Crispy Chicken Burger
This crispy chicken burger is the king of all chicken burgers! The fried cornflake coating makes it incredibly crispy, while the buttermilk marinade keeps it moist and juicy inside.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 898kcal
Equipment
- High-sided pan about 10 inches/ 25 cm in diameter, Note 1
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breast Note 2
- 1 cup buttermilk 250 ml
- ½ tablespoon sweet paprika powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cornflake coating:
- 3 cups cornflakes 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 3
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 4.5 oz/ 125 g
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup cooking oil Note 4
Burgers:
- 4 burger buns
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- lettuce leaves
- pickles
- red onion sliced
- coleslaw Coleslaw recipe
- other toppings to taste
Instructions
Crispy chicken:
- Cut the breasts into two pieces horizontally. Starting from the thicker end, slice horizontally through the middle, creating two thin fillets. Use a gentle sawing motion to maintain an even thickness throughout. 2 large chicken breasts
- Marinade: Mix the buttermilk and spices in a shallow dish. Turn the chicken into the mixture, nestle it snuggly inside, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. 1 cup/ 250 ml buttermilk + ½ tablespoon paprika + ½ Tbps garlic powder + ½ teaspoon sea salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cornflake coating: Place the cornflakes into a large shallow bowl and crush them lightly with your hand (don’t overdo it, they should be only lightly crushed). Add flour and baking powder and mix well. 3 cups/ 2.5 oz/ 75 g cornflakes + 1 cup/ 4.5 oz/ 125 g all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Double-coat chicken: Lift the chicken from the marinade, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Press the pieces into the cornflake mixture, dip them again into the buttermilk mixture, and press them again into the coating.
- Heat the oil while you coat the chicken; the temperature should be around 350F/180C (oil thermometer). Alternatively, stick the tip of a toothpick into the hot oil; if small blisters are forming around it, the oil should be hot enough for frying. 1 cup/ 250 ml oil
- Fry in batches without overcrowding the pan and flipping halfway through; it takes about 8-10 minutes, but check. The pieces should be golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/ 74°C). Place the pieces of chicken on paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Assemble the burgers:
- Lightly toast the burger buns in a skillet or grill pan. 4 burger buns
- Mix mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce in a small bowl. Spread the spicy mayo on both halves of the toasted brioche buns. 5 tablespoon mayonnaise + 3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- Assemble: Layer lettuce, crispy chicken, a few onion slices, sliced pickles, and coleslaw on the bottom buns. Place the lid buns on top.
- Serve immediately while the burgers are still hot and crunchy.
Notes
- The amount of oil you need depends on the size of the pan; its bottom should be covered with oil. For example, I needed about 1 cup/ 250 ml for a high-sided pan with a 10 inches/ 25 cm diameter.
- Chicken: Two large chicken breasts, which need to be sliced horizontally. Or you can buy already-sliced chicken fillets. The whole chicken breasts I used weighed about 8 oz/ 225 g each.
- Cornflakes: Plain cornflakes cereal without any added flavors or sweeteners.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Don’t use olive oil for frying.
Nutrition
Serving: 1burger | Calories: 898kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1239mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 982IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 10mg