Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich with Boursin and Hot Honey

This Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich is stacked with potato chip–crusted chicken, creamy Boursin, fresh arugula, and hot honey for a mix of crunch, richness, and sweet heat.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer, boursin, chicken thighs, sandwich

Servings: sandwiches

Author: Amanda Biddle

Ingredients

For the Air Fried Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat
Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup crushed potato chips (see Note 1)
¾ teaspoon Lawry's original seasoned salt , divided
¾ teaspoon granulated garlic powder , divided
½ teaspoon onion powder , divided
½ teaspoon smoked paprika , divided
2 large eggs

For the Sandwiches

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 sandwich buns , such as ciabatta or brioche
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (more or less, to taste)
5.3 ounce package Boursin garlic and fine herbs cheese
2 to 4 tablespoons hot honey (or regular honey, to taste)
1 cup baby arugula
1 large tomato , thinly sliced

Instructions

Bread and Air Fry the Chicken

Lightly season the chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Do not over-season.
Set up three shallow bowls. In the first, combine the flour with ½ teaspoon Lawry's salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika.
In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third bowl, combine the crushed potato chips with the remaining ¼ teaspoon each of seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
Dredge each chicken thigh in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg, letting excess drip off, then press firmly into the potato chips to coat well.
Preheat the air fryer to 390°F according to your model’s instructions. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the basket, leaving space between pieces. Cook in two batches if needed.
Air-fry for 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the coating is crisp and the chicken is cooked through (175–185°F for best texture — see Notes 2 and 3). Remove from the air fryer and transfer to a wire rack (see Note 4).

Assemble the Sandwiches

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Toast one roll, cut side down, until lightly golden, pressing gently for even browning. Repeat with remaining rolls, adding butter to the pan as needed.
Spread about ½ tablespoon of mayonnaise on each of the top halves of the rolls. Place the chicken on the bottom halves and immediately spread about 2 to 2½ tablespoons of Boursin over each piece while the chicken is hot.
Drizzle with hot honey (or regular honey if you prefer no heat). Top with arugula and tomato slices, then close the sandwiches and serve right away.

Notes

1. Potato chips: Crush the chips in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin until mostly fine, with some chunkier pieces mixed in. Fine crumbs help the coating adhere, while larger pieces add extra crunch.

I like kettle chips or wavy chips for the best texture. I've also made this sandwich with Cape Cod Reduced Fat Kettle Chips with good results.

Potato chip brands can vary in saltiness—if yours are on the salty side, use a lighter hand with the Lawry’s seasoned salt in both the flour and chip coating.

2. Chicken temperature: Chicken thighs are safe to eat at 165°F, but cooking them a little higher results in a more tender texture.

3. Air fryer timing: Cooking times vary depending on your air fryer. Keep an eye on the chicken as it's cooking. If the coating starts to brown too fast (or if you know your air fryer runs hot), reduce the temperature to 375°F.

4. Keeping the chicken warm: When cooking in batches, keep finished pieces on a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Nutrition

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