There is nothing more frustrating than going to your local KFC restaurant and ordering their famous KFC Zinger burger, just to find out that somehow, they are out fresh out; the frustration and disappointment are unmet and can really put a damper on your day.
Luckily, you can make your very own KFC Zinger right at home! This recipe is incredibly easy and tastes just like the real thing.
What is in a Zinger burger?
The Zinger Burger from KFC includes a succulent, crispy chicken fillet marinated and breaded in KFC’s signature hot and spicy blend, topped with fresh lettuce and a slice of ripe tomato, all enveloped in a warm, freshly toasted sesame bun. It may come along with a flavorful condiment like mayo or tangy sauce, depending on the region’s specific recipe.
How To Make KFC Zinger Burger
Create a mouth-watering, spicy Zinger Burger from scratch with this easy to follow recipe. Enjoy your homemade Zinger Burger that’s crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of flavour!
Ingredients:
For the Marinade:
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 TBSP Salt
- 3 tsp Cayenne
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- 4 to 6 Chicken Breasts (3-4oz each)
For the Breading:
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 TBSP Baking Powder
- 1 TBSP Sugar
- ½ tsp Cayenne
- ¼ tsp Paprika
For the Sandwich:
- Bun Heel and Crown
- Mayonnaise
- Romaine Lettuce
Instructions:
1. Preparing the Marinade
Combine the chicken stock, salt, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Whisk them together until well-blended. Place your chicken breasts in the marinade, ensuring they are completely covered. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Preparing the Breading
In a different bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cayenne, and paprika together. Whisk them together until well-mixed.
3. Breading the Chicken
Once your chicken has been fully marinated, it’s time to bread them. Dip the marinated chicken breasts in the breading mixture. Then, dip it into water, and back into the flour. Make sure the chicken is fully coated.
4. Frying the Chicken
Heat oil in a pan or pot to 350F. Place the breaded chicken into the oil and let them fry for 6 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
5. Assembling the Sandwich
Start with the heel of your bun and spread a generous amount of mayonnaise on it. Add the romaine lettuce next. Place your freshly fried chicken on top. Finish the sandwich by placing the crown of your bun on top.
Top the burger with the top-half bun and serve with delicious fries.
KFC Zinger Burger Recipe
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes40
minutes350
kcalThis recipe is surprisingly easy to make, not to mention healthier than an actual KFC Zinger burger; and it tastes just like the real thing!
Ingredients
30 g 30 Chilli Heatwave Doritos
1 teaspoon 1 chili powder
1 teaspoon 1 garlic flakes
1 teaspoon 1 paprika
1 teaspoon 1 onion flakes
4 4 chicken breasts
1 cup 1 cornflour
2 2 egg
1 1 seeded burger buns, halved and toasted
1 1 red onion, sliced
1 large 1 tomato, sliced
Crispy iceberg lettuce, shredded
Sweet mayonnaise
1 tbsp 1 Salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with non-stick paper or spray it well with cooking spray.
- Place the Doritos into a zip-seal bag and crush using a rolling pin or meat mallet – any hard item will work, even the spine of a book!
- Add the chili powder, garlic, paprika, and onion flakes inside the bag and shake vigorously to ensure that all the ingredients mix well. You can stop when you have even-sized fine crumbs.
- Ensure that your chicken breasts are very dry by patting them with a paper towel.
- Place the cornflour into a flat bowl. Whisk the egg well and place the beaten egg into another flat bowl. Lastly, add the Doritos crumb into a third flat bowl.
- Take one chicken breast at a time and coat them in the cornflour, then egg and lastly the Doritos crumb. Repeat the process once more so you have double-crumbed each breast.
- Ensure that you shake each chicken breast so any excess cornflour falls off. This will help the egg and Doritos crumb stick better and will create a beautiful crisp chicken breast.
- Place the crumbed chicken breasts on the baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Before removing the chicken from the oven, make sure it is completely cooked through and crispy.
- To assemble your burger, start by lightly toasting your seeded buns halves. To assemble, place your Zinger patty on the bottom bun, followed by red onion rings, a slice of juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce and their signature sweet mayonnaise.
- Top with the other bun half and serve immediately with your favorite KFC side dish.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If you are making a large batch of chicken and therefore need to make a large batch of Dorito crumb, place the Doritos along with all the spices into a food processer and blend until you achieve a fine crumb. This will save a lot of time compare to crushing a whole bag by hand.
- If you do not dry your chicken with a paper towel, your corn flour that creates a crispy crumb, will be absorbed and therefore not function as well.
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Tips & Tricks
- When coating chicken (or any other type of food), use the wet hand, dry hand method. This means that, for example, if you use your left hand to dip the item in a wet ingredient, do not dip that hand in the dry ingredients, use your right hand to do so. This will prevent your fingers from being breaded and will ensure that you have a beautiful, mess-free crumb on your food as well as make for easier clean-up.
- To cook the chicken you can also deep-fry the chicken breasts in a large pot of oil at 320 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes. If your crumb is dark, but your chicken isn’t cooked through, bake for another few minutes on 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you are not a fan of deep-fried chicken, an air-fryer will also get the job done. They fry chicken and many other foods without the use of any oil resulting in a much healthier, yet still crispy and delicious, chicken.
- For the burger itself, you can either collect sweet mayonnaise at your local KFC or you can buy some in-store. We also recommend combining this with a side of KFC coleslaw and wedges.
What makes a zinger burger spicy?
The distinctive spicy kick of a zinger burger primarily originates from the spicy marinade and breading. This marinade usually contains a mixture of hot chili powder, cayenne pepper, or other hot spices that are then infused into the chicken before being breaded and fried. Furthermore, zinger burgers often include a spiced up mayonnaise or sauce that adds another layer of heat and complements the spicy chicken.
Conclusion
Just like we promised, a delicious and fried chicken sandwich with sesame seed buns, add cheese and ketchup if you fancy it. Best of all, you now have an easy KFC Zinger burger made in the comfort of your own home! No more long queues, no more mediocre burgers; simply a fun recipe to make with the whole family for game- or movie night!
