This easy-to-follow recipe for fried chicken burgers guarantees a mouthwatering combination of crispy chicken and delicious toppings that will leave your whole family craving more.
2tablespoonschicken seasoning or dry rub, divided, Note 3
Flour coating:
½cupall-purpose flour 60 g
¼cupcornstarch 30 g
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonfine sea salt or kosher
Burgers:
4slicesbacon Note 4
4burger buns
4tablespoonsmayonnaise
4teaspoonshot chili sauce
4-8leaves lettuce depending on size
4slicescheddar or other cheese you like
1small red onionthinly slices
2-4pickled cucumbers gherkins, depending on size, sliced
Instructions
Prepare chicken:
Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into two thinner slices. 2 large chicken breasts
Marinate chicken: Mix buttermilk, beaten egg, and only ½ of the spice mixture in a shallow container (non-metallic) that will hold the pieces snuggly and in a single layer or only lightly overlapped. Marinade for at least 30 minutes (on the counter) and up to 4-6 hours (in the refrigerator). Bring it to room temperature before frying (30-40 minutes). ½ cup/ 125 ml buttermilk + 1 egg + ½ of the seasoning
Flour coating: Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and the remaining seasoning in a shallow bowl. ½ cup/ 60 g flour + ¼ cup/ 30 g cornstarch + ½ teaspoon salt + 1 tablespoon seasoning
Bread chicken: Lift the chicken pieces from the marinade and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge them through the flour mixture, turning them to coat on both sides and pressing them down gently to help the coating adhere. Set them aside.
Fry chicken:
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). enough oil to half or fully submerge the chicken
Lower the breaded pieces into the oil using tongs; don’t overcrowd the pan; fry the chicken in several batches if necessary.
Fry: If the chicken is fully submerged in oil, it will need 4-5 minutes to cook. If it’s only partially submerged, it will take 6-8 minutes (flip halfway through). The cooking time also depends on the thickness of the chicken pieces. Check with a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°C.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
Build burgers:
Cook bacon: Remove the oil from the frying pan or use another pan to cook the bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Lightly toast the burger buns in the same pan. 4 bacon slices; 4 burger buns
Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun and the chili sauce on the top bun. Place lettuce on the lower bun. 4 tablespoon mayonnaise + 4 teaspoon sweet or hot chili sauce + 4-8 lettuce leaves
Cut each chicken piece in two and arrange the pieces on the lettuce. Add cheese and bacon. Top with sliced onions and pickled cucumber slices. Place the top buns on top.4 slices cheese + 1 red onion + 2-4 pickled cucumbers
Notes
Chicken breast: One large breast weighs about 8-9 oz/ 220-250 g. Two large breasts, split horizontally, should be enough to make 4 chicken burgers.
Oil: Adjust the amount of oil according to the pot size. You can deep fry the chicken (completely covered with oil) or use less oil and partially submerge the chicken in it; in this case, the cooking time will be slightly longer.
Seasoning: Use your favorite chicken seasoning or dry rub. OR mix 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon onion powder + 1 teaspoon oregano + pinch of cayenne pepper + ½ teaspoon salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Bacon: I used turkey bacon, but regular bacon is perfect.
The nutrition is calculated considering scant 1 cup/ 100 ml oil, but that's probably not entirely accurate.