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Spicy Buffalo Chicken Burger Recipe with Tangy Blue Cheese Slaw

Crispy buttermilk fried chicken tossed in a tangy, buttery buffalo sauce, served on toasted brioche with cheese, pickles and ranch. Have the napkins ready!

A tall image of a Buffalo Chicken Burger is placed on top of a square of black and white newspaper parchment, which is on top of a dark wooden cutting board. In the left of the background, you can see a clear glass jar of homemade ranch, with a silver spoon sticking out of it. This is all set on a navy blue background.

These buffalo chicken burgers are impossible to stop thinking about. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk so it stays tender and juicy, coated in a seasoned flour blend I developed working in a fried chicken shop, and fried until golden and crunchy.

For this recipe, the hot, crispy chicken gets a final dunk in a buttery buffalo sauce, then is piled onto toasted brioche buns with lettuce, crumbled cheese, pickles and a hit of ranch or mayo. Family-approved and perfect for a weekend feast.

Table of Contents

  • 📋 Ingredients
  • Crispy Chicken Burger
  • Buffalo Sauce
  • 📺 Watch how to make it
  • Pro Tip
  • 🍽️ What to serve it with
  • 🍲 More Crispy Chicken recipes
  • Buffalo Chicken Burger Recipe

📋 Ingredients

Crispy Chicken Burger

A wide, overhead shot of the ingredients for a buffalo chicken burger. The ingredients are all placed on a wooden cutting board, which is on top of a white marble surface. On the left side of the image, there is a large blue text box with a list of the ingredients in white text.

Buffalo Sauce

A wide, overhead shot of the ingredients for Buffalo Sauce. The ingredients are placed on top of a wooden cutting board.

Hot sauce gives the buffalo sauce its signature kick — Frank’s or a similar hot pepper sauce works best. Avoid swapping it for Sriracha or sweet chilli if you want that classic buffalo profile.

📺 Watch how to make it:

Full recipe with detailed steps is included in the recipe card below.

  1. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make four thin steaks, then marinate in lightly seasoned buttermilk.
  2. Coat each piece in a spiced flour mix and fry until golden and cooked through.
  3. Gently warm the buffalo sauce ingredients together until combined, then remove from the heat.
  4. Toss the hot, crispy chicken briefly in the buffalo sauce, assemble on toasted brioche with lettuce, cheese, pickles and ranch, and serve immediately.

Pro Tip

Wait to pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken until just before serving — this keeps the coating crisp while still delivering big flavour.

The spicy, tangy buffalo sauce adds a brilliant twist to a classic fried chicken burger.

A tall, overhead image of a Buffalo Chicken burger with the top bun removed to show the chicken.

🍽️ What to serve it with

  • Oven-baked chips or air fryer chips
  • Sweet potato fries
  • A simple green salad with vinaigrette
  • As part of a party spread with mac ’n’ cheese, wings and loaded fries

Perfect for a relaxed Friday night dinner.

A tall, closeup image of a Buffalo Chicken Burger on a cutting board with a jar of ranch in the background.

🍲 More fantastic Crispy Chicken recipes

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A square image of a Buffalo Chicken Burger

Buffalo Chicken Burger

Crispy buttermilk fried chicken tossed in a spicy buffalo sauce, served on toasted brioche with cheese and pickles. Get your napkins ready!

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

  • 2 large chicken breasts (approx 200g/7oz each)
  • 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt

Crispy Chicken Coating:

  • 180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic salt
  • ½ tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes

Buffalo Sauce

  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot pepper sauce (Frank’s recommended)
  • 80 g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter
  • ½ tbsp cider vinegar
  • ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Pinch of salt

Also:

  • Oil for deep frying (about 1 litre / 4 cups, pan no more than one third full)
  • 4 brioche buns, toasted
  • 8 leaves crunchy lettuce (Romaine or Little Gem work well)
  • 4 tbsp ranch dressing or mayonnaise
  • 16 pickled gherkin slices
  • 4 tbsp crumbled feta or creamy Lancashire (Cotija works well)

Instructions

  1. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make four thin steaks.
  2. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the buttermilk, salt, white pepper and garlic salt. Mix, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to a low heat to keep cooked chicken warm.
  4. Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to about 175°C/350°F. You’ll need at least 1 litre (4 cups) of oil; do not fill the pan more than one third full.
  5. Combine the coating ingredients in a large bowl.
  6. Lift each chicken piece from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the flour mix. Place on a tray and repeat.
  7. Fry two pieces at a time for 5–6 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Check for doneness by ensuring there’s no pink in the centre.
  8. Transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack set on a tray and keep warm in the oven; the rack helps maintain crispness.
  9. To make the sauce, combine all buffalo sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the sauce comes together. Remove from heat.
  10. Assemble: place lettuce on the bottom of toasted brioche buns. Dip each chicken steak into the buffalo sauce (or spoon sauce over to coat), then place on the lettuce.
  11. Top each burger with a drizzle of ranch or mayo, 3–4 gherkin slices and a tablespoon of crumbled cheese. Add the top bun and serve immediately.

Notes

Making the chicken ahead

You can cook the chicken ahead, but don’t dunk it in the buffalo sauce until serving to preserve crispness. Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat uncovered in a single layer at 175°C/350°F for 10–12 minutes until hot, then drizzle with sauce.

Making the buffalo sauce ahead

Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate. When ready, warm gently in a saucepan until the butter melts and the ingredients combine, then drizzle over the chicken.

Swaps

  • Use turkey breast instead of chicken.
  • For convenience, use shop-bought breaded chicken steaks and finish them in the buffalo sauce.
  • To bake instead of fry, follow a crispy baked chicken recipe and swap the hot honey or glaze for this buffalo sauce.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is approximate and assumes all coating is used and includes an estimated 1 tbsp oil absorbed per serving. Use as a guideline only.

Nutrition

Calories: 915 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 63 g |
Protein: 35 g |
Fat: 58 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

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