The Best Fried Chicken Burger (KFC-Inspired)

Published: Mar 12, 2021 · Modified: Dec 19, 2024 by Izzah Khan · 31 Comments

This is my KFC-inspired Zinger Burger that's crispy, tender and so DELICIOUS! If you love Southern-style KFC Zinger burger, you will absolutely LOVE this recipe! The crisp on this fried chicken is out of this world. The best part? No need for buttermilk or egg binding—just a simple recipe that guarantees the best chicken burger every time.

Crispy deep fried Chicken Zinger Burger inspired by KFC

Key Ingredients for the Best Fried Chicken Burger:

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I will fight anyone who says you can't make fried chicken with breast. Some of your favorite fried chicken is made with chicken breast. Just look at Howlin' Ray's "The Sando", Shake Shack's Chicken Shack and even the famous Hattie B's.
Flour: All-purpose flour for the dredging.
Seasoning: A mix of spices to flavor the chicken. This is where you can go absolutely crazy 🙂
Buns: Brioche buns are elite but we'll keep things simple with regular buns. You pick.
Toppings: Lettuce, cheese, and mayonnaise. You can customize this in a number of ways. I add slaw and hot peppers for some crunch and heat.

Why This Fried Chicken Burger Is the Best

This fried chicken burger is everything you want from a crispy chicken sandwich: crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packed with flavor. It's inspired by the KFC Zinger Burger that I've literally grown up eating as a child because the nearest KFC was 3 mins from my house!

Secret to Extra Crispy Chicken. Shhh

One of the secrets to achieving the perfect crispy coating is to dunk your chicken in cold water during the dredging process. This trick ensures that the flour sticks better to the chicken, creating a crispy crust that’s just like the KFC Zinger. After I posted this on my Instagram, some KFC employees did confirm this trick too! I believe the cold water as it hits the hot oil instantly crisps up the coating.

How to make the best Fried Chicken

1. Marinate the Chicken

If your chicken breast is too thick, slice it down to keep it about ½ inch thick. Season your chicken with the spices listed. This will be a drier spice rub. Let the chicken marinate for at least 15-20 mins.

2. Prepare the Dredging Station

In one bowl, add your all-purpose flour. In another bowl, add cold water (throw in some ice cubes in there). Dredge the marinated chicken in the flour first really well for about 15 seconds, then dunk it in the cold water for 5 seconds, then finally press it into the flour for the second time. This is where you need to coat the chicken thoroughly by pressing and rotating it in the flour for at least 60 seconds—this step is key for achieving that perfect crunch. The flour coating should develop crumbs and crannies.

3. Fry the Chicken

Heat oil in a pan to medium-high heat between 350-375F. Fry the chicken breast for 2 mins per side until beautifully golden brown. Chicken breast cooks VERY quickly if your pieces are thinly sliced, so be careful not to overcook them otherwise they can dry out. If using thighs, you need to cook this longer (I would go for 7-10 minutes depending on the thickness).

4. Rest the Chicken

Once fried, rest the chicken on a grill and not a paper towel. Paper towel tends to make anything crispy a bit soggy.

5. Assemble the Burger

To make the best fried chicken imaginable, lightly toast your buns and spread some mayonnaise (chipotle or herb mayo is fire!), followed by a leafy romaine lettuce, the fried chicken and cheese. I also add some sliced cabbage for crunch and fresno pepper or pepperoncini for a kick.

Is buttermilk needed for southern fried chicken

While many Southern fried chicken recipes do use buttermilk to marinate the chicken, I'm skipping that step because my chicken comes out absolutely moist and tender, plus it saves so much time.

Tip to get the chicken CRISPY with the classic KFC Zinger crumb texture

Cut of chicken: While this recipe calls for chicken breast, you can substitute thighs if preferred. However, note that chicken breast results in a less chewy, more tender bite after frying.
Flour Coating: Pressing the chicken into the flour and making sure it’s FULLY coated is crucial for getting that crispy exterior. Seriously, the crumbs should look jagged and almost forced when you're done coating.
Frying Temperature: Maintain a medium-high heat for the oil. If the temperature is too high, the chicken may burn before cooking through. If it’s too low, the coating may get soggy and the chicken will look and taste oily.

KFC Zinger Burger

Izzah Khan

Crispy fried chicken reminiscent of KFC Zinger burgers in Pakistan! You won't be disappointed.

4.89 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine Pakistani American

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

Seasoning

¾ teaspoon red chili powder increase to 1 teaspoon if you like really hot chicken
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder optional
½ tsp paprika
½ teaspoon mustard powder optional
½ teaspoon black pepper

Coating

all-purpose flour
ice-cold water

Instructions

Rinse and pat the chicken dry before dividing it into three pieces, keeping them ½ inch in thickness
Add the seasoning to the chicken and massage really well. Let the chicken marinate for a couple hours if possible, but at least 20 minutes.
To coat the chicken, add a cup or more of flour in a large bowl and coat the chicken really well for about 15 seconds.
Next dunk the chicken pieces in ice water (or just really cold water) for 3 seconds and then dip back into the flour for the final coating. Really work in the flour in a rotating motion for at least 60 seconds and up to 2 minutes. You will begin to see crumbs form on the chicken.
Fry the chicken pieces in medium high heat for only 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the piece. For ½ inch pieces, 4 minutes is max. Don't overcook because chicken breast will dry out.
To assemble the Zinger burger, toast buns and smear both sides with some herb mayo (or any mayo). Lay lettuce leaves on one side and place the fried chicken piece. Top with sliced cabbage (sprinkled with lemon juice), some jalapeno/fresno peppers and more herb mayo.
Enjoy this classic crispy Zinger burger with some French fries!

Notes

DO NOT overcook because chicken breast has a very short cooking window.
Plain flour is all you need for coating because there is plenty of spice in the chicken. However, you can season the flour if you want.
If you don't see crumbs form after the final coat at all, you can dip it again in water and repeat. I have not done this because two coats are all I need.

The Best Fried Chicken Burger (KFC-Inspired)

Key Ingredients for the Best Fried Chicken Burger:

Why This Fried Chicken Burger Is the Best