Fried chicken burgers, in their fried deliciousness glory, have everything you could hope for. Tender breaded chicken thighs, crunchy pickles, and a tasty creamy sauce! It’s a satisfying and comforting sandwich that can make you feel like a real chef.
The acidity of the pickles cuts through the fat of the meat, and the sauce coats everything in creamy goodness. It’s a match made in heaven!
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🍔 Burger rules
I’ve got to admit I used to be hell-bent on not considering fried chicken burgers as burgers. To me, a burger HAD to have a grilled beef patty (or a couple of them) and that was the end of it. Moreover, the only times I saw fried chicken burgers were in fast food chains and they looked like a mess. Wrinkly buns, greasy meat, a single lettuce leaf fighting with a sad-looking pickle slice. Not very appealing.
However, I suddenly got a weird craving for them and decided to work on a recipe that would leave me as satisfied as if I had eaten a traditional burger. Now I can see their positive aspects! Thighs are less meaty than beef patties so they blend with the sauce and toppings better. And, if fried properly, chicken can offer great textural contrast! Maybe I should start working on a fish burger recipe next. I never had one, out of principle that fish isn’t burger material.
⏲️ Buttermilk marinade
Marinating the chicken thighs in buttermilk is imperative. The natural acidity present in buttermilk (fermented milk) will break down the meat’s collagen, rendering your chicken thighs perfectly tender. So don’t skip this step! If you forgot or don’t have time to marinate your chicken overnight, let it marinate for half an hour at room temperature before breading it. Your fried chicken burgers will be that much more delicious.
Chicken breasts will always remain drier than chicken thighs no matter how long you leave them to marinate. Chicken breasts are healthier, sure, but they are also blander and less tender. So it’s chicken thighs all the way for me! You’re already eating a burger so go all the way and eat a great one instead of a good one!
📋 Step by step
→ marinate the chicken thighs
Put the thighs in a mixing bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Season, mix slightly and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Chill overnight in the fridge.
→ make the sauce and prepare the breadcrumbs
Whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, dill and garlic to make the sauce. On a deep plate, combine the breadcrumbs and spices.
→ fry the chicken thighs
Remove the thighs from the buttermilk and dredge them in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the thighs, turning them often, for 14 min. The pan shouldn’t be overcrowded, so if necessary, fry them in batches. Assemble the fried chicken burgers however you prefer and dig in!
💭 Top tips
- make sure your chicken is well cooked: Be sure to bring your chicken to room temperature before frying. Otherwise, it will drastically lower the temperature of the oil and the thighs won’t cook evenly. While cooking check the temperature of the oil from time to time to make sure it’s still around 170°C (340°F). If not, increase the heat. When you think your chicken is cooked, check its internal temperature in its thickest part with your thermometer. Chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
- don’t make the fried chicken burgers in advance: If you assemble your burger in advance and let it sit around for a while the bun and chicken will get soggy. You can make the sauce and prepare the breadcrumbs the day before but fry the thighs at the last moment. And eat the fried chicken burgers as soon as they are ready.
Fried chicken burgers
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- overnight marinating: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 25 hours 4 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
These fried chicken burgers are stacked with a tasty creamy sauce, crunchy pickles and tender chicken thighs coated in crispy breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
For the fried chicken:
- 4 big boneless skinless chicken thighs or 8 small ones, around 620g (22 oz) in total
- 970ml buttermilk (4 cups)
- 120g plain dried breadcrumbs (1 cup)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- canola or peanut oil, for frying
For the burgers:
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 dill sprigs
- 175g full-fat Greek yogurt (1 cup)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- sliced pickles *
- 4 burger buns, sliced in halves
Instructions
- Marinate the thighs. If your thighs are thick pound them with a rolling pin to an even 2.5cm (1 inch) thickness. Place the thighs in a mixing bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Add a big pinch of fine sea salt and some ground black pepper. Mix lightly and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Chill overnight. The following day, bring the thighs back to room temperature before cooking.
- Make the yogurt sauce and prepare the breadcrumbs. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Pluck the leaves from the dill sprigs. Discard the sprigs and chop the dill leaves. Make the sauce by whisking together the yogurt, mayonnaise, dill and garlic in a bowl. I leave the bowl at room temperature while I go with the rest of the recipe because I hate cold sauces in a hot burger. Mix the breadcrumbs and spices on a deep plate.
- Fry the chicken thighs. Remove the thighs from the buttermilk, shaking off any excess. Dip them one by one in the seasoned breadcrumbs, properly coating both sides. Cover the surface of a frying pan with 2.5cm (1 inch) of oil. Place over medium-high heat and wait for the oil to reach 170°C (338°F). Check with a thermometer or if you don’t have one, drop a small piece of bread into the oil. The oil should sizzle and the bread should turn brown after 30 seconds. If your oil is smoking, you’ve cooked it too long and the fumes might be toxic so be careful. Fry the thighs in a single layer for 14 min, turning them often, until evenly golden brown. The pan shouldn’t be crowded, so if necessary, fry them in two batches. Carefully take the thighs out and place them on a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
- Build up each burger. When the chicken is almost done cooking, reheat the buns according to the packet’s instructions (toaster, oven,…). Spread some sauce over one of the bottom half, top with as many sliced pickles as you want and then add a quarter of the fried chicken. Smear the top half of a bun with a teaspoon of sauce (or ketchup), then gently press the burger together. Repeat to assemble the other fried chicken burgers and serve quickly. I usually ask someone to help me to assemble faster.
Notes
You can keep any leftover sauce sored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 719
Keywords: buttermilk chicken thigh burger, breaded chicken thighs, homemade chicken sandwiches
*I made my own using this easy recipe but shop-bought are more than fine
In the mood for another ‘sandwich’? Here are some of my favorite recipes:
Safiyah
Can I air fry these? 🙂
Amélie
Hi, thanks for your question!
Since an air fryer is a small convection oven, the recipe should work as breaded chicken thighs can be baked in an oven.
If I were you, I would preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray (or dab a little vegetable oil). Cook the breaded thighs for 15 min. Flip them and cook for 10 more minutes.
To check it is cooked, pierce the thighs with a knife at the thickest part to see if the juices run clear. If you have a digital thermometer, check the temperature at the thickest part. Chicken is safe to eat when the temperature reaches 74°C (175°F).
The thighs shouldn’t touch in the basket, so if your air fryer is small you might need to cook them in batches.
Now comes my caveat; I don’t have an air fryer / I never used one, so I can’t be sure how it would turn out 😅. Sorry! Do let me know if you try it though!