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A crispy fried chicken burger with lettuce, tomato and pickles in a toasted bun, served with fries
American · Dinner

Crispy Chicken Burger

A juicy yogurt-marinated chicken cutlet in a spiced, double-crunch coating, stacked in a toasted bun with a creamy chilli sauce. Easy to make at home with pantry staples.

Published 29 Sep 2026

Prep45 min
Cook20 min
Total1 h 5 min
Serves4
DifficultyMedium
CuisineAmerican

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment: Deep heavy pan or wok, kitchen thermometer (optional), three shallow plates, wire rack, frying pan or tawa for the buns

Method

  1. Whisk the yogurt, milk, lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, half the pepper, half the garlic powder and half the paprika in a bowl. Add the chicken cutlets, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

  2. While the chicken marinates, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup and chilli garlic sauce in a small bowl. Chill until serving.

  3. Set up three plates: on the first, mix the flour, cornflour, baking powder, remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. On the second, put the beaten eggs. On the third, spread the breadcrumbs.

  4. Lift a cutlet from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Press it into the flour, dip into the egg, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place on a rack and repeat with the rest.

  5. Rest the coated cutlets on the rack for 10 minutes. This helps the crumbs stick during frying.

  6. Heat the oil in a deep heavy pan to 170°C. If you have no thermometer, a pinch of breadcrumbs should sizzle steadily and float within a few seconds.

  7. Fry two cutlets at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. The centre should reach 74°C or the juices should run clear when you cut into the thickest part.

  8. Lift the cooked cutlets onto a clean wire rack and keep warm. Bring the oil back to 170°C, then fry the second batch the same way.

  9. Spread butter on the cut sides of the buns and toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until golden.

  10. Spread sauce on both halves of each bun. Layer lettuce, tomato, pickles and a hot cutlet on the base, add more sauce if you like, then close with the top bun and serve immediately.

Cooking tips

  • Slicing the breasts into thin, even cutlets means the chicken cooks through before the crust darkens too much.
  • Keep one hand for the wet ingredients and one for the dry to avoid clumpy fingers and a patchy coating.
  • Do not crowd the pan. Too many cutlets lower the oil temperature and make the crust greasy.
  • Drain fried chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the underside stays crisp.

Substitutions

  • No breadcrumbs: crush plain cornflakes or salted crackers and use the same quantity.
  • No yogurt: use 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, rested for 5 minutes.
  • No mayonnaise: use thick plain yogurt mixed with a little mustard and salt for a lighter sauce.
  • Chicken thigh fillets, flattened evenly, can replace the breasts for extra juicy meat.

Serve with

"Serve with crinkle-cut fries or potato wedges, coleslaw and a cold drink such as lemonade. Extra chilli sauce on the side suits spice lovers."

Storage

Store leftover fried cutlets, without buns or sauce, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the sauce separately for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat cutlets on a rack in a 200°C oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 180°C for 6 to 8 minutes, until hot throughout and crisp again. Avoid the microwave, which softens the crust.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).

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