KFC Tower Burger (Copycat)

The original: Tower Burger · KFC →

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About

The Tower Burger was built for the British market, where KFC competes with chip shops as much as with other burger chains, and it is a chicken burger with a hash brown inside. The potato layer does something structural as well as adding crunch: set between the fillet and the sauce, it keeps the bread from going soft.

This home version marinates the chicken fillets in buttermilk with paprika and salt for at least 30 minutes, then presses them firmly into flour and cornstarch seasoned with garlic, onion powder and black pepper, so the coating fries into rough, craggy bits. Fry at 350°F for five to six minutes a side, to 165°F in the centre, and rest them on a rack. The hash brown is shaped from shredded potato bound with cornstarch and fried for three to four minutes a side until deep golden and crisp. Stack it on the chicken with melted cheese, lettuce and ketchup in a toasted sesame bun.

Ingredients

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chicken

Chicken breast2 boneless chicken breast fillets
Buttermilk1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
Paprika1 tsp paprika
Salt1 tsp salt
All-purpose flour1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
Cornstarch2 tbsp cornstarch
Garlic powder1 tsp garlic powder
Onion powder1 tsp onion powder
Black pepper1/2 tsp black pepper
Vegetable oilvegetable oil, for frying

hash browns

Hash browns2 cups (300g) frozen shredded hash browns
Cornstarch1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch
Salt1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper1/4 tsp black pepper
Vegetable oil2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil, for frying

assembly

Burger bun2 sesame burger buns, toasted
Cheddar2 slices cheddar cheese
Iceberg lettuce1/2 cup (20g) iceberg lettuce, shredded
Ketchup2 tbsp (30ml) ketchup

Recipe

1
Marinate the chicken. In a bowl combine buttermilk, paprika, and salt. Add the chicken fillets and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for extra tenderness.
2
Prepare the coating. In a shallow dish mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge thoroughly, pressing firmly so the coating forms rough craggy bits that fry into a crunchy crust.
3
Fry the chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken fillets for about 5–6 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crispy, with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Rest the chicken on a rack to keep the crust crisp.
4
Make the hash browns. In a bowl mix shredded hash browns with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Form two compact oval patties. Fry them in a skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat for about 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
5
Toast the buns lightly in a dry skillet or on a griddle until warm and slightly golden.
6
Assemble the burger from bottom to top: bottom bun, crispy chicken fillet, slice of melted cheddar, golden hash brown patty, shredded lettuce, ketchup, then the toasted top bun. Serve immediately while everything is hot and crunchy.