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Spicy Fried Chicken Burgers | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

  • Yield: 2 Hearty burgers.
  • Time Estimate: About 90 minutes, including 60 minutes unattended.
  • Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed immediately.
  • Difficulty: Easy.

A crispy chicken burger done right is a beautiful thing, and there's a few simple tricks we use every time: a bit of baking soda in the dredge for a superlatively crispy crunch, a 50/50 mix of flour and panko, and marinating chicken thighs in a spicy buttermilk to break down the proteins for tender, juicy meat. We like adding an Asian twist with Kimchi and Ramen seasonings, but once you've got the fundamentals down, the flavor world is your oyster: from Jamaican to Thai to everywhere in between, there's a world of chicken burgers out there just waiting for you to create and devour them. 

Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken thighs
  • 1 Cup mayo
  • 2 Tbs Smoked Spanish Paprika
  • 1/2 Tbs Kimchi Sea Salt
  • 3 1/2 Tbs Shichimi Ramen Seasoning
  • 1 Tbs Granulated Garlic
  • 2 Cups whole milk
  • 2 Tbs white vinegar
  • A couple butter lettuce leaves
  • 1/2 White onion
  • 1 1/2 Tbs gochujang
  • 4 Tbs minced spicy kimchi
  • 3 Cups peanut oil
  • 1/2 Cup flour
  • 1/2 Cup panko or breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbs baking soda
  • 1 Small pat unsalted butter
  • 2 Hamburger buns

Directions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, vinegar, 2 1/2 Tbs Ramen Seasoning, Smoked Spanish Paprika, and Granulated Garlic.
  • Remove skin, trim fat, and de-bone chicken thighs, dunk in the marinade, and pop in the fridge for one hour.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together mayo, remaining Ramen Seasoning, minced kimchi, Kimchi Sea Salt, and gochujang, and reserve.
  • Rise lettuce, finely chop onions, and reserve.
  • In another medium bowl, whisk flour, panko, and baking soda, and reserve.
  • Bring a large pot with peanut oil up to high heat - you're looking for about 310-320F.
  • Remove chicken thighs from marinade, and shake off excess marinade.
  • Dredge in panko & flour mix, coating every bit you can, and rest for 3-5 minutes on a drying rack as the oil comes up to temperature.
  • Lightly butter buns, and briefly sear on a cast iron pan. Reserve.
  • Dredge thighs one more time, shake off excess mix, and drop in the oil.
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes without disturbing them, then flip, cooking for a further 3-4 minutes, or until well browned but not burned, and remove with a spider or slotted spoon to the drying rack.
  • Coat both buns with mayo mix, then begin assembling: lettuce, thighs, onions, and crown.
  • Serve with your choice of sides, an ice cold beverage, and devour.