Description
Discover the perfect balance of spicy, crispy, and juicy with this homemade Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger. Featuring tender chicken thighs coated in a flavorful batter, fried to golden perfection, and topped with a creamy spicy sauce, fresh lettuce, and melted American cheese, this burger is an explosion of flavor in every bite. Ideal for a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner, this recipe combines bold spices, crisp textures, and savory goodness to elevate your burger game.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Wet Batter
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Dry Mix
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder (optional)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Spicy Creamy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp chili flakes
Others
- 3 cups ice cold water
- 4 burger buns
- lettuce leaves
- 4 slices American cheese
Instructions
- Chicken Marinade: Mix the egg whites, flour, gochugaru, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Coat the chicken thighs evenly with this wet marinade and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes to tenderize and absorb flavors.
- Dry Mix: Combine the flour, gochugaru, paprika, garlic powder, optional onion powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a separate shallow dish and set aside.
- Spicy Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together Japanese mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili flakes until smooth. Set aside.
- Dredging: Prepare for breading by setting up a dipping station: one bowl with water (3 cups ice cold water), and the dry mix. Dip each marinated chicken thigh into water, then dredge thoroughly in the dry mix for a thick coating.
- Deep Frying: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350°F (175°C). Carefully fry the coated chicken thighs until golden brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Drain on paper towels.
- Assembling: Toast the burger buns until lightly golden. Spread a generous amount of spicy sauce on the bottom bun, add lettuce, place the crispy chicken thigh, top with a slice of American cheese, then layer with more lettuce if desired. Cover with the top bun and serve immediately.
Notes
- Depending on the size of your burger bun and chicken thigh, consider cutting the thigh in half to better fit the bun.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce the amount of gochugaru or Sriracha in the recipe.
- You can substitute gochugaru with chili powder or cayenne pepper for a different spice profile.
- For extra crunch, double bread the chicken by repeating the dredging step before frying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger (about 200g)
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
