These delicious Southern Fried Chicken Burgers are the ultimate weeknight fakeaway featuring tender seasoned chicken fried to golden perfection. Served with brioche buns, cheese, pickles and shredded lettuce, these burgers are a quick and delicious meal the whole family will love.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Total Time13 minutesmins
Ingredients
4boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to form 4 thinner pieces)
Pound the chicken using a mallet or rolling pin so that it is roughly 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick and also even in thickness. Set aside on a plate.
Combine the sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides of the chicken taking care to get an even coverage.
Coat the chicken
Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl and combine the flour and cornflour in a separate shallow bowl.
Dip the seasoned chicken pieces first in the buttermilk, then dredge them in the flour mixture, ensuring they are coated all over.
Fry the chicken
Heat the oil in a large, deep heavy-based pan over medium–low heat (don’t be tempted to go too high with the oil temperature, as the chicken will cook too quickly on the outside and will not be cooked on the inside; medium–low is perfect).
Cook the chicken for 4 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden.
Drain on a paper towel.
Assemble the burgers
Toast the brioche buns if desired.
Place a dollop of mayonnaise on the bottom of the bun, followed by the shredded lettuce, chicken, cheese, pickles, and another dollop of mayonnaise if desired. Sprinkle with extra salt to serve, if desired. Top with the bun lid and serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1 – Deep-frying is the best way to achieve crispy golden chicken. A high smoke-point, neutral-flavoured oil, such as canola (rapeseed), vegetable oil, sunflower oil or rice bran oil, is easy to work with and most economical, but a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil can also be used. You will need enough oil so the bottom of the pan is fully covered and the oil is at least 3 cm (1¼ inches) deep. This is a video on how you can clean your oil and reuse it although I usually skip this step, strain the oil and keep it in a jar, refrigerated, until I need to use it again.
Make Ahead
Chicken – Season the chicken and marinate it in buttermilk for up to 24 hours prior to cooking. It will be even juicier and more delicious!
Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover chicken for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a preheated 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) oven for 10–15 minutes until heated through. The microwave will soften the coating, whereas the oven will retain some of the crispiness. Not suitable to freeze.
Nutrition Facts
Southern Fried Chicken Burger
Amount per Serving
Calories
916
% Daily Value*
Fat
41
g
63
%
Saturated Fat
19
g
119
%
Trans Fat
0.05
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
6
g
Cholesterol
259
mg
86
%
Sodium
1630
mg
71
%
Potassium
674
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
89
g
30
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
48
g
96
%
Vitamin A
2255
IU
45
%
Vitamin C
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
359
mg
36
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.