Main Dishes | Chicken | Chicken | Sandwiches
Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe – Juicy Fried Chicken Burger at Home
This crispy fried chicken burger is based on my YouTube video “Burger au poulet frit croustillant”, but the written version here has been slightly updated since the video went live. The marinade is gentler on the chicken, the coating is more consistent, the sauce is food-safe (no raw chicken marinade), and the frying instructions are precise so you can get a perfectly juicy and crunchy chicken sandwich every time.
It’s a homemade version of the classic fast-food fried chicken sandwich, but with real ingredients and that small chef touch. This recipe works beautifully for a weeknight dinner, a game-day sandwich or a weekend treat anywhere in Canada or the USA.
Ingredients – Crispy Fried Chicken Burger (4 burgers)
Crispy marinated chicken
- 700 g (1½ lb) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 even cutlets
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk (or plain yogurt thinned with a bit of water)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 10 g (2 tsp) fine salt
- 3 g (½ tsp) ground black pepper
- 5 g (1 tsp) paprika
- 5 g (1 tsp) onion powder
- 3 g (½ tsp) garlic powder
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
Crispy coating
- 200 g (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
- 30 g (¼ cup) cornstarch
- 10 g (2 tsp) salt
- 3 g (½ tsp) ground black pepper
- 5 g (1 tsp) paprika
- 3 g (½ tsp) smoked paprika (optional)
- 3 g (½ tsp) garlic powder
- 3 g (½ tsp) onion powder
Lemon-garlic burger sauce
- 120 g (½ cup) mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
- 5 ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
You can use store-bought mayo or make it from scratch with my homemade mayonnaise recipe.
For assembling the burgers
- 4 burger buns, brioche-style if possible
- Lettuce leaves
- 1–2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Dill pickles or burger pickles, sliced
- Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or your favourite), optional
- A bit of butter or oil to toast the buns
Optional sides
Serve this crispy chicken burger with:
- Authentic Belgian fries
- Or homemade mashed potatoes
- Or a fresh Greek pasta salad or avocado and egg salad
Step-by-step instructions
1. Marinate the chicken
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and olive oil.
- Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets of even thickness for consistent cooking.
- Add the chicken to the bowl, making sure every piece is well coated.
- Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 3–4 hours, or up to overnight.
This buttermilk-style brine is similar to what you’d use for crispy chicken tenders or spicy fried chicken tenders.
2. Prepare the coating
- In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Taste a tiny pinch of the dry mix: it should be well seasoned. If it tastes flat, add a bit more salt or spices. A flavourful coating is key for a better-than-fast-food chicken sandwich.
3. Double dredge the chicken
- Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, letting the excess drip off but keeping a light coating.
- Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken.
- Dip the chicken briefly back into the marinade.
- Coat a second time in the flour mixture, squeezing gently to create craggly bits and folds in the coating.
This double dredge is what gives that ultra-crispy texture, just like in my crispy General Tso chicken or crispy popcorn chicken. - Place the coated chicken on a wire rack while you heat the oil.
4. Fry the chicken
- Heat a neutral oil (canola, peanut, or sunflower) in a deep pot or fryer to 175 °C (350 °F).
- Fry the chicken in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot and drop the oil temperature.
- Fry each piece for about 5–7 minutes, turning as needed, until:
- The crust is deep golden and crispy
- The internal temperature reaches 74 °C (165 °F)
- The crust is deep golden and crispy
- Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack to keep it crisp.
If you enjoy this style of crispy coating, you’ll probably also like my crispy honey garlic fried chicken and sweet-and-sour chicken.
5. Make the lemon-garlic sauce
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
- If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of water or milk until it’s easy to spread.
- Keep chilled until ready to build the burgers.
This sauce is a cross between a lemony burger sauce and a light garlic aioli, in the same family as my ranch dressing and homemade Big Mac-style sauce.
6. Toast the buns and assemble
- Slice the burger buns and toast the cut sides in a skillet with a bit of butter or under the broiler until lightly golden.
- Spread a generous spoonful of lemon-garlic sauce on the bottom bun.
- Add lettuce, tomato slices and pickle slices.
- Place a hot, crispy chicken cutlet on top. Add cheese if using.
- Spoon a little extra sauce over the chicken and close with the top bun.
- Serve right away with Belgian fries, mac and cheese or a fresh pasta salad.
Substitutions and variations
- No buttermilk?
Use whole milk and add 15 ml (1 tbsp) vinegar or lemon juice per cup, or use plain yogurt thinned with water. - Chicken thighs instead of breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay extremely juicy and work beautifully in this recipe. - Spicy version
Add cayenne or chili powder to the marinade and the flour mix for a hot fried chicken burger, similar in spirit to my spicy harissa pasta. - Baked version
Place the coated chicken on a rack, spray generously with oil and bake at 210 °C (410 °F) until cooked through and crispy, flipping halfway. - Different sauces
Swap the lemon-garlic sauce for homemade ketchup, ranch dressing or a mix of mayo and my Big Mac-style sauce.
