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Crispy Chicken Burgers
Say hello to my homemade KFC-style chicken fillet burger: that’s moist, crispy and flavoursome! It’s super easy to recreate at home, and you can bite into it in only 30 minutes. Let’s get cooking…
I can’t think of anything better than biting into this crispy chicken burger, especially when I don’t have to leave the house or wait in any queues to get it. Amazing right?
Not only is this burger homemade, tender, juicy and moist, but honestly… it’s utterly incredible and it’s just as satisfying as KFC (maybe even more)!
I like to make this dish during the week or whenever I’m doing a Friday night fakeaway. I usually go for a classic lettuce and mayo KFC-style topping, but you can literally add-in whatever toppings you like.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
I’m a little obsessed with this chicken burger, so I’ve listed a few reasons why I think it’s going to put a big smile on your face:
- Family Friendly: Who doesn’t love a good old chicken burger? This recipe is a great after school and after work meal to please the whole family.
- Indulgent: Can a chicken burger be indulgent? Well, this one certainly can! It’s just so juicy, well-seasoned and it’s packed with loads of flavour.
- Crispy: The outer coating is so crispy whilst the chicken inside is soft and moist!
P.S. If you love burgers, check out my juicy homemade cheeseburgers of these copycat filet of fish burgers!
Recipe Ingredients
I used the following ingredients below to make this recipe:
- Skinless Chicken Breast: I never cut the chicken breast pieces and there’s no need too. To get that iconic chicken burger shape, I simply bash the chicken with a rolling pin to slightly flatten it out. It not only looks good, but it evens out the thickness of the chicken, quickens the cooking time and tenderises it. That’s a quick tip for you!
- Wet Batter: The chicken breast is marinated in a mixture of buttermilk and spices. The exact spices are salt, garlic powder, paprika, ginger powder, onion powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper and oregano.
- Dry Mixture: The marinated chicken is coated in a dry mixture containing plain flour, baking powder and the exact same spices used in the wet batter.
If you can’t find onion powder and garlic powder in your local supermarket (I couldn’t), using onion granules and garlic granules are fine to use. The only difference between the two is the size, granules are a similar size to sand whilst powder resembles the texture of flour.
How To Make Homemade KFC-Style Chicken Burgers
Here’s a summary of how I make these burgers. You can get the full recipe instructions on the recipe card below:
Step One:
I place the chicken breasts on my chopping board and cover it with a sheet of cling film. Then I use a rolling pin or meat tenderiser to hit the chicken breasts until it reaches an even thickness (like in my picture above).
Step Two:
In a large mixing bowl, I add buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, paprika, ginger powder, onion powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper and oregano. Then I mix it together until it’s evenly distributed.
Step Three:
I place the chicken breasts into the buttermilk marinade and mix it in until the chicken is fully coated. I like to cover the bowl with a layer of cling film and leave it in the fridge to marinate for a few hours.
Step Four:
In a large shallow bowl, I add plain flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, ginger powder, onion powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper and oregano and I mix everything together until it’s evenly distributed.
Next, I coat the chicken breasts in the flour mixture and place it to one side.
Step Five:
I deep fry the chicken pieces on a medium heat for 4 minutes before turning the chicken over and frying for a further 2 minutes. I know the chicken is ready when the colour is golden, and the texture is crispy.
When the chicken is cooked, I place it on a cooling rack to cool down before assembling them into burgers.
Step Six:
Last but not least, I stack the burger by placing a bun at the bottom, followed by chicken, lettuce, mayo and then the top bun.
Chicken Burger Toppings
Want more topping ideas? No problem! if you’re not a fan of mayo or lettuce, I’ve listed a few other burger toppings below:
- Bacon and avocado
- Fried Onions For Burgers
- Tomatoes and gherkins
- A slice of cheese
- Garlic Sauce or make this homemade Chilli Sauce
My Top Tips
Try not to bash the chicken breasts too hard, otherwise it will start to tear.
If you find your chicken breasts are quite long in length, you can cut the ends off. Bear in mind, the chicken breasts will shrink when deep fried, so you don’t want to cut too much off.
The longer you leave the chicken to marinade the better. The marinating process helps to prevent the chicken drying out, adds flavour and makes it juicer. Ideally, I like to marinate the chicken overnight but even if you’ve got 30 minutes, it will still do some good.
