Description
This Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich features juicy, air-fried or oven-baked chicken breasts coated in a crunchy cornflake crust, tossed in a zesty cilantro lime chipotle sauce, and topped with a refreshing cucumber jalapeno cabbage salad and a creamy cilantro lime sandwich sauce. A delicious fusion of crispy textures and bold, tangy flavors perfect for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 chicken breasts (cut into halves long ways and slightly pounded out)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (can use 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 (cut in half, remove seed, and scoop out flesh)
- 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. Combine olive oil, avocado flesh, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, sour cream, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste. Transfer the sauce to a jar or bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the cucumber salad. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Add the thinly sliced cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cabbage, then gently toss until all vegetables are evenly coated. Set aside to marinate.
- Set up the dredging stations. In three shallow bowls, place the flour mixed with salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in the first; beaten eggs in the second; and crushed cornflakes in the third. Dredge each chicken piece first in the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with the cornflakes.
- Cook the chicken. For air frying, preheat to 360ºF and cook chicken for 14-16 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 425ºF, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cooked and crispy.
- Make the chicken coating sauce. While the chicken cooks, heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, and grated garlic. Simmer for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens into a syrupy consistency.
- Coat the chicken with sauce and assemble sandwiches. Place the cooked chicken pieces into the skillet with the thickened sauce and turn to coat both sides evenly. Place each coated chicken piece on a bread roll, top with a generous amount of cucumber salad and finish with a drizzle or spread of the chilled sandwich sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free flour and cornflakes for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeno in the cucumber salad for desired spice level.
- For extra crispiness, ensure chicken pieces are patted dry before dredging.
- The chicken coating sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated.
- To toast the bread rolls, place them in the oven or toaster for a few minutes until lightly golden.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crispy chicken sandwich, cilantro lime chicken, air fried chicken, oven baked chicken, crunchy chicken sandwich, summer sandwich, spicy chicken sandwich
