Tender, juicy, and flavorful buttermilk marinated chicken breasts that are double-breaded and shallow-fried until perfectly crispy and golden brown! Serve on buttery, toasted brioche buns with a simple but delicious sweet and smoky aioli and all the fresh toppings! This Crispy Chicken Burger is the best!!
"This was an excellent recipe! I'm sure I'll be making it again and again, thank you!" - Ashleigh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Making the most delicious restaurant-quality crispy chicken burgers at home is easier than you may think! I'm sharing all my tips and tricks to make sure your fried chicken comes out perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. And don't skip on the sweet and smokey aioli! It really ties it all together.
For this recipe, I love shallow frying the chicken in a skillet or using my small electric deep fryer with just enough oil to come up an inch over the basket. This creates less mess and a crispy chicken burger with all the crunch and delicious flavor you love.
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Why you'll love this crispy chicken burger
- Tender, juicy and flavorful! The chicken is marinated overnight, or at least two hours, in a seasoned buttermilk mixture, creating the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken! This is a must.
- Crispy golden brown breading. The chicken is double-breaded in a seasoned flour and cornstarch mixture. This gives you a delicious, extra crispy, golden brown crust that seals in the juicy chicken.
- Smokey aioli & all the toppings. I am all about sauce and toppings when it comes to any kind of burger!! My easy smoky aioli is the perfect complement to fried chicken. It's a little tangy from dill pickle relish and a little smoky from smoked paprika. I always serve with extra on the side for dipping! I also love to serve my chicken burgers with all the fresh toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, pickles, and quick pickled red onion!
Ingredients notes & substitutions
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Chicken breasts. I like using boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs would also work!
- Buttermilk. The acidity in buttermilk helps to break down the proteins in chicken and tenderize the meat while also adding flavor. If you don't have buttermilk you can easily make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) to milk.
- Hot sauce. I like to use Frank's Red Hot but you can swap for your favorite.
- Cornstarch. I believe arrowroot powder would also work, but I haven't personally tried it.
- Smoked paprika. I like the smokey flavor that smoked paprika adds, but using regular paprika is perfectly fine.
How to make crispy chicken burgers
See the recipe card for full instructions.
- Step 1: Marinate the chicken. In a large shallow bowl, combine the marinade ingredients: buttermilk, salt and hot sauce. Add the chicken, turning to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Don't skip this step! Remove the chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before frying.
- Step 2: Bread the chicken. Mix the breading ingredients. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove from the marinade and dip into the flour breading, turning to coat both sides and pressing to adhere the breading. For a thicker breading, repeat this step by dipping the chicken back into the marinade and then into the breading again.
- Step 3: Rest chicken while you preheat the oil. Transfer the breaded chicken breasts to a wire rack. Add about 1 inch of oil to a skillet with tall sides and heat over medium until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
- Step 4: Add two pieces of chicken to the oil at a time and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer to a clean wire rack over a baking sheet to catch oil drips.
- Step 5: Assemble the chicken burgers. Butter the buns and toast under the broiler or in a frying pan until golden brown. Enjoy the chicken burgers with your favorite toppings and smoky aioli!
What is the trick to getting crispy chicken?
Getting an extra crispy and thick breading on your chicken isn't difficult, but here are some helpful tips!
- Ensure the chicken is the same thickness. Use a meat tenderizer to pound each chicken breast to about ½ inch thick to ensure even cooking. If one part of the breast is thicker than the other, you'll end up with under or overcooked chicken.
- Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before breading and frying. If the chicken is really cold when it's added to the oil, two things will happen: the temperature of the oil will drop and the breading on the chicken will finish cooking before the chicken does.
- Double bread the chicken. I like to use a combination of flour and cornstarch, as cornstarch helps to create extra crispy breading. And for extra thick and crispy breading: Dip the marinated chicken in the flour and corn starch mixture, then back into the marinade and back into the flour and corn starch mixture again.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer. I like to use a dry fry thermometer in the oil to ensure the temperature stays about 350 degrees. If the temperature drops too low, the breading on the chicken will absorb a lot of oil because it will take longer to cook. If the temperature is too high, the breading will burn.
