These fried chicken burgers are ultra crispy and absolutely bursting with flavour. Better still, they couldn’t be easier to make.
I’ve been perfecting this recipe for a little while now and I’m really excited to finally share it with you!
The ULTIMATE KFC Style Chicken Burger!
For real though, is there anything better in life than wrapping your chops around a burger from KFC when you’re beyond hungry? No is the answer. No is the ONLY answer. However, I’d like to throw my 2 pence in and suggest this homemade version may, just may, be more satisfying than any chicken burger you’ve ever tried (please don’t sue me KFC). Here’s why you’re going to LOVE these chicken burgers:
- Ultra Crispy – Here I’ll show you some tips and tricks to getting super crispy chicken.
- Tender and Juicy – No more tough and dry chicken, these burgers are melt-in-your-mouth tender!
- Bursting with flavour – Both the chicken and fillings offer an absolute killer combo of flavours.
While frying chicken may seem like a hassle, I promise you it’s really straightforward. Even if you’re not experienced with deep frying. Follow me…
Crispy Chicken Burger
For this recipe, you can use boneless skinless chicken breast OR thigh. Most chicken burger recipes you’ll find use breast, mainly because they’re larger than thighs. It gives you more of that classic flavour too, whereas thighs tend to be used more in fried chicken sandwiches or more Asian dishes.
On the flip side, thighs tend to end up a little juicier because of their high-fat content. In turn, they’re more difficult to overcook too. Either will work absolutely great, but today I’ve gone with breast.
Pound that chicken!
The first thing you’ll want to do, which is arguably the most therapeutic step in the process, is to pound the chicken. Pounding the chicken serves two purposes:
- It ensures the breast is even thickness, which in turn will ensure the chicken cooks through evenly.
- It tenderises the meat and reduces the risk of it coming out tough & chewy.
You can use a mallet, a heavy pan or a rolling pin (as I use here). Just cover with cling film and pound until the chicken is even thickness. If you’re using breast, you can trim around the outside so it fits inside the bun too.
Process shots: lay chicken on flat surface (photo 1), lay over clingfilm (photo 2), pound (photos 3&4).
Buttermilk Marinated Chicken
Buttermilk is absolutely KEY to the deliciousness of these burgers. Marinating chicken in buttermilk tenderises the meat and acts as a great gateway to inject the spices into the chicken. It also has the perfect consistency to allow the breading to stick to the chicken (more on this in a sec).
How long should I marinate the chicken?
Ideally, you’re looking for 4 hours, overnight is even better. Having said that, just marinate for as long as you have time for. Even just 30 minutes makes the world of difference!
Just mix your spices in with the buttermilk, mix in the chicken then tightly cover and rest in the fridge. Once you’ve marinated the chicken, it’s important to get the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before needed. You want the chicken close to room temp before it’s fried. Frying cold chicken will cause it to seize up and become tough/chewy and can cause the batter to fall off.
Process shots: add spices and buttermilk to bowl (photo 1), add chicken (photo 2), marinate (photo 3).
Breaded Chicken Burger
Alrighty, chicken sufficiently marinated, let’s talk dredging. For this stage, all you’ll need is a second round of spices, baking powder (which reacts with the oil and causes extra bubbles to ensure the batter turns out extra crispy) and flour.
My two main tips at the dredging stage are:
- Ensure you completely blend the spices in the flour to ensure they’re evenly distributed across the chicken.
- Really take the time to ensure every nook and cranny of the chicken is dredged with flour. Really press it into the chicken to ensure it’s all completely coated. This step is crucial in creating chicken with a crispy, crunchy batter
Once you’ve dredged, give the chicken a good shake to get rid of any excess flour, then place it to one side.
Process shots: add spices and flour to bowl (photo 1), mix (photo 2), add chicken (photo 3), coat in flour (photo 4).
Deep Fried Chicken Burger
Please don’t be put off by this stage. It’s a fairly foolproof step and because you’ve pounded the chicken, it’s fairly quick as well. Let’s hit some questions straight off the bat:
I highly recommend getting a kitchen thermometer for deep frying. You want the oil to get to 180C/356F. Once the chicken hits the oil the temp will drop, which is fine, but you’ll want to keep it at a steady 165C/300F. After each batch get it back up to 180C/356F.
You’ll want to use an oil with a high smoking point like vegetable/sunflower/rapeseed oil. Olive oil is not suitable for deep frying as it has a lower smoking point.
This will entirely depend on the thickness and size of your chicken, but as a rough guide, you’re talking around 6-8mins total. But again, this will depend on the size of your chicken. In all cases you want the internal temp of the chicken to reach 75C/165F. Also, take into consideration that the chicken will continue to cook slightly once removed from the oil.
To achieve true crispiness, in this case, the chicken has to be fried.
Ultra Crispy Chicken!
From there, you’ll want to rest your chicken on a wire rack. I don’t recommend placing it on kitchen roll/paper towels, I actually find this causes the chicken to steam into the paper towel and dampen the batter.
Top Tip
For EXTRA crispiness sprinkle a pinch of salt over the chicken when it’s fresh out the fryer. This will draw out any final bits of moisture from the batter.
Alrighty, time to build a burger (build a bear you were so last year…) Here’s the usual suspects in my chicken burgers:
Chicken Burger Toppings
- Coleslaw – Homemade is preferable, but your favourite store-bought can sub!
- Honey Sriracha – Just mix up runny honey and sriracha, I usually go for a 50/50 split but work to preference.
- Bacon – Need I justify this?!
In reality though you can load the burgers up with anything you fancy! Shredded lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles and jalapenos are all awesome options.
Serving Crispy Chicken Burgers
I typically use sesame-seeded buns, but you can use any large burger buns (brioche also works amazingly). I recommend toasting the buns – I do this in a scorching hot dry pan, but you can also toast them under the grill.
What to serve with chicken burgers?
Honestly, these are pretty intense by themselves. However, if you’re looking for a few nibbles to go alongside check out these:
- Creamy Potato Salad
- Baked Avocado Fries
- Oven Baked French Fries (or Sweet Potato Fries)
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Spicy Potatoes
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these crispy chicken burgers shall we?!
How to make Homemade Chicken Burgers (Full Recipe & Video)
Crispy Chicken Burgers
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Cling Film & Rolling Pin or Mallet (for pounding chicken)
- Large Deep Bowl (for marinating)
- Large Shallow Bowl or Curved Tray (for dredging)
- Large Pot & Tongs (for deep frying)
- Cooling Rack
- Kitchen Thermometer
- Small Pot (for honey/sriracha)
- Kitchen Roll/Paper Towels
Ingredients
Burgers
- 4x 150g/5oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs (see notes)
- 1 cup Coleslaw or as needed (see notes)
- 8-12 slices o Streaky Bacon, cooked to preference (2-3 per burger)
- Honey + Sriracha (50/50 ratio, I typically do 2-3 tbsp each)
- 4 Burger Buns, toasted (I use sesame buns)
- 3-4 cups / 750ml-1litre Vegetable Oil (see notes)
Wet Mix
- 1 1/4 cups / 300ml Buttermilk
- 1 tsp EACH: Paprika, Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper, Cayenne Pepper
Dry Mix
- 1 3/4 cups / 250g Plain/All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp EACH: Baking Powder, Oregano, Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper
Instructions
- Lay a piece of chicken on the chopping board and cover with a sheet of cling film. Pound with a rolling pin, mallet or even a heavy pan. You want it fairly thin, but not so thin it starts breaking apart. The main goal is to achieve even thickness across the meat. If you're using breast you'll likely need to trim off the tail or around the outside – it should be a little larger than the bun (they shrink in size as they fry). Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4cups/300ml buttermilk with 1 tsp paprika & salt and 1/2 tsp onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper & white pepper. Place in the chicken, use tongs to fully coat then tightly cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge. I highly recommend a minimum of 4 hours (up to overnight), but just as long as you have time for. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30mins before needed to bring it close to room temp (see notes).
- In a large shallow bowl (or curved tray) combine 1 3/4cups/250g flour with 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp oregano, baking powder & salt, 1/2 tsp onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper & cayenne pepper. One by one coat the chicken in the flour, making sure you press the flour into the chicken to create lots of craggy bits. Really get in all the cracks and crevices of the chicken (this is an important step). Place on a tray to one side.
- In a large pot or deep pan heat up the oil to 180C/356F. In batches of 1-2 (depending on pot size), carefully place your chicken in the hot oil. The temp will likely drop, and that's fine, but make sure the temp stays at around 165C/300F as the chicken fries. Depending on the size and thickness of the chicken, you're looking at around 6-7 minutes for thigh and 5-6 minutes for breast, flipping halfway. The internal temp of the chicken should reach 75C/165F. Carefully remove and rest on a wire rack with paper towels underneath (don't place directly on paper towel or they'll lose crispiness). Bring oil temp back up to 180C/356F between each batch.
- Stack burgers in the following order: bottom bun, coleslaw, chicken, bacon, honey sriracha, top bun. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
If you’re looking for similar recipes check out these beauties too:
Fried Chicken Recipes
- Nashville Chicken Tenders
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders
- Homemade Popcorn Chicken
- Crispy Chicken Wraps
I stumbled across this recipe when my son asked for a chicken burger. All I can say is TRY IT. You will not be disappointed. Better than take out and not too much hassle to make. Eleventyseven out of 10.
Thanks so much for the review, Dean! C.
I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed a recipe in my life, but felt compelled to for this! This is, hands down, the best fried chicken recipe I’ve ever tried. I’m usually wary of deep frying anything, but this recipe was so easy to follow and the pictures and tips really helped. I don’t have a meat thermometer (I know, I know, amateur) but we followed the suggested times and it was spot on. My boyfriend said it was 100% better than KFC (a fine compliment indeed!) and even better than Popeyes – so proud!
Claire, this is so lovely to read! So happy they went down well with you and your boyfriend! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back for a review 🙂 C.
Thank you for this superb recipe! We’re a family of 4 in London, UK and we LOVE these!
So great to hear, Silv! Thanks so much for the review 🙂 C.
i absolutely love this chicken burger quick tip add more seasoning if the chicken breasts are bigger
Thanks for the review, Sarah! 🙂 C.
Chris these are simply phenomenal. I have a question though. I wonder if they could be cooked in an air fryer?
Hey Chris. I can’t say I’ve tried in the air fryer unfortunately! My instinct is that it’s be hard to replicate the same texture that good old fashioned deep frying gives you though. C.
My Husband said this is the BEST chicken sandwich in the world. Thank you for the recipe.
That’s awesome to hear, Louise! Thanks so much for stopping back for a review 🙂 C.
Hi
I made these last night and a lot of the flour coating fell off during the deep frying. I followed the recipe exactly and the oil was definitely hot enough so I’m not sure what happened? They were still really tasty though!
Hey Delyth! Some tips for next time just to see if it helps:
– Make sure you thoroughly coat the chicken, i.e really rub the flour into every crevice of the chicken.
– Ensure you get the chicken out the fridge 30mins or so before dredging. Cold chicken will seize up and release moisture, which could cause the batter to fall off.
– Letting the chicken rest AFTER its dredged can help the batter ‘glue’ to the chicken.
– Make sure you carefully place it in the oil and then don’t move it unless you’re flipping it or making sure it doesn’t stick to another piece.
Hope this helps! C.
Hi chris, was just wondering how spicy would you say this is?
Hey Tommy! It’s a tricky question to answer as everyone has different spice thresholds. I would say it was fairly mild though. I’ve never had anyone try this recipe and say it’s too spicy. Hope the recipe goes down well! 🙂 C.
An absolute winner !
I’ve made many variations of fried chicken over the years but this recipe produced the best results by a country mile.
Thank you, from me and my ( now replete ) family.
So great to hear, Elaine! Thanks so much for the review 🙂 C.