Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich with Cucumber Salad Recipe
Enjoy a flavorful and crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwich, perfectly cooked either air-fried or oven-baked for a healthier twist. This sandwich features tender chicken breasts coated in a crunchy cornflake crust, topped with a zesty cilantro lime sauce, fresh cucumber salad, and creamy avocado spread, making it a refreshing and satisfying meal ideal for lunch or dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 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)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
For the Sandwich Sauce:
- 1 avocado (halved, 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)
For the 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
For the 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)
For Serving:
- 4 bread rolls of your choice (toasted if desired)
Instructions
- Make the sandwich sauce: Combine olive oil, avocado, cilantro, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, sour cream, and black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste. Transfer the sauce to a jar and refrigerate until assembly.
- Prepare the cucumber salad: In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Add sliced cucumber, jalapeno, and chopped cabbage. Toss well to combine and set aside.
- Bread the chicken: Set up three shallow bowls—one with flour, salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder; the second with beaten eggs; the third with crushed cornflakes. Dredge each chicken piece in flour mixture, then eggs, then coat thoroughly with cornflakes.
- Cook the chicken: For air frying, preheat to 360ºF and cook chicken for 14-16 minutes until golden and internal temperature reaches 165ºF. For oven baking, line a baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray, and bake at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- 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. Reduce for about 5 minutes until thickened to a syrupy consistency.
- Coat the chicken: Add cooked chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the sauce over both sides to coat evenly.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Place sauced chicken breasts on toasted rolls. Top with cucumber salad and generous dollops of the sandwich sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free flour if needed for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust the spice level by varying the amount of jalapeno and red pepper flakes.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF for food safety.
- The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- For extra crispiness, use fresh cornflakes rather than stale ones.
Keywords: cilantro lime chicken sandwich, air fried chicken sandwich, baked chicken sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich, healthy chicken sandwich
