Why pickle juice belongs in your chicken burger marinade
What’s often considered fast food can be elevated to a higher standard with just a few simple tweaks to the spicing and the method. Here, we’ve tried to recreate the best elements of takeaway burgers, but emphasising everything that makes a great chicken burger so irresistible – particularly the crunch of the coating and the succulence of the chicken breast. As well as the technical side of the process, we’ve added extra flavour with subtle spicing that runs through both the marinade and the coating
Tips for a next level chicken burger
1. Keep it tender
Some recipes call for thighs for succulence, but we’ve gone with breast and kept it juicy by using a marinade.
2. The spice is right
Our spice mix brings the heat of chilli, smokiness of paprika, depth from garlic and a herby note of oregano. Using it in both the marinade and the coating amps up the flavour.
3. DIY buttermilk
Buttermilk is a classic ingredient for a fried chicken marinade but isn’t always easy to come by. To make your own, mix 500ml whole milk with 2 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar and set aside for 10 mins to thicken slightly
4. In a pickle
Using the juice from the gherkin jar to add acidity to our brine is a great way to minimise food waste, and it adds extra tang to this rich dish.
5. Crisp it up
The plain flour in the coating acts like a glue and keeps it in a nice, thick layer, while adding cornflour makes it extra-crispy.
6. Say cheese
We put it to a panel of taste-testers and they unanimously opted for cheese in their burger for a lovely contrast to the crunchy coating.
7. Toast for the most
Toasting the buns is a must. Here, we take it a step further by frying them until crisp with a thin spread of mayonnaise. If this is a too much last-minute juggling, simply slide under the grill.
8. Less is more
Rather than piling the burger high with extra toppings that make it hard to handle, we keep it simple and ensure the chicken is the star act.
How to make it
Next level chicken burger
Serve 4
Prep 30 mins plus at least 4 hours marinating
Cook 20 mins
More effort
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- sunflower oil, for deep-frying
For the spice mix
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the brine
- 500ml buttermilk
- 3 tbsp pickle juice from the gherkin jar (see ‘to serve’)
For the coating
- 150g plain flour
- 150g cornflour
For the sauce
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise, plus extra for
the buns - 1-2 tbsp hot sauce (we used buffalo
hot sauce)
To serve
- 4 slices burger cheese
- 4 brioche burger buns
- 4 medium gherkins, sliced lengthways
1. First, make the spice mix by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl, then set aside. For the brine, whisk the buttermilk with the pickle juice, 1 tsp of salt and a third the spice mix in a plastic container or bowl until fully mixed. Cut each chicken breasts into two, about two-thirds up from the thinner end, so you have a thinner piece and a plump piece of chicken from each. One at a time, put the chicken pieces between two sheets of baking parchment and flatten out using a rolling pin until about until 2cm thick. Lower the chicken into the buttermilk mixture, then cover and chill for at least 4 hrs. Will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hours.
2. To make the coating, mix the plain flour and cornflour with the rest of the spice mix and 1 tsp of salt in a shallow dish. Make the sauce by mixing the mayonnaise with the hot sauce to taste, then set aside.
3. Fill a saucepan or deep-fat fryer with oil to a depth of 5cm, then heat until it reaches 175C, or until a small piece of bread dropped in quickly turns golden. When the oil is up t temperature, use tongs to lift a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk marinade, then dredge it in the seasoned flour until well coated. Carefully, still using the tongs, lower it into the oil, then repeat with a second piece of chicken.Fry for 5 mins, until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. Lift the chicken out and drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper, then cover with a slice of cheese and put on a rack in a low oven to keep warm while you fry the rest of the chicken burgers.
4. Split the buns, spread the cut sides with a little mayonnaise and toasting a large frying pan until browned and crisp. Once all the chicken is cooked, build the burgers. Spread the bottom halves of the buns with some of the sauce, add the chicken, lay over the slices of gherkin, spread the cut sides of the remaining bun halves with more sauce, then close the burgers. Serve straightaway with napkins.
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