What to serve with a crispy fried chicken burger
- Authentic Belgian fries
- Homemade mashed potatoes
- Greek pasta salad with oregano vinaigrette
- Avocado and hard-boiled egg salad
- For another burger-night idea, try my juicy smash burger with bacon and cheddar
- For a full fried chicken feast, pair it with crispy chicken tenders or chicken Milanese with tomato sauce.
FAQ – Crispy Fried Chicken Burger
Can I marinate the chicken overnight?
Yes. Overnight marinating (up to 24 hours) works very well with a buttermilk-based marinade and gives even juicier chicken.
How do I reheat fried chicken without losing the crunch?
Use a hot oven or toaster oven: 190 °C (375 °F) for about 8–10 minutes on a wire rack, until the coating is crisp again and the chicken is hot.
Can I use chicken tenders instead of breast?
Absolutely. The method is very close to my crispy homemade chicken tenders. Just reduce the frying time slightly.
Can I make this gluten free?
Use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and replace cornstarch with potato or tapioca starch. Make sure the coating sticks well before frying.
What kind of bun is best?
Soft brioche-style buns are ideal, but any soft burger bun will work. If you love baking, you can pair this with my foolproof homemade brioche bread shaped into burger buns.
Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich Recipe – Juicy Fried Chicken Burger at Home
This crispy fried chicken burger is based on my YouTube video “Burger au poulet frit croustillant”, but the written version here has been slightly updated since the video went live. The marinade is gentler on the chicken, the coating is more consistent, the sauce is food-safe (no raw chicken marinade), and the frying instructions are precise so you can get a perfectly juicy and crunchy chicken sandwich every time.
Ingredients
Marinated chicken
- 700 g 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 240 ml 1 cup buttermilk
- 30 ml 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 10 g 2 tsp salt, 3 g (½ tsp) pepper
- 5 g 1 tsp paprika, 5 g (1 tsp) onion powder
- 3 g ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 –3 garlic cloves 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
Coating
- 200 g 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 30 g ¼ cup cornstarch
- 10 g 2 tsp salt
- 3 g ½ tsp pepper
- 5 g 1 tsp paprika
- 3 g ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 g ½ tsp onion powder
Sauce
- 120 g ½ cup mayonnaise
- 15 ml 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 small garlic clove
- 5 ml 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt pepper
- Assembly
- 4 burger buns
- Lettuce tomato, pickles
- Cheese optional
Instructions
Marinate
- Mix buttermilk, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, pepper, spices and olive oil. Add chicken and marinate 3–4 hours (up to 24 hours) in the fridge.
Coating
- Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and spices in a shallow dish.
Double dredge
- Dredge chicken in flour, dip back into marinade, then dredge again in flour, pressing to create a craggy coating. Rest on a rack.
Fry
- Heat oil to 175 °C (350 °F). Fry chicken 5–7 minutes until golden and crispy and internal temperature reaches 74 °C (165 °F). Drain on a rack.
Sauce
- Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, garlic, Dijon, salt and pepper until smooth.
Assemble
- Toast buns, spread sauce on bottom, add lettuce, tomato, pickles, crispy chicken, extra sauce and top bun. Serve immediately with your favourite side.
Video
Notes
Substitutions and variations
- No buttermilk?
Use whole milk and add 15 ml (1 tbsp) vinegar or lemon juice per cup, or use plain yogurt thinned with water. - Chicken thighs instead of breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay extremely juicy and work beautifully in this recipe. - Spicy version
Add cayenne or chili powder to the marinade and the flour mix for a hot fried chicken burger, similar in spirit to my spicy harissa pasta. - Baked version
Place the coated chicken on a rack, spray generously with oil and bake at 210 °C (410 °F) until cooked through and crispy, flipping halfway. - Different sauces
Swap the lemon-garlic sauce for homemade ketchup, ranch dressing or a mix of mayo and my Big Mac-style sauce.
FAQ – Crispy Fried Chicken Burger
Can I marinate the chicken overnight?Yes. Overnight marinating (up to 24 hours) works very well with a buttermilk-based marinade and gives even juicier chicken. How do I reheat fried chicken without losing the crunch?
Use a hot oven or toaster oven: 190 °C (375 °F) for about 8–10 minutes on a wire rack, until the coating is crisp again and the chicken is hot. Can I use chicken tenders instead of breast?
Absolutely. The method is very close to my crispy homemade chicken tenders. Just reduce the frying time slightly. Can I make this gluten free?
Use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and replace cornstarch with potato or tapioca starch. Make sure the coating sticks well before frying. What kind of bun is best?
Soft brioche-style buns are ideal, but any soft burger bun will work. If you love baking, you can pair this with my foolproof homemade brioche bread shaped into burger buns.
Useful Links
🛒 Michel Dumas Shop : Explore our kitchen essentials, including aprons and knives.
🌐 Linktree : Access all our important links in one place.
📱 YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok : Follow us for the latest recipes and culinary tips.