Make sure each section of the chicken is coated in the dry flour season mix; this will ensure you’ll get a crispy texture in every bite.
What To Serve With Chicken Burgers
I like to make a complete meal by serving these burgers with a side of chips and of course a can of Coke or any fizzy drink.
Whilst the burgers are frying, I usually make a side of skin on oven-baked fries or these dirty fries which are fully loaded with melted cheese, bacon, onions, Cajun seasoning and more.
Occasionally, I like to make Chinese salt and pepper chips for a unique twist or this honey roasted carrots and parsnips when I don’t feel for chips. Literally the options are endless, you can even serve it with a side of roasted potatoes if you want too.
More Crispy Recipes
- KFC Style Popcorn Chicken
- Southern Fried Chicken Wraps
- Chicken Goujons
- Crispy Salt And Chilli Chicken
- Honey Chilli Chicken
- Honey & Chilli Chinese Crispy Beef
Chicken Fillet Burger (KFC Style)
Ingredients
Burger Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breast Boneless and Skinless
- 4 Burger Buns
- To Taste Mayo
- Iceberg Lettuce
- 500 ml Vegetable Oil For Frying (See Notes)
Dry Mixture
- 250 g Plain Flour
- ½ tbsp Baking Powder
- ½ tbsp Salt
- ½ tbsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tbsp Paprika
- ½ tbsp Ginger Powder
- ½ tbsp Onion Powder
- ½ tbsp White Pepper
- ½ tbsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ tbsp Oregano
Buttermilk Marinade
- 300 ml Buttermilk
- ½ tbsp Salt
- ½ tbsp Garlic Power
- ½ tbsp Paprika
- ½ tbsp Ginger Powder
- ½ tbsp Onion Powder
- ½ tbsp White Pepper
- ½ tbsp Cayenne Pepper
- ½ tbsp Oregano
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts on a clean work surface and cover with a sheet of cling film. With a rolling pin or meat tenderiser, hit the chicken breasts until it reaches an even thickness.4 Chicken Breast
- In a large mixing bowl, add buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, paprika, ginger powder, onion powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper and oregano. Mix together until evenly distributed.½ tbsp Ginger Powder, 300 ml Buttermilk, ½ tbsp Salt, ½ tbsp Garlic Power, ½ tbsp Paprika, ½ tbsp Onion Powder, ½ tbsp White Pepper, ½ tbsp Cayenne Pepper, ½ tbsp Oregano
- Place the chicken breasts into the buttermilk marinade and mix together until the chicken is coated. Cover with a layer of cling film and leave it in the fridge to marinate for a few hours (or at least a few minutes if you're short on time).
- In a large plate or shallow bowl, add plain flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, ginger powder, onion powder, white pepper, cayenne pepper and oregano. Mix together until it's evenly distributed.250 g Plain Flour, ½ tbsp Baking Powder, ½ tbsp Salt, ½ tbsp Garlic Powder, ½ tbsp Paprika, ½ tbsp Onion Powder, ½ tbsp White Pepper, ½ tbsp Cayenne Pepper, ½ tbsp Ginger Powder, ½ tbsp Oregano
- Thoroughly coat the chicken breasts in the flour mixture.
- Deep fry the chicken pieces on a medium heat, fry for 4 minutes before turning the chicken and frying for a further 2 minutes. When the chicken is golden and crispy, then they’re ready. When cooked, place on a cooling rack to cool down. The total cooking time is dependent on the size of the chicken breast used.500 ml Vegetable Oil
- Time to stack the fried chicken fillet burger! Place the bottom bun on a plate followed by mayo, lettuce, chicken and a top bun (to follow a KFC chicken fillet burger style). I personally prefer bottom bun, chicken breast, lettuce, lots of mayo then top bun.4 Burger Buns, To Taste Mayo, Iceberg Lettuce
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
Lisa k
Try instead of using plain flour, use birds custard powder (in the uk that’s the type in the tin that you can make on the hob by mixing a little milk and sugar, not instant custard).
Use the birds custard powder as the plain flour, it is absolutely incredible, tasty and crispy!
Michelle
Hi Lisa, thanks for the tip!
Colin
Outstanding recipe Michelle. The kids love it.
Michelle
Thank you!! 🙂