Hawaiian Fried Chicken Burger
Crispy deep fried chicken served on a delicious burger bun with caramelised pineapple, crispy bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli.
Equipment
- 1 large pot, preferably a Dutch oven for deep frying, or a deep fryer
- 2 large bowls
- 1 digital thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 burger buns
- tomatoes sliced
- lettuce
- 4 pineapple rings drained and dried on paper towel
- garlic aioli can sub with mayo
- 8 slices of streaky bacon
- 4 slices of cheese
- 4 large chicken thigh fillets skinless and boneless
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 litres high heat oil such as canola, vegetable, rice bran, peanut no extra virgin olive oil, it will burn
Fried Chicken Dredging
- ⅔ cup plain flour
- ⅔ cup cornflour/corn starch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper fresh ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tbsp paprika not smoked
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
Instructions
- At least 2 hours but up to 24 hours (optimal)before cooking is to begin, place thigh fillets on a plate, season with 1 tsp salt all over. Cover and return to fridge for dry brining.
- Add all 'fried chicken dredging' ingredients to a large bowl and mix really well.
- To another large bowl, add 30 grams/1 oz of the mixed chicken dredging and 60 grams/2 oz of water, mix together to make a thin batter. Add your dry brined chicken to this mix and coat thoroughly. This isn't a thick batter, just a thin coating so that the dry dredging mix will stick later. Let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- While chicken is marinating, get ready all your other elements for the burgers. Cook your bacon. Caramelise your pineapple (either pan fry, BBQ or air fry until slightly charred at the edges). Cut up your lettuce, aioli on top and bottom buns. Slice your tomato. Have your cheese ready to go.
- Heat oil to 180℃/355℉ in your large pot or Dutch oven. Check with a digital thermometer.
- When oil is ready, taking one piece at at time, thoroughly coat your chicken in the dry dredging. Shake off any excess flour, and then gently lower into the hot oil. Repeat this step with all chicken. If your pot is small you may need to do this in batches to not overcrowd the pot. My large pot comfortably fit 4 large thighs.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes, and check that internal temperate of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 66℃/150℉ (the temperature will continue to rise even after it is removed from the oil). Remove to a paper towel lined plate and immediately place a piece of cheese over each piece of chicken to help it melt.
- Assemble burgers (see diagram for optimal stacking in my opinion). Enjoy!