Get ready for the best chicken po boy sandwich you've ever had. It's made with crispy, home-battered fried chicken tenderloin, a garden of veggies, and classic mayo, all on a sub roll!
Po boys or poor boys are one of my favorite sandwiches. They take the simple concept of filling between two slices of bread and kick it up with all kinds of delicious flavors. That's exactly what you get with this tasty chicken po boy sandwich.
Chicken Po Boy Sandwich
This was inspired by my fried pork chop sandwich recipe on this site and pairs well with these zippy copycat Taco Bell nacho fries.
Ingredients
This delicious sandwich recipe only uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- Vegetable oil
- Chicken tenderloins
- Buttermilk
- Pickle juice
- Kosher salt
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Black pepper
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Eggs
- Sub rolls
- Minced garlic
- Salt
For Serving
- Provolone cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced pickles
- Mayonnaise
See the recipe card at the end of the post for exact quantities.
Instructions
Although this is a fully from-scratch recipe, it only takes a few simple steps to make it!
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
Add the chicken to a bowl with buttermilk, pickle juice, and salt and marinate in the refrigerator until ready to cook or for 1 hour.
Step 2: Make the Dredge Station
In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornstarch, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix well. Then, divide the mixture evenly between 2 resealable bags.
Then, combine the eggs and pickle juice in a shallow bowl and whisk well.
Step 3: Coat the Chicken
Add the chicken to one of the resealable bags and shake to coat it in seasoned flour. Then, remove the chicken and dip it into the eggs, letting the excess egg drip off. Finally, place the chicken in the second resealable bag and shake to coat. Place each battered chicken strip on a baking sheet as you work.
Step 4. Fry
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a frying pan to 350 degrees. Then, add the chicken tenders to the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes per side and golden brown. Don't overcrowd the pan. As the tenders finish frying, place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a rack and set aside.
Step 5: Toast the Rolls
Combine vegetable oil, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Then, lay the rolls open face on a baking sheet and brush them with the oil. Place them 6 inches under the broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted.
Step 6: Construct the Po Boys
Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately place a slice of provolone cheese on the warm bread to melt. Then, add a fried chicken tender.
Next, brush the other side of the roll with mayonnaise. Top with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles and anything else your heart desires. Secure with a sandwich pick, if desired, and serve with remoulade sauce or one of these dips.
My husband loves to use this horseradish aioli, chipotle mayo or avocado aioli.
Hint: It's important to work in batches when frying your chicken so the oil doesn't get too cool.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this chicken po boy sandwich.
- Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk, make your own by combining 1 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and you have buttermilk!
- Table Salt - You can use table salt if you don't have kosher salt.
- Sliced Chicken Breast - If you don't have tenderloins, you can just slice chicken breasts lengthwise.
- No Provolone Cheese - Use pepper jack, havarti, mozzarella, fontina, manchego, cheddar or edam will work in a pinch.
Variations
Want to personalize this chicken po boy sandwich recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Spicy - Add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or add dried jalapeno powder or cajun seasoning to flour mixture.
- No Garlic Powder - Use onion powder instead or both to flour mixture.
- Extra Toppings - Add avocado or guacamole and sliced red onions or crispy onions.
- Use a Different Batter - Make this slightly sweeter batter for shrimp, fish, chicken and more if you prefer.
- Shrimp Po Boy - Use large shrimp that are peeled and cleaned instead of chicken.
- Fried Tomato Po Boy - Make this sandwich using the best crispy fried tomatoes and don't forget to double dunk each tomato before frying.
- Other Po Boy Variations - Try using crab, oysters, crawfish, catfish or another white fish (tilapia, haddock, grouper, cod, bass or halibut) or even leftover roast beef.
- Vegetarian - Use portobello mushrooms and your favorite veggies.
- Lobster Po Boy - Use lobster meat instead of chicken or if you prefer no batter try our butter poached or fried lobster recipe to make yourself the best lobster-filled po boy instead.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this air-fried Nashville hot chicken.
Storage
You can store these in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that they're best when fresh, and the bread can get soggy the longer they're stored.
What To Serve With Chicken Po Boy
So now you have your amazing chicken po boy. All you need to complete your meal is an absolutely mind blowing side dish. Check out the list that Ken and I created and elevate your lunch or dinner to an ultimate level!
Tips
This fried chicken po boy recipe is fairly straightforward, but I have a few tips to help make everything easier and more delicious.
- Never overcrowd your frying pan. It will lower the oil temperature, leading to a soggy coating rather than a crispy one.
- Don't skip the marinade step. This helps tenderize the chicken and add more flavor.
- Keep a close eye on your bread when broiling it so you don't burn it.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this chicken po boy? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this chicken po boy sandwich.
It's a traditional Louisiana sandwich almost always filled with meat - usually roast beef or fried seafood - and served on New Orleans French bread.
They'll keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. But remember that the longer they sit, the soggier the bread will get.
If you crowd the frying pan, the oil temperature will drop too low. This results in slower cooking that allows the batter to absorb the oil rather than simply crisp up.
More Chicken Recipes
Do you like chicken? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Chicken Po Boy
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Chicken Po’ Boy
Equipment
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup pickle juice
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon pickle juice
- 6 sub rolls
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt -
For Serving
- Shredded Lettuce
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Sliced Pickles
- Mayonnaise
Instructions
- Add chicken tenderloins to a bowl with buttermilk, pickle juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a frying pan to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, cornstarch, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika into a mixing bowl and mix well. Divide flour into 2 resealable baggies.
- Combine eggs and pickle juice in a shallow bowl and whisk.
- First, add the chicken to a resealable bag and shake to coat in flour. Next, remove from the flour and dip into the eggs. Let the excess eggs drip off, then place into the second bag and shake to coat. Place onto a baking sheet or cutting board while you work.
- Add chicken tenders to the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the oil, work in batches if need be.
- Place onto a paper towel lined baking sheet and set aside.
- Combine vegetable oil, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Lay rolls open face on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Place into the oven 6” under the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast. Remove from the oven and immediately place a slice of provolone onto the bread while it is still warm to melt. Top with fried chicken.
- Brush the other side of the roll with mayonnaise and top with sliced pickles.
- Add shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes if desired and close the roll. Secure with a sandwich pick and enjoy!
Notes
- Never overcrowd your frying pan. It will lower the oil temperature, leading to a soggy coating rather than a crispy one.
- Don't skip the marinade step. This helps tenderize the chicken and add more flavor.
- Keep a close eye on your bread when broiling it so you don't burn it.
Nutrition
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