to tell you: I have a lot of trial and errors with recipes trying to make them healthier, but still taste amazing. Sometimes it doesn’t work how I’ve planned out in my head, but this one… OMG, it came out even better than I hoped. I even had to check afterwards just to make sure it was really healthier, and yes – it is 😉

Needless to say, it’s one of our favorite recipes in the house (maybe even top 3!).

Okay, onto the recipe…

Spicy Chicken Sandwich Ingredients:

For the Spicy Chicken Sandwich

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (about 4 chicken breasts, measured into 4 oz. portions)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. Sriracha
salt and pepper
4 buns (I tried to keep mine on the lower end of calories, about 120 a bun)
lettuce (topping)
tomato (topping)

For the Spicy Sauce

2/3 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 tsp. hidden valley ranch dry seasoning
1 tsp. Sriracha
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne

Directions:

1. To make spicy chicken, start by preheating the oven to 425°. Take your 4 chicken breasts, trim the fat and then pound them out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Place them on a cutting board and then a layer of plastic wrap over and pound out evenly with a meat mallet (or whatever you have on hand).
2. Once the chicken is pounded out evenly, season both sides well with salt and pepper, place on a plate and set aside.
3. To coat the chicken you will need 3 separate shallow bowls laid out in an assembly line with a foil-lined baking sheet at the end.
4. In the first bowl, add cornstarch; second bowl, add egg and Sriracha beaten together; last bowl add panko, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, and garlic powder. Whisk together until ingredients are fully incorporated.
5. Take one chicken breast and first dip in the cornstarch making sure to coat all sides, then dip into the egg mixture and lastly the breadcrumb mixture, pressing crumbs into the chicken to ensure it’s fully coated. Repeat until all 4 chicken breasts are coated and on prepared baking sheet.
6. Spray tops of the chicken with cooking spray and place in the oven for 22-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, flipping halfway through.
7. When chicken is all done, start making the spicy sauce. In a small bowl add all sauce ingredients together, stir together until fully combined. (Refrigerate until ready to serve if you’re not making the sandwiches right away.)
8. Place chicken onto your desired bun or lettuce wrap. Top with tomato, lettuce and spicy sauce, and enjoy.

Nutritional Information:

Servings: 4 approx.
Serving Size: 1 prepared spicy chicken breast (about 4 oz. piece) approx. *

Calories: 248
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrates: 26g
Sugar: 2g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 388mg
Protein: 30g

*This is just including the 4 oz. spicy chicken patty with coating, not bun or additional toppings.