Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich with Cucumber Slaw Recipe

Introduction

This Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich is a flavorful and crunchy delight, perfect for a satisfying meal. Whether air-fried or oven-baked, the chicken is coated in a crunchy cornflake crust and finished with a zesty cilantro lime sauce and refreshing cucumber salad.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into halves lengthwise 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)
• 4 bread rolls of your choice (toasted if desired)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 avocado (cut in half, seed removed, flesh scooped out)
• 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)
• 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
• 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

1. Make the sandwich sauce: Combine olive oil, avocado, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, sour cream, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, then add salt to taste. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Prepare the cucumber salad: In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Add sliced cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cabbage. Toss to coat well and set aside.
3. Set up the breading stations: In three shallow bowls, place the flour mixed with salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in one; the beaten eggs in the second; and the crushed cornflakes in the third.
4. Coat the chicken: Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture, then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with crushed cornflakes.
5. Cook the chicken: For air frying, cook at 360ºF for 14-16 minutes. For oven baking, line a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray and bake at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
6. Make the coating sauce: While the chicken cooks, heat avocado oil, cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, and grated garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency.
7. Coat the chicken with sauce: Add the cooked chicken to the skillet and turn to coat both sides evenly with the thickened sauce.
8. Assemble the sandwiches: Place the coated chicken on the rolls, top with cucumber salad, and drizzle with the prepared sandwich sauce. Serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

• For extra crispiness, let the coated chicken rest for 10 minutes before cooking to help the breading adhere better.
• Substitute cornflakes with panko breadcrumbs for a lighter crunch.
• Add sliced pickles or tomatoes for additional layers of flavor in the sandwich.
• Use gluten-free flour and cornflakes to make this sandwich gluten-free.

Storage

Store leftover cooked chicken and sauces separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken gently in an oven or air fryer to maintain crispiness. Assemble sandwiches fresh to keep the bread from becoming soggy.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this sandwich vegetarian?

You can substitute the chicken with crispy fried tofu or a plant-based chicken alternative, then follow the same breading and sauce steps for a vegetarian version.

What if I don’t have an air fryer?

The recipe works equally well baked in the oven at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes; just remember to flip the chicken halfway through cooking for even crisping.

Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich with Cucumber Slaw Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 84 reviews

This Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich features tender chicken breasts coated in a crunchy cornflake crust, air-fried or oven-baked to perfection. Paired with a zesty cilantro lime sauce, a spicy cucumber salad, and creamy avocado blend, these sandwiches offer a refreshing and flavorful meal that’s ready in just 40 minutes.

• Author: Elias
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course / Sandwich
• Method: Air Frying
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Halal

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken and Breading

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into halves lengthwise 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)
• ½ large English cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup cabbage (thinly sliced and chopped)

Sandwich Sauce

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 avocado (cut in half, seed removed, flesh scooped out)
• 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 Dressing

• 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

1. Make the sandwich sauce: Combine olive oil, avocado, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, sour cream, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, add salt to taste, then refrigerate until ready to assemble.
2. Prepare the cucumber salad: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Add sliced cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cabbage, then toss well to coat. Set aside.
3. Bread the chicken: Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder; one with beaten eggs; and one with crushed cornflakes. Dredge each chicken piece first in the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with the cornflakes.
4. Cook the chicken: Air fry at 360ºF for 14-16 minutes or oven bake on a foil-lined, cooking spray-coated baking sheet at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 165ºF for safety.
5. Make the chicken coating sauce: While the chicken cooks, heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, and grated garlic. Reduce for about 5 minutes until thickened into a syrupy consistency.
6. Coat and assemble: Toss the cooked chicken in the skillet sauce to coat both sides. Place the chicken on bread rolls, then top with cucumber salad and a generous spread of the refrigerated sandwich sauce.

Notes

• You can use gluten-free flour to make the sandwich gluten-free.
• To toast the bread rolls, lightly brush with butter or olive oil and heat in a skillet or oven until golden.
• If you don’t have an air fryer, baking the chicken is a great alternative.
• Make sure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF to ensure it is fully cooked.
• The sandwich sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Adjust the jalapeno and red pepper flakes to control the spiciness according to preference.

Keywords: Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Air Fryer Chicken, Oven Baked Chicken, Easy Chicken Sandwich, Healthy Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich