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
We (my daughter and I) cooked this chicken tonight and it was awesome! The whole family loved it. I rarely comment on recipes but I was compelled to with this one. It was that good! We had a mishap at first. My deep fry thermometer exploded in the oil (it may have been a tad too hot!). We had to start over with a new pot, new oil and we had to wing it with the oil temperature. We made the recipe exactly as written and it had perfect spice. We made the honey sriracha sauce which took it over the top. So delicious! The recipe was enough for the four chicken breasts plus the four tenderloins which were made into strips. Both were good. This recipe will be making an appearance regularly at our house!! Thanks for sharing.
Sandy, this is so awesome to hear! Well, maybe not about the broken thermometer… But I’m glad to hear you made it through and enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to pop back for a review! Chris 🙂
Hi Chris. For various reasons, I don’t deep fry – rarely shallow fry either if it comes to that. Is there any way of making baked crispy chicken burgers?
I’ve never tried to bake this particular recipe, it’s pretty tricky to get that KFC style batter in the oven. I have got a Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders recipe which is really popular! I haven’t tried it, but in theory I guess you could pound the chicken as stated in this recipe and then follow the chicken tenders recipe. That or just make the chicken tenders and put them in a burger. Hope this helps 🙂
This looks like heaven on a bun delicious. I’m going to research how to deep fry not sure if my pots would work. I can’t wait to try this your recipes look so good . I’m going through your collection planning next weeks meals.. thank you !
I tried this and it is the best chicken burger ever! Made me wonder though, Can this Recipe be used for Chicken Stripes instead of Burgers?
Yes I think that’d work great! 🙂
Absolutely amazing. This is the tastiest thing I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to show this recipe off at uni.
The spices used in the marinade and flour was perfect.
The whole family loved it and my step-dad doesn’t usually like burgers.
James, this is awesome to hear! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for popping back to leave a review 🙂
Hi Chris. This looks amazing. Was going to try it but can’t seem to get plain flour anywhere 🙁 could you use self raising flour?
Hey Craig! I’ve never actually used self raising flour in this recipe, so can’t make any promises, but my instinct is you’ll be fine. Self raising flour is essentially all purpose flour with added salt and baking powder. I can’t imagine you’ll taste the slight difference in salt increase (do feel free to reduce the quantity if at all weary), but I would remove the 1 tsp baking powder. Hope this helps! Chris.
YES!!!! I’m an all or nothing person with crispy chicken sandwiches/burgers. The chicken HAS to be crispy. These photos have my mouth watering – it all looks perfect!!
Thanks so much, Luci! 🙂
I made this for my husband for lunch the other day and he loves it. Definitely his favorite. Thank you!!
That’s great to hear! Glad it went down well 🙂
My family loves fried chicken. This was such a yummy recipe.
Awesome! Thanks Stephanie 🙂
I miss going out and get some good burger. I’m definitely going to go into the kitchen and start marinating. We will be eating a glorious lunch tomorrow. 🙂
Woo hoo! Hope they go down well 🙂
Hi Chris, just got your email. These look amazing!
One question, I live in France and can’t seem to find buttermilk anywhere. Would Greek yoghurt be a suitable replacement? Raw milk from the farm next door? Fromage blanc?
So many dairy products here but no buttermilk, dagnammit!
Hey Simon!
Yogurt has a similar PH level so will tenderise the chicken nicely. However it’s thicker than buttermilk, so I can’t imagine it’ll dredge through the flour as well (may end up too thick/clumpy). I’ve never subbed for this recipe before but I reckon your best bet is 3/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup milk to thin out.
Another good buttermilk sub is 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp acid (white vinegar or lemon juice). Mix together and let it sit for 10mins before mixing in the chicken. This is a slightly thinner solution than buttermilk, so if you’re doing this just make sure you give it a thorough dredge through the flour.
Hope this helps!
Thanks very much for the reply Chris, will make these after the weekly lockdown shop!