1. Can I bake or air fry the spicy crispy chicken burger instead of deep frying?

Yes, while deep frying gives the crispiest texture, you can air fry the chicken at 390°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway. Lightly spray with oil to help the crust brown. Baking is less crispy but still works — bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes until golden and fully cooked. However, the crisp factor will be slightly reduced.

2. How spicy is the spicy crispy chicken burger?

The heat level is medium, thanks to the gochugaru, sriracha, and chili flakes. If you're sensitive to spice, reduce or omit the chili flakes and use less sriracha. To turn up the heat, add cayenne pepper to the dredge or a dash of hot sauce to the spicy mayo. This recipe is fully adjustable depending on your spice tolerance.

3. Can I prep this burger ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can marinate the chicken and prepare the dry mix and sauce up to 24 hours in advance. After frying, store the chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer or oven to restore crispiness. Assemble the burger just before serving to maintain the perfect texture of the buns and sauce.

Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger – Best Recipe

Name: Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Cuisine: Fusion (American-Asian)
Ingredients: 4 boneless chicken thighs; 2 egg whites; 1 tbsp flour; 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes); 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp sugar; 2 cups flour (for dry mix); 1 tbsp garlic powder (for dry mix); 1 tbsp onion powder (optional); 1 tbsp paprika (for dry mix); 2 tbsp gochugaru (for dry mix); 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt (for dry mix); 1/2 tsp sugar (for dry mix); 2 tbsp Japanese mayo; 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; 3 cups ice cold water; 4 burger buns; 4 lettuce leaves; 4 slices American cheese

Description

This Spicy Crispy Chicken Burger delivers the perfect balance of heat, crunch, and flavor. Inspired by the KFC Zinger Burger and Indonesian Ayam Geprek, it features marinated chicken thighs, double dredged with a special seasoning mix, fried to perfection, and topped with a spicy creamy sauce, cheese, and lettuce in a toasted bun.

Ingredients

Scale

4 boneless chicken thighs
2 egg whites
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups flour (for dry mix)
1 tbsp garlic powder (for dry mix)
1 tbsp onion powder (optional)
1 tbsp paprika (for dry mix)
2 tbsp gochugaru (for dry mix)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (for dry mix)
1/2 tsp sugar (for dry mix)
2 tbsp Japanese mayo
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
3 cups ice cold water
4 burger buns
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices American cheese

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Instructions

In a bowl, mix egg whites, flour, gochugaru, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and sugar. Add chicken thighs and coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry mix: flour, gochugaru, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Make the spicy sauce by mixing Japanese mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili flakes in a bowl. Set aside.
Dredge each piece of marinated chicken in the dry mix until fully coated.
Dip the dredged chicken into ice cold water for 5 seconds. Let rest for 10 seconds.
Re-dredge in the dry mix. Repeat the dredging and water dip process twice total for each piece.
Let the coated chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying.
Heat oil over medium heat and deep fry the chicken until golden brown (about 10–15 minutes). For extra crispiness, fry again for 5–8 minutes.
Remove chicken and let it rest. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and gochugaru if desired.
Toast the burger buns. Spread spicy sauce on both halves of the bun.
Place the fried chicken on the bottom bun, top with a slice of cheese, lettuce, and the top bun.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

The ice water bath helps create an extra-crispy crust — don’t skip this step.
Use boneless chicken thighs for juicier patties.
The sauce can be adjusted to taste by altering sriracha or chili flakes.
Store leftover chicken separately and reheat in the oven or air fryer for best texture.
This recipe can be adapted for air frying or baking, though texture may vary.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Deep Frying
Cuisine: Fusion (American-Asian)

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 burger
Calories: 680
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 880mg
Fat: 35g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 22g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 55g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 32g
Cholesterol: 115mg