How to Make the Ultimate Crispy Fried Chicken Burger (From Scratch!)

Hey everyone! Today we're cooking a flavor bomb of a chicken burger with the crispiest, most flavorful crust you ever tried! Every bite offers new waves of flavors and textures to explore and enjoy! With this recipe you'll always have a perfectly fried chicken burger to look forward to at home!

Ingredients:

For the Buns (Makes 2):

• 150g / 5.3 oz Flour

• 90ml / 3 fl oz Water

• 10g / 0.35 oz Yeast

• 20g / 0.7 oz Butter (plus 10g / 0.35 oz more for toasting)

• 1 tbsp Milk powder

• 1 tsp Sugar

• 1 tsp Salt

• Sesame seeds (optional)

Thousand Island Sauce:

• 150g / 5.3 oz Mayo

• 30g / 1.1 oz Ketchup

• 20g / 0.7 oz Pickles

• 20ml / 0.7 fl oz Pickle juice

• 20g / 0.7 oz Onion

• ½ tsp Salt, white pepper and garlic powder (combined)

Honey Garlic Sauce:

• 70ml / 2.4 fl oz Water

• 1 tbsp Honey

• 1 tbsp Vinegar

• 1 tbsp Soy sauce

• ½ tsp Garlic powder

• ¼ tsp Salt and white pepper

• 1 tsp Cornstarch

For the Chicken & Coating:

• 230g / 8.1 oz Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

Batter: 150ml / 5.1 fl oz cold water, 1.5 tbsp flour, ½ tsp mustard, a drizzle of lemon juice

Spice Mix for the batter:

½ tsp Dry onion

½ tsp Garlic powder

½ tsp Smoked salt

½ tsp Turmeric

½ tsp Oregano

½ tsp Basil

½ tsp White pepper

½ tsp Paprika powder

½ tsp Coriander powder

½ tsp Ginger powder

¼ tsp mustard powder

Dry Coating: 150g / 5.3 oz Cornstarch, 150g / 5.3 oz Semolina flour

For Assembly:

• 60g / 2.1 oz Red cabbage

• 3 Slices of bacon

• 2 Slices of cheese

• Oil for frying

Mix the warm water, yeast, sugar, melted butter (save some for brushing the buns while they rise), flour, milk powder and salt. Knead into a soft dough and leave it to rest for half an hour.

When doubled in size, divide the dough in half and shape into two rounds. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Coat each bun with some of the remaining melted butter. Put them in a cold oven (do not turn it on yet) and let them rise a second time.

Once they double in size again, brush them with more melted butter, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and turn the oven on to 185°C (365°F). Bake for about 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

Cut the onion into quarters and the pickles into large pieces. Place them into a chopper or food processor along with the remaining ingredients (mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder). Blend until smooth and creamy.

Combine the water, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a small pot. Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with a splash of water to make a slurry in a separate small bowl, then stir it into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly until it thickens into a glossy sauce. Set aside to cool.

Slice the red cabbage thinly, season it with a pinch of salt and let it sit for a minute. Squeeze out the excess water, then mix the cabbage with a spoonful of the Thousand Island sauce.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. To make the wet batter, whisk together the cold water (straight from the fridge), 1.5 tablespoons of flour, half teaspoon of mustard, a drizzle of lemon juice and the spice mix. In a separate shallow tray, thoroughly mix the semolina flour and cornstarch.

Submerge the chicken in the wet batter first, then press it firmly into the dry flour mixture (ensure it gets coated heavily so it looks wrinkled).

Preheat frying oil to 175°C (350°F). Fry the chicken for 12–15 minutes until a deeply golden, crispy crust forms. If frying in a pot, turn the chicken occasionally, if using a deep fryer, no turning is needed. Place the fried chicken on a wire rack and immediately top with the two slices of cheese so they melt from the residual heat.

Fry the three slices of bacon in a pan until crispy. Slice the homemade buns in half and toast them in butter.

Spread the prepared cabbage on the bottom half of the bun. Place the crispy chicken thigh with the melted cheese. Drizzle the honey garlic sauce over the cheese, then layer on the crispy bacon. Spread another generous spoonful of thousand island sauce on the top bun and close the burger.

The recipe may look long, but each step is quick and straightforward. Making a crispy chicken burger at home completely from scratch, with a perfectly seasoned crust and a balance of sweet, savory and tangy sauces is incredibly rewarding. It is an accomplishment to be proud of! Enjoy and let me know if you made it!