Crispy Chicken Burgers

My tried and tested Crispy Chicken Burger with Honey Mustard Coleslaw is the best you're going to eat (did I tell you I worked in a fried chicken shop for many years when I was younger?).

Using my secret recipe for making the perfect Crispy Chicken, served on a toasted brioche bun, with jalapenos, homemade honey-mustard coleslaw and crunchy lettuce. Way better than takeout!

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

• 3 large chicken breasts sliced into long, thick strips
• 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic salt

Crispy Chicken Coating:

• 180 g (1 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ½ tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp chilli flakes

Honey Mustard Coleslaw:

• 1/3 white cabbage
• 1 medium carrot peeled
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• pinch black pepper

Also:

• vegetable oil for deep frying
• 4 slices gouda cheese I used the ready-sliced kind, or you can slice it yourself
• 4 brioche buns toasted
• 8 pieces crunchy lettuce - I used 'O' so sweet' variety but Romaine or Little Gem are great too
• 1-2 jalapenos sliced
• 1/2 red onion peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the buttermilk, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Mix together, cover and place in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour (up to over night).
2. Make the coleslaw by using a mandoline to julienne the cabbage and carrot (or you can slice thinly by hand). Place in a bowl with the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, lemon juice and black pepper. Stir together, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat the oven to a low heat (to keep cooked chicken warm). Heat a large pan of vegetable oil (or preheat your deep fat fryer) until hot (you can test by dropping a small cube of bread in there, if it rises immediately to the top and starts to bubble rapidly, it’s hot enough). You’ll need at least 1 litre (4 cups) of oil - but make sure your pan is no more than one third full.
4. Mix together the crispy coating ingredients in a small bowl. Take the chicken out of the fridge. Lift a piece from the buttermilk and allow the excess to drip off. Dredge the chicken in the crispy coating mixture – ensuring it’s fully covered. Place on a tray and repeat until all of the chicken is coated.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, add in 5 or 6 of the chicken tenders. You can add more or less depending on the size of your pan, just be sure not to overcrowd the chicken.
6. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked in the middle. You can check this by cutting open a piece of chicken, if it’s no longer pink in the middle, it’s cooked.
7. Place on a tray in the oven to keep warm whilst you cook the rest of the chicken.
8. Now it's time to assemble. First, arrange the chicken tenders into four piles and place the gouda on top. Grill or place into a hot oven for a couple of minutes until just melted (optional).
9. Place the bottom of the brioche buns on four plates. Top with the lettuce leaves, followed by the cheesy chicken pieces.
10. Spoon on the coleslaw, then sprinkle on the red onion slices and jalapeno slices. Place tops of the buns on top and serve.