Wendy's Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant Copycat Recipe

Want a quick, easy, and decidedly delicious sandwich? Then hop in the car and head to Wendy's to buy yourself a Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant sandwich. Want to save a bit of time and cash and skip the trip? Then make yourself a copycat of said sandwich with this recipe. All told, you'll be enjoying your eats faster than if you headed to the restaurant. Plus, your homemade take on this sandwich will be a bit healthier, too, not to mention all the more satisfying thanks to your culinary achievement.

With this sandwich prep, it all comes down to proper planning. "While this isn't as easy as a plate of scrambled eggs, the recipe is still very quick as there are a lot of things you can do at once," says chef and recipe developer Michelle McGlinn. "For example, you can fry the bacon, whether by skillet or by oven, while heating the oil. And while you heat the oil, you can dredge the chicken. The maple honey butter comes together in less than a minute, so the whole process is about as long as the chicken prep."

All told, you'll need about 20 minutes from the start of prep to the first bite. So let's not waste a minute more!

Given the ostensible simplicity of this sandwich (it's just chicken and bacon on a croissant with some flavoring, no) there are a surprising amount of ingredients. But surprise, surprise: that's why it's delicious.

All told, you'll need 2 chicken breasts, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of water, 2 tablespoons of pickle juice, salt and pepper, divided, 3 cups of wheat flour (all-purpose will work fine too), 1 tablespoon of paprika, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 quart of vegetable oil (canola oil will work), 8 tablespoons (AKA 1 stick) of butter, softened, 2 tablespoons of light maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of honey, 8 slices of applewood smoked bacon, and 4 croissant buns. 

To prepare the chicken, first, place one chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it down to a 1/2" thickness. Once the breast is pounded thin, cut it in half, or to the size of your croissant buns, then repeat with the second breast.

Next, we'll prepare the dredge. In one bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, pickle juice, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cornstarch, and stir well. Then add a tablespoon each of salt and pepper and stir again.

Meanwhile, heat 1.5-inches of oil in a deep cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven. Aim for a consistent 350º degree oil temperature while you are cooking.

While the oil is heating up, prep the chicken. First, submerge a piece in the egg wash, coating it completely. Then immediately dredge it in the flour mixture. Now dip the same piece again in the egg, then once more in the flour. Once the first piece of chicken is completely coated, set it aside for frying. Continue the double-batter technique for all pieces of chicken.

Once the oil is heated to 350º degrees, carefully place the chicken in the oil (you can place in as many pieces as will fit without touching). The chicken will immediately bubble and sizzle. Using tongs, flip the chicken every minute for five to six minutes. When done, the fried chicken will be golden brown and crispy. Remove the meat from oil and place it on a wire rack to drain any excess oil, and check at least one piece internally to ensure it's done. (The meat will be all white and register at least 160º on a meat thermometer.)

While chicken is frying, cook the bacon according to package directions. You can bake it, pan fry it, grill it, or even microwave it, or you can use pre-cooked bacon that is fully thawed and ready to eat.

To prepare the maple honey butter spread, place the softened (not melted!) butter in a bowl with the maple syrup and honey. Mix well with a spatula until the ingredients are completely combined.

"Remember to soften your butter before using," says McGlinn, which "will take about an hour in a warm room." Alternately, try this trick: place a cup half-filled with water in the microwave and run the microwave for a minute and a half, then carefully remove the cup and quickly pop in a plate with chilled butter, then shut the microwave and wait for one minute.

To assemble the finished sandwiches, carefully cut each of the croissant buns in half. Place a piece of fried chicken on the bottom bun, then spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the maple honey butter on the fried chicken. Now place two strips of bacon on top of that, then close up the sandwich with your croissant bun on top.

How best to enjoy your handiwork? "I paired mine with copycat home fries, just like Wendy's," says McGlinn, who also recommends: "Seasoned potato wedges, baked until soft in the middle and crispy on the edges. You can also serve [these] with coffee or a frozen Frappuccino, similar to Wendy's "Frosty-ccino."