Copycat Carl Jr's Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Claudia Dawn's Note:

This recipe is from: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com. We don't have Carl Jr's around here but figured that they must be good if someone is trying to copycat them. I wasn't disappointed! Love the ranch dressing! I used a chicken fryer skillet rather than a deep fryer.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 4 hamburger buns with sesame seeds
• 4 leaves lettuce
• 4 slices tomatoes
• 4 slices kraft swiss cheese
• 8 slices bacon, cooked
• 6 -8 cups vegetable shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Ranch Dressing

• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash garlic
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1 dash dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 teaspoons hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat 6-8 cups of shortening in a deep fryer to 350 degrees or use a deep chicken fryer skillet adding 2” of shortening.
2. To prepare the ranch dressing, combine all of the ingredients except the water and gelatin in small bowl.
3. Mix the water with the gelatin in a small cup until all of the gelatin is dissolved.
4. Add this gelatin solution to the other ingredients and stir.
5. Cover and chill the dressing until it's needed (I like to prepare the day before so flavors blend).
6. Beat the egg and then combine with 1 cup water in a small, shallow bowl.
7. Stir.
8. Combine the flour, salt, onion powder and garlic powder in another shallow bowl.
9. Pound each of the breast fillets with a mallet until about 1/4-inch thick.
10. Working with one fillet at a time, first coat each fillet with the flour, then dredge it in the egg and water mixture.
11. Coat the chicken once again in the flour and set it aside until all of the fillets have been breaded.
12. Fry the chicken fillets until light brown and crispy.
13. As chicken is frying, prepare each sandwich by grilling the face of the hamburger buns on a hot skillet over medium heat.
14. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the ranch dressing on the face of the top and bottom buns.
15. On the bottom bun, stack a leaf of lettuce and a tomato slice.
16. When the chicken is done frying, remove the fillets from the fryer and drain them on paper towels or a rack for a couple of minutes.
17. Stack one fillet onto the bottom of the sandwich (onto the tomato), then stack a slice of the Swiss cheese onto the chicken.
18. Arrange the bacon, crosswise, on top of the Swiss cheese, then top off the sandwich with the top bun.
19. Repeat the stacking process for each of the remaining sandwiches.

Reviews

[Horshem]

A great sandwich. I buttered and sprinkled the buns and toasted in a skillet for an even better sandwich. In Florida, we used to get a similar sandwich at a place called Calico Jack's.

[FlaBeachBuns]

Excellent, I will make it again!

[Chef #165217]

This recipe was created by Todd Wilbur. It is published in his book entitled "Even More Top Secret Recipes". www.topsecretrecipes.com