Learn how to make a chicken burger with the co-founder of Honest Burgers, Tom Barton. Here he shows you how to make a chicken burger in just a few steps, and explains how they keep their meat so juicy throughout the cooking process.
Tom Barton shows us how to cook the chicken breast to perfection, leaving it cooked through but still succulent and juicy.
Paired with mustard, lemon, and black pepper mayonnaise, crunchy lettuce, and juicy tomatoes, this chicken burger is simple but packed full of flavour and the ultimate fake-away meal to make for all the family. This recipe serves four so make sure you scale it up or down depending on if you're cooking for a few or a big crowd.
Once you have mastered this recipe, you can add lots of other fun ingredients to put your own slant on them. Why not try adding a Cajun or BBQ rub to your chicken breasts to add more flavour, or simply serve them with some bacon, pickles, and slices of cheese? The stronger the cheese, the better...
Preparation: The secret to a juicy chicken burger, Tom says is making sure you brine your meat before you begin. This is a quick and simple solution that is made from a mixture of sugar, salt, and water.
For this recipe, he also recommends a good cast iron frying pan with a flat bottom and smooth non-stick finish.
Another tip is if you want to up your fake away game, why not make your own homemade chips to go alongside your burgers? Simply follow our easy chips recipe and put them into your deep-fat fryer or into your oven to cook. Once cooked, just crush together some lemon zest, rosemary, and Maldon sea salt to elevate your chips and replicate the ultimate Honest Burger meal.
Watch how to make the ultimate Honest Burgers chicken burger with Tom Barton
Ingredients:
For the brine:
- 500ml water, plus 1.5 litre cold water
- 2tbsp sugar
- 3tbst salt
For the burgers:
- 4 free range chicken breasts, butterflied
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 1 tomato, thickly sliced
- 1 little gem lettuce, shredded
- 4 burger buns, sliced in half
For the mustard mayonnaise:
- 4tbsp mayonnaise
- 1tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ lemon, juice only
- Black pepper, to taste
- Chips, to serve
How to make chicken burgers
Step 1
To brine the chicken combine the sugar, salt and 500ml water in a small pan. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the remaining cold water and leave to cool completely. Add the butterflied chicken breasts and leave overnight.
Step 2
Remove the chicken breasts from the brine and leave to dry out slightly. Add the olive oil to a hot pan and cook the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden on the outside and cooked-through in the middle.
Step 3
Meanwhile, for the mustard mayonnaise, combine all the ingredients and stir thoroughly. Add a tbsp of the mixture to each burger bun. Top with shredded lettuce. Add the tomato, then the chicken breast and top with the other half of the burger.
Step 4
Serve with homemade or oven chips. A tip to make them like Honest Burgers, is simply crush up some lemon zest, thyme, and Maldon sea salt and mix it through your chips.
Everything you need to know about chicken burgers
Are chicken burgers healthier than normal burgers?
Chicken burgers are definitely becoming more popular today and viewed as healthier than normal beef burgers. This is because chicken is leaner and lower in unsaturated fat, cholesterol and calories.
It is said if you eat meat that is leaner like chicken, you are likely to lower the risk of vascular diseases, heart diseases and strokes in your life time.
How do I know when my chicken is cooked?
Your chicken breasts are cooked when they are white all the way through and are golden on the outside.
To double check your chicken breasts are cooked, take them off the heat and cut into the thickest part of your chicken and make sure the meat is not a pink colour. If it is, continue to cook them for a few more minutes.
How to store fried chicken
According to EatingWell, you must not store fried chicken that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If it wasn’t then you are safe to put your chicken breasts in the fridge for up to three to four days and freeze for about 4 months.
Simply just make sure to store your fried chicken is in an airtight container or cover them well with cling film. The more protected they are the better.
How to reheat chicken
In the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- Take your chicken out the fridge and let it get to room temperature.
- Place your chicken breasts on to a baking tray.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Open the chicken up slightly to see if it is cooked, if pink continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
In the air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C.
- Let your chicken breasts come to room temperature.
- Spray your breasts with a light-coating of oil.
- Place your chicken breasts in your air fryer basket.
- Cook for five minutes.
- Open the chicken up slightly to see if it is cooked, if pink continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
Our best burger recipes
1. Tom Kerridge's smoked pastrami burger
Packed full of flavour, these are great crowd pleasers and perfect to do on the BBQ.
Get the recipe: Smoked pastrami burger
2. Joe Wicks Indian-spiced chickpea burgers with cauliflower raita
These mouth-watering burgers are the perfect vegetarian burger, topped with generous layers of sweet mango chutney.
Get the recipe: Joe Wick's Indian-spiced chickpea burgers with cauliflower raita
3. Pork burger with sweet potato chips
These juicy, delicious pork burgers make a change from your normal beef patty. With sweet baby beetroots and a scattering of peppery watercress, these burgers include a good portion of veggies as well
Get the recipe: Pork burger with sweet potato chips
4. Salmon burgers
Salmon burgers are a great fish alternative to regular beef burgers. Marinated in lime, soy and honey, they are super tasty.
Get the recipe: Salmon burgers
5. Lamb burgers
These lightly spiced lamb burgers topped with sweet grilled peppers will finish off your ultimate BBQ feast.
Get the recipe: Lamb burgers
Tom Barton, co-founder of Honest Burger founded the business with university friend Phillip Eeles. The pair found themselves not wanting to end up in 9-5 jobs in London and instead wanted to pave their way in the London restaurant industry. So, in 2011 they started off making burgers for events and festivals and grabbed at the opportunity to open their first restaurant in Brixton in 2011. Now with 22 branches across London and parts of the UK, Honest Burgers is a recognised restaurant chain that is known for serving its customers quality meat burgers along with delicious homemade chips, relish, pickles and much more.
Related Features:
How to make a hamburger with Tom Barton