Savour the irresistible flavour and crunch of Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Burgers, with juicy chicken breasts coated with paprika and Panko breadcrumbs. This easy recipe promises a quick, wholesome, and delicious meal.
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I really love a crispy chicken burger. They are a fabulous family dinner.
They are undeniably a bit faffy, and I often opt for a crumb-less chicken burger instead for ease.
But the air fryer makes it as easy as possible to get perfectly crispy chicken burgers, and if you’ve got a little extra time to coat your chicken breasts, it’s absolutely worth it!
This air fryer crispy chicken burger recipe is fantastic. Quick, easy, fabulously crispy. A marvellous midweek family dinner.
Why I Love Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
I love these air-fried chicken burgers because:
- If I’m honest, I quite enjoy the faff of dipping in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. It’s pretty satisfying.
- Air frying chicken burgers means they are wonderfully crispy, and the chicken stays deliciously tender and moist.
- Crispy chicken burgers in air fryer are a big family favourite.
- Crispy air fryer chicken burgers cook really quickly.
- You don’t need any oil, so they are super healthy.
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Ingredients For Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Burgers
When I air fry crispy chicken burgers, I use:
Chicken Breasts
Plain Flour
Eggs
Dijon Mustard – This is optional, but I think it adds a nice flavour.
Panko Breadcrumbs – I love a panko chicken burger, but you can use different breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Smoked Paprika – Again, optional, but worthwhile!
Then you just need burger buns (we use tiger buns) and sauces and toppings of choice.
You can spray your crisper tray with olive oil so your chicken doesn’t stick, but I’ve never found this necessary.
You’ll Also Need
First, you need to flatten your chicken breasts. You can do this by placing it between two sheets of baking paper. But I use reusable paper, which is really shiny, and the breasts just move about. So, instead, I wrap them loosely in cling film and beat them with a rolling pin.
You’ll need three bowls for the flour, breadcrumbs and egg.
Then, to cook your chicken burgers in the air fryer, you need an air fryer with a crisper tray.
I also recommend a food thermometer (affiliate link) to make sure the chicken is at a safe temperature before serving.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Burgers – Step-by-Step Instructions
Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One – Flatten the Chicken Breasts
Wrap the chicken breasts. I do this with cling film, wrapping loosely so it has space to expand. You can also use baking paper.
Bash with a rolling pin until they are nice and flat and probably just under a centimetre thick.
You could also butterfly them, like I do for my Katsu Curry.
Step Two
Preheat your air fryer to 180 degrees C and set for 16 minutes.
Step Three
Place the plain flour in a shallow bowl. I use pasta bowls.
Whisk the egg and mustard together in another bowl.
Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the salt and pepper and smoked paprika in a third bowl.
Step Four
Dip the chicken breasts first into the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Take your time to flip them over, making sure they are well coated in each mixture.
I do this two at a time because I can only comfortably fit two chicken burgers in my air fryer basket. If yours is bigger or has two drawers, you can do them all simultaneously.
Step Five
Place the coated chicken breasts on the air fryer tray and air fry for 8 minutes.
Step Six
Carefully turn over using silicone tongs.
Step Seven
Return to the air fryer and air fry for a further 8 minutes.
Step Eight
I recommend using a meat thermometer (find out more about how to use and internal temperatures here) or cutting one chicken breast in half to make sure it’s cooked through and piping hot before serving.
Step Nine
If you cook in batches, repeat steps four to eight with the remaining chicken breasts.
Step Ten
Serve on rolls with sauces and salad of choice.
Top Tips
My main tips for the perfect air fried crispy chicken burgers are:
- Spend some time flattening your chicken breasts. If they are too thick they can be quite hard to bite, and they’ll take longer to cook, and if they are uneven, they’ll cook unevenly.
- Make sure they are well coated in flour and egg, flipping each breast over to cover both sides before moving on.
- I find it easiest to do this with two hands. Using one hand to dip and flip in the flour and egg, and the other hand for the breadcrumbs.
- Make sure your chicken is cooked by either cutting one in half or using a meat thermometer.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve your air fryer chicken burgers with things like potato wedges, sweet potato wedges, chips, corn on the cob, coleslaw and salad.
Variations
There are a few things that you could do differently.
Add Other Spices
I add a little mustard and smoked paprika. You could also add things like chilli powder and cajan pepper for extra flavour.
Alternatively, you could just add salt and pepper for a plainer flavour.
Add Bacon and Other Toppings
Adding bacon to chicken burgers is a fantastic addition.
My local pub does chicken burgers with hash browns and gravy, which I highly recommend!
Butterfly the Chicken Breasts
My chicken burgers are often HUGE because the breasts that we buy are big.
Another option is carefully butterflying two large breasts to make four burgers. I’d still flatten them, but you might need to reduce the cooking time slightly. Check after 12 minutes.
Leftovers
I recommend only making as many burgers as you need so there are no leftovers.
You can save leftovers for a day or two and reheat them until they are piping hot. But the coating will become very crispy, and the chicken might be a little dry, so I try really hard not to have any leftovers.
Disclaimer: While I aim to be as accurate as possible, any advice in this post, including but not limited to, cooking times, quantities, nutritional information and storage and freezing guidance is based on my own experience. Please use your own skills, knowledge and judgement, and get up to date food safety information.
Storage
If you do choose to save leftover chicken burgers, leave them to cool on the side before covering and placing the fridge for no longer than two days.
Don’t save them if it means your chicken will be out of date, and don’t reheat more than once.
FAQ
Yes.
This depends on the size and thickness of your chicken. I fry these burgers for 16 minutes, but please do check that yours are cooked through and piping hot before serving.
I air fry my chicken burgers at 180 degrees C.
Yes, I flip air fryer burgers for an even bake.
Other Recipes
If you like these air fryer burgers, I recommend trying:
- Air Fryer Cottage Pie
- Air Fryer Beef Burgers
- Perfect Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Pasta Bake
- Chicken Tikka Wraps
- Parsnips
- Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
- Fish Pie in the Air Fryer
- Macaroni Cheese
Recipe Card
Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 70 g Plain Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 70 g Panko Breadcrumbs
- Pinch Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Burger buns (sauces and salad to serve)
Instructions
- Wrap the chicken breasts loosely.
- Bash with a rolling pin until they are flat and around a centimetre thick.
- Preheat your air fryer to 180 degrees C and set for 16 minutes.
- Place the plain flour in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk the egg and mustard together in another bowl.
- Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the salt and pepper and smoked paprika in a third bowl,
- Dip the chicken breasts first into the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Flipping them over, and making sure they are well coated before moving to the next bowl.
- Place the coated chicken breasts on the air fryer tray and air fry for 8 minutes.
- Carefully turn over using silicone tongs.
- Return to the air fryer and air fry for a further 8 minutes.
- If you are cooking in batches, repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Serve on rolls with sauces and salad of choice.
Notes
- I recommend using a meat thermometer or cutting one chicken breast in half to make sure it’s cooked through and piping hot before serving.
- I can only fit two breasts at a time in my machine, so I leave two wrapped up in the fridge until the first two are cooked.
- The nutritional information only includes the burgers. Add extra for bread rolls and other toppings.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
