The first time I recreated Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis at home was on a quiet Sunday morning when the restaurant was closed, and my kids were begging for their favorite breakfast. Instead of waiting for Monday, I headed to the kitchen. The result was so close to the real thing that it became our new weekend tradition. These minis are soft, warm, buttery, and slightly sweet with crisp chicken tucked inside. They take less than 35 minutes, and the flavor delivers everything people love about the original.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What are Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis?
Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis are bite-sized pieces of the chain’s famous breaded chicken nuggets nestled inside small, pillowy yeast rolls brushed with a sweet honey butter glaze. These mini sandwiches strike the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and buttery flavors that make them irresistible for breakfast or any time of day.
Why this recipe works
This copycat version uses smart shortcuts that save time without sacrificing flavor:
- Can be prepared in under 35 minutes for a quick breakfast or snack
- Uses pre-made chicken bites that closely resemble Chick-fil-A’s signature pickle-brined flavor
- Incorporates ready-to-bake Parker House rolls to eliminate proofing time
- Features a simple brown sugar-honey butter that perfectly replicates the restaurant’s sweet glaze
Copycat Chicken Minis Ingredients
For these Chicken Minis, you’ll need:
- Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites – Provides the signature Chick-fil-A flavor with pickle undertones, creating the authentic taste foundation
- Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls – Offers the perfect soft, pillowy texture that closely resembles the original mini sandwich buns
- Honey – Adds natural sweetness and creates that distinctive glaze that makes Chicken Minis so craveable
- Butter – Creates richness and helps the honey glaze adhere to the rolls while adding that melt-in-your-mouth quality
- Brown sugar – Deepens the sweetness of the glaze and adds a subtle caramel note that complements the savory chicken
How to make this chicken minis recipe
Follow the directions below to cook Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites. If using a different product, read the instructions on the packaging:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Add nuggets to the air fryer in a single layer, leaving some space between them.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until crispy and hot. Flip the nuggets after six minutes.
To prepare the Brown Sugar-Honey Butter:
- Melt the butter in the microwave.
- Stir in the honey and brown sugar, and continue stirring until the brown sugar dissolves.
If you use Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls, follow the instructions below. Otherwise, prepare your rolls according to the directions on the package and skip to step four:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Cover the pan of dinner rolls with a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Brush the tops with the melted Brown Sugar-Honey Butter using a pastry brush.
- Return rolls back into the oven uncovered for five minutes until golden brown.
- Cool the rolls on a wire rack.
- Remove the rolls from the pan and separate them.
To assemble Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis:
- Cut the cooled rolls in half horizontally.
- Place a piece of chicken on the bottom roll. Drizzle some of the Brown Sugar-Honey Butter on a piece of chicken and put it on the bottom bun. Cover with the top bun and plate.
Recipe variations
Although this recipe was tested using Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites and Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls, you can use similar products or cook everything from scratch. Since suggested chicken bites have dill pickle flavoring, try sprinkling juice on regular chicken nuggets to get the correct flavor profile.
You could skip the rolls and use crescent rolls instead!
You can use this Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breast to make crispy chicken nuggets from scratch.
Are you craving a little variety in your life? Skip the Brown Sugar Honey Butter and dip some cooked chicken bites in Buffalo or BBQ sauce for a sweet, spicy, smoky trio of flavors.
Make a chicken biscuit and use biscuits instead of dinner rolls.
What to serve with Chicken minis
You can keep it traditional with a side of straight-cut or waffle fries, but why not think outside the box by pairing your chicken sliders with one of these? After grabbing one of your favorite dipping sauces you may want to consider one of these ideas.
- Greek Yogurt Parfait. Although a parfait may sound like a dessert, its tangy, sweet flavors perfectly complement these chicken sliders.
- Fried Cheese Curds. Cheese curds may not be on your list of top snacks, but these Fried Cheese Curds from Culver’s restaurant are darn tasty and sure to expand your culinary horizons.
- Fried Pickles. Lean into the pickle flavor of these chicken sandwiches and take it to the next level with this copycat Hooter’s Fried Pickles recipe.
- Your favorite cup of coffee!
Chick-fil-A Chicken Minis Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 package Sister Schubert's yeast dinner rolls 16 rolls
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 16 Member’s Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Carefully, place your rolls on a pan and cover them with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 mins or until lightly browned.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, carefully heat up your butter in 10-second increments until fully melted. Add honey and brown sugar to the melted butter and stir until combined.
- When the rolls are done, remove from oven and coat the tops evenly with the honey butter mixture using a silicone basting brush.
- Preheat air fryer for 390°F.
- Add chicken nuggets to air fryer in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Place rolls back into oven uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once the rolls have cooled, remove them from the pan and place on a separate plate or serving tray. Remove nuggets from air fryer as well.
- Using a butter knife, make a horizontal cut halfway through each roll and open. Place a chicken nugget inside each roll.
- Drizzle more honey on top of the chicken minis if desired. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Notes
Pro Cooking Tips for Perfect Chicken Minis
- Pickle Juice Secret: For an even more authentic Chick-fil-A flavor, sprinkle a few drops of dill pickle juice on regular chicken nuggets before heating them. This little-known trick helps create that distinctive Chick-fil-A taste.
- Batch Cooking Strategy: If serving a large crowd, keep the chicken nuggets warm in a 200°F oven while you work on the rolls and assembly. This ensures everyone gets hot, crispy chicken in their minis.
- Glaze Application Timing: Apply the honey-butter glaze while the rolls are hot, but assemble the sandwiches after the rolls have cooled slightly (3-5 minutes). This prevents the glaze from being completely absorbed and gives you that signature sticky sweetness on the outside.
Nutrition
How to store leftover chicken minis
To save time, cook the chicken for the Chicken Minis Chick-fil-A-style sandwiches ahead of time and keep it cold until you’re ready to heat and serve.
Let the chicken bites cool to room temperature and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
You can keep the baked buns whole in a paper bag on the counter overnight, or better yet, bake them the same day you plan to serve the little sandwiches.
To keep the cooked sandwich for up to 30 days, try freezing the chicken and buns separately on baking trays. Then, reassemble the sandwiches and store them in a freezer bag.
What is the best way to reheat mini chicken sandwiches
For warming up a bunch of thawed Chicken Minis, use the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the sandwiches on the baking tray and cover with aluminum foil.
- Heat in the preheated oven until hot, about 10 to 15 minutes.
You can use the microwave to reheat one or two sandwiches if you don’t mind a less crispy sandwich:
- Wrap each sandwich in a paper towel.
- Heat for 25 seconds (40 to 50 seconds, if frozen) at 50 percent power.
- Let the sandwiches sit for about a minute before opening the door.
Favorite Chick-fil-A recipes
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Chick-fil-A Chicken Wrap
- Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad
- Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese
- Chick-fil-A Sunjoy
- Spicy Deluxe Chicken Sandwich
Popular chicken sandwich recipes
- Arby’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
- Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Panera Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
- Panera Frontega Chicken Sandwich
- McCrispy Chicken Sandwich
- Whataburger Chicken Sandwich
Check out my easy sandwich recipes and the best copycat Chick-fil-A recipes on CopyKat!
Made these for my kids, they loved them.