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The comfort and fun of fried chicken without the hassle of frying whole pieces or small nuggets! These burgers are the perfect compromise and something everyone will love.
If you're like me, you love fried chicken – when someone else makes it.
It's way too much of a hassle for me – the cutting up of the chicken into different parts, the breading, the oil. And nuggets aren't much better.
But burgers? They are like the perfect compromise. Big enough to easily make and fry without the fussiness.
Quick, easy, and delicious.
Plus, the ingredients in this version make it perfect for a Paleo, AIP, and egg-free diet!
Table of contents
Fried Chicken Burger Ingredients:
There are not a lot of ingredients to make these burgers. You only need:
• Ground Chicken – I used ground chicken because it's the most “burger-like” and also what the best chicken nuggets are typically made of. So these burgers are kind of like a big chicken nugget. Yum!
• Sea Salt, dried Sage, and Garlic Powder – these are the seasonings that give these burgers a nice subtle savory flavor without being bland and boring
• Tapioca Starch – this is a starchy flour that is great for frying. You could also use arrowroot flour if you have that and no tapioca or can't tolerate cassava/tapioca/yucca, though I do prefer how tapioca tends to be crispier.
• A fat for frying – In the recipe below I give you several options, however I really love lard for frying these because it is a traditional fat for frying chicken and really gives a nice crisp coating. But any of the other ones work just fine.
Can you make these ahead of time and/or freeze them?
Unfortunately these are not really suited for either making ahead of time or freezing. The coating is just too fragile and will be mushy if it sits around.
These are definitely best right after cooking!
Great side dishes for these burgers:
Since you probably will want a side dish for this, here are some ideas:
• Braised Rainbow Chard makes a great green leafy side (Paleo, AIP)
• If you want more of a traditional salty sort of dish, you could throw some plantains in the oil too and make some Tostones (Paleo, AIP)
• and if you want a good sweet potato side, these diced roasted sweet potatoes with a citrus dressing are awesome (Paleo, AIP)
More Helpful AIP & Paleo Resources in the Freebie Library
If you find this recipe helpful, you may really enjoy the resources in my Paleo & AIP Freebie Library! There's a “dump” freezer meal plan, a list of AIP-compliant breakfast toppings, and so much more. Plus, you'll get even more ideas sent to your inbox! Get the password here.
Fried Chicken Burger Recipe
If you make these burgers, I'd love to hear how it turned out! Either comment below or share a pic on Instagram and tag me @thrivingonpaleo!
Fried Chicken Burgers (Paleo, Whole30, AIP, Egg-free)
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 2 lb Ground Chicken
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp dried Sage
For the coating:
- 3/4 cup Tapioca Starch
- 1 3/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
For cooking:
- 1/2 cup Lard, Palm Shortening, Coconut Oil, or Avocado Oil
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat, add the lard and let melt. In a large bowl, mix together the burger ingredients.
- In a small, shallow bowl, mix together the coating ingredients.
- Take a handful of the burger mixture, try to pat it into a burger shape (it will be sticky) and then lay down in the coating mixture. Coat both sides, then flatten a bit more into a burger shape. Carefully lay the burger down in the hot lard. Repeat until there is no more room in the pan (don't overcrowd, you'll have to do this in 2-3 batches and will make 4-8 patties).
- Leave to cook on that side for 5-6 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes. If you notice the coating isn't getting browned, turn the heat up slightly.
So I’m pretty sure I did something wrong because it really wasn’t crispy like the picture. (I didn’t have tapioca starch, but had tapioca flour, so maybe that is why?) However, it didn’t ruin the meal at all. It tasted like a giant chicken nugget. I had leftovers and couldn’t be happier eating this the next day too. I paired it with AIP zucchini fries and AIP ranch. MMMM!! I am a happy girl! I’ve been really struggling with AIP so this was a total breath of fresh air for me. I really didn’t feel like I was “depriving” myself of yummy food!
Oh man!!, I had my doubts but this recipe was amazing! Followed recipe to the tee, used coconut oil as i didn’t have lard, It was super crispy and tasted just like fried chicken. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!