Flaming Hot Cheeto Chicken Sandwich

A spicy chicken sandwich breaded in Flaming Hot Cheetos.

That’s right. That volcanic red color of this sandwich comes from a crumbed coating of Flaming Hot Cheetos. Is it a recipe of either pure genius or depraved gluttony? Honestly both. This recipe adds to my ever-growing list of what I like to call Frankenstein foods, or a blending together of two foods to create an unholy meal of pure delicious insanity.

Examples include:

And now the Flaming Hot Cheeto Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich is brined in pickle juice to keep it nice and juicy, then tossed in your standard flour and egg wash, before the final coat of Cheetos, and then it’s baked to crispy, juicy, spicy, perfection.

Time You Need

  • Prep: ~25 minutes
  • 30 minutes resting
  • Cooking: 30-35 minutes

What You Need

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 32 oz jar of dill pickles w/ pickle brine
  • 1 8.5 oz bag of flaming hot Cheetos
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ΒΌ cup of milk
  • ~1 cup of flour
  • For serving: buns, pickles, lettuce, coleslaw, cheese slices, any other desired toppings

What You Do

  • Cut each chicken breast in half.
  • Take the four pieces of chicken and cover in plastic wrap.
  •  Using your fist or a tenderizer, beat chicken breast to tenderize and soften.
  • In a plastic bag or covered bowl, marinate the chicken in 32 oz of pickle juice brine. Refrigerate and let sit for half an hour.
  • Using a food processor, crush the flaming hot Cheetos into a fine powder. You might not need the whole bag, but ideally want to get about 3 cups of Cheeto powder.
  • Place the crushed Cheeto powder in a large bowl or gallon bag.
  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Once the chicken is done marinating in the brine, preheat the oven to 375, and line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel.
  • Create a dredging station for the chicken, with one bowl of flour, one bowl of beaten eggs and milk, and one bowl/bag of flaming hot Cheetos.
  • Working one chicken breast at a time, toss the chicken in flour, then egg, shake off excess batter, and toss in the Cheeto dust.
  • Place on the baking sheet and repeat for the rest of the chicken.
  • Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
  • Serve as a plain chicken breast, or as a sandwich with desired toppings!