Hot Chili Chicken Burgers

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Cooking Duration: Approximately 2 hours (including dough rise time and baking)

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 250 ml lukewarm milk
• 7 g instant yeast (1 tablespoon)
• 30 g hot chili sauce
• 1 medium egg (beaten)
• 475 g all-purpose flour
• 8 g salt (1⅓ teaspoons)
• 40 g nacho chips (finely ground)
• 30 g unsalted butter