Description
Spicy Nashville-style air fryer hot chicken ham and cheese sandwich combines crispy chicken with melted cheese. Southern comfort meets culinary innovation in this quick and satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, thinly sliced or pounded to 0.5 inch/1.27 cm thickness)
- 4 slices deli ham
- 4 slices Swiss or cheddar cheese
- 4 sandwich buns or rolls
- 2 tbsps/30 mL butter, melted
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Dijon mustard (optional)
- mayonnaise (optional)
- lettuce or baby spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Seasoning Preparation: Generously coat chicken breasts with a robust blend of garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, transforming them into flavor-packed canvases.
- Initial Air Frying: Position seasoned chicken breasts in a single, uncrowded layer within the air fryer basket at 375F (190C), cooking for 8-10 minutes and rotating midway until internal temperature reaches 165F (74C).
- Sandwich Assembly: Allow chicken to rest briefly, then layer each breast with ham and cheese, preparing buttered bun interiors and optional condiments like mustard or mayonnaise.
- Final Crisping: Construct sandwiches in air fryer with chicken, ham, and cheese, offsetting bun tops to prevent moisture absorption, then crisp for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts and buns turn golden.
- Serving: Enhance sandwiches with fresh lettuce or spinach leaves, creating a vibrant, gourmet air-fried meal ready to be served immediately while maintaining optimal warmth and texture.
Notes
- Optimize Seasoning: Generously coat chicken with spices, ensuring each side absorbs maximum flavor for a robust taste profile.
- Check Temperature Precision: Use a meat thermometer to confirm chicken reaches exactly 165F, preventing undercooking while maintaining juicy texture.
- Prevent Overcrowding: Space chicken breasts single-layered in air fryer basket, allowing hot air to circulate evenly and create consistent golden-brown exterior.
- Maximize Moisture Retention: Let chicken rest briefly after cooking to redistribute internal juices, guaranteeing tender and succulent meat before assembling sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg