Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
Buttermilk-marinated fried chicken with a craggy, extra-crisp coating, brushed with a smoky-sweet hot glaze and piled onto a cool, crunchy slaw.
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Method
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Equipment
- large heavy pot or deep casserole (at least 24 cm wide)
- frying thermometer
- wire rack set over a tray
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- small saucepan
- pastry brush
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 755 kcal |
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrate | 55.5 g |
| of which sugars | 9 g |
| of which free sugars | 5.4 g |
| Fat | 41.1 g |
| of which saturates | 6.3 g |
| Fibre | 3.4 g |
| Salt | 3.04 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.3 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Chicken and marinade
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs about 600 g total
- 250 ml buttermilk
- 3.5 g fine sea salt or table salt a generous ½ tsp
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
Coating
- 150 g plain flour
- 30 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 g fine sea salt or table salt about ½ tsp
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1.5 l neutral frying oil (sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable) enough for 5 cm depth
Chicken and marinade
- 1½ tbsp hot pepper sauce (vinegar-based, such as a Louisiana-style sauce) stirred into the buttermilk
Hot glaze
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, for the hot glaze
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp for medium heat
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 g light brown sugar about 1 tsp
- ½ tsp garlic powder
To assemble
- 4 soft burger buns or brioche-style buns about 60 g each
- 10 g unsalted butter, softened, for toasting
- 40 g dill pickle slices
Cooling slaw
- 120 g white or red cabbage, finely shredded
- 40 g carrot, coarsely grated
- 25 g mayonnaise
- 25 g fat-free Greek yoghurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 0.5 g fine sea salt or table salt a pinch
- 1
Marinate the chicken. Submerge the chicken thighs in buttermilk mixed with salt, garlic powder, paprika and 1½ tablespoons of hot sauce, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The buttermilk's acidity gently tenderises the meat while seasoning it right through.
- 2
Build the dredge. Combine flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a wide bowl, then rub in 2 tbsp of the buttermilk marinade to form craggy little clumps. Cornflour and baking powder lighten the coating, while those damp clumps are what give the finished crust its extra-crunchy texture.
- 3
Coat and rest the chicken. Lift each piece from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press firmly into the dredge. Rest the coated pieces on a rack for 10 minutes so the coating hydrates; skipping this is the main reason coatings fall off in the oil.
- 4
Fry the chicken. Heat 5cm of oil in a heavy pot to 175°C and fry the chicken two pieces at a time for 6-8 minutes, turning once, keeping the oil between 150-165°C throughout. It's ready when deep golden and 74°C in the thickest part; drain on a rack rather than paper so the crust stays crisp instead of steaming.
- 5
Make the hot glaze. Warm the oil gently for about 1 minute in a small pan, just until it shimmers but is nowhere near smoking (about 120°C), then take it off the heat and whisk in cayenne, smoked paprika, brown sugar and garlic powder. Whisking off the heat stops the spices scorching and turning bitter.
- 6
Glaze the chicken. Brush the warm glaze generously over the hot fried chicken while it's still on the rack, stirring the glaze each time you dip in as the spices settle quickly. The heat from the chicken helps the glaze cling in a thin, sticky layer.
- 7
Make the slaw. Toss cabbage and carrot with mayo, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice and a pinch of salt just before serving. Mixing it at the last minute keeps the cabbage crisp rather than letting it wilt and turn watery.
- 8
Toast the buns. Toast the buttered bun halves, cut side down, in a frying pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until golden, which gives the spicy sauce a crisp surface to sit on instead of soaking straight in.
- 9
Build the burger. Pile the slaw onto the bottom bun, top with the glazed chicken and a few pickles, then finish with the top bun. The cool, crunchy slaw underneath balances the heat and stickiness of the chicken above it.
Storage
Fried chicken keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; freezing isn't recommended as the coating turns soggy on thawing. Reheat in an oven until piping hot and 74°C at the centre - the microwave will soften the crust. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