- Use a meat thermometer. Also very important: a meat thermometer. In my opinion, every single person should own a meat thermometer. You will be shocked at the difference. No more under or overcooked meat. When the chicken is finished cooking, the internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet. When frying in a skillet, I like to fry two pieces of chicken at a time. Overcrowding will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in greasy chicken.
- Drain chicken on a wire rack. Transfer the fried chicken from the oil to a wire rack over a baking sheet. This will allow excess oil to drip off while also keeping the underside of the chicken crispy.
My favorite toppings
When it comes to burgers, I'm all about the toppings! Here's what I like to add to my fried chicken burger.
- Lettuce. I love to use butter lettuce, but really any kind of lettuce will work from romaine to iceberg.
- Tomatoes. Thinly sliced tomatoes are the perfect fresh addition, especially if it's summer!
- Quick pickled red onion. Pickled red onions are a must! They are incredibly simple to make and add the perfect tang.
- Pickles. You can never go wrong with just simple hamburger dill pickles. Bread and butter pickles would be delicious too!
- Cheese. I don't always add cheese, but it's a nice touch. Havarti, gouda, or a mild cheddar would be great.
- Smokey aioli. When it comes to chicken burgers, give me all the sauce! I want sauce on the burger and a side for dipping. This smokey aioli is the perfect complement to fried chicken.
Recipe FAQs
Using a combination of flour and cornstarch will give you the crispiest chicken crust! Cornstarch absorbs moisture and prevents gluten development, which helps to create a light and crispy crust without it becoming too dense. I like to use ¼ cup cornstarch for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
Yes, most definitely. I still recommend pouring the chicken to about ½ inch thickness. Since chicken thighs are typically smaller, you may want to use 4-6 chicken thighs.
While chicken breasts are a healthy, lean protein, once they are breaded and deep fried in oil, they are considered less healthy due to high fat and calorie content. I would not consider chicken burgers to be healthier than beef burgers.
Make ahead
When it comes to crispy chicken, it's best served hot and freshly made! That said, I recommend frying the chicken right before serving, but you can certainly marinate the chicken and make the smokey aioli ahead of time! This can be done the night before. Place both in airtight containers and store in the fridge.
Storage & Reheating
If you have leftover chicken, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat leftover fried chicken, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the breading is crispy and the chicken is heated through.
Did you try this recipe?
I'd love to hear from you! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and comment below. I appreciate your helpful feedback! Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest for more delicious recipes!
Thanks so much! - Rachel
Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Burger with Smoky Aioli
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 large chicken breasts (or 4 small breasts)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon each salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Smoky Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey (or granulated sugar)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch of salt
- few dashes hot sauce (or to taste)
For the burgers
- 4 hamburger buns (I like to use brioche)
- lettuce
- tomatoes
- pickles
- quick pickled red onion
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken to about ¼-1/2" thickness so they cook evenly. If using large chicken breasts, cut them in half, giving you 4 pieces of chicken.
- In a large shallow bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken, turning to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before frying.
- Make the smoky aioli and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, mix together the breading ingredients.
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove from the marinade and dip into the flour breading, turning to coat both sides and pressing to adhere the breading. For a thicker breading, repeat this step by dipping the chicken back into the marinade and then into the breading again. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Add about 1 inch of oil to a skillet with tall sides and heat over medium until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
- Add two pieces of chicken at a time and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer to a clean wire rack over a baking sheet to catch oil drips.
- Butter the buns and toast under the broiler or in a frying pan until golden brown.
- Assemble the chicken burgers with your favorite toppings and smoky aioli.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
Ashleigh says
This was an excellent recipe! I’m sure I’ll be making it again and again, thank you! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Rachel Kochlin says
Ashleigh, I'm so happy you love this recipe as much as I do!! Thanks so much for leaving a review!