Makes One
I say it in the video - this is not just one of the best chicken burgers I’ve ever had, it’s one of the best ‘burgers’ I’ve ever had - period.
1 large yellow onion, sliced in half then into thin half rounds
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 - 3/4 pound ground chicken, or 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped up to resemble ground chicken
1 Serrano pepper diced small
1 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt!)
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
2-3 cups vegetable or canola oil
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons smoked paprika (reg is fine)
2 slices Monterey jack cheese
1 tablespoon mayo (kewpie if you have it & you should)
1 brioche burger bun, or at least something very decent
Take half the onions, put them into a bowl with buttermilk, making sure they’re all covered and refrigerate 20 minutes
Put chicken into a bowl, add Serrano peppers, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper - mix well, then separate into 2 balls
Heat a pan on medium/high, add a tablespoon of neutral oil then the remaining onions and red peppers - let cook about 10 minutes or until beautifully softened, season to taste with salt & pepper & set aside
Heat oil in a medium pot to 350 degrees
Put flour and paprika in a large bowl and mix well to combine
Remove onions from the buttermilk, shake off excess and drop into the flour mixture, making sure all get evenly covered
Carefully put onions into the hot oil, separating them as you go - give them a gentle stir to keep them from clumping together and cook until golden brown and crispy - 4-5 minutes, then keep warm (you’ll likely need to do this in 2 batches so you don’t crowd the pot)
Heat a large non-stick pan or griddle to medium high, lightly oil and add each ball of chicken
Use a large spatula to squish the chicken into a flat patty about 3/8 inch thick and cook about 3 minutes, or until halfway done, flip over and add a slice of cheese to each
Toast the buns lightly and add mayo to the bottom bun, then both patties with cheese when done, some of the peppers, then the onion straws and finally the top bun
Do I really need to suggest what comes next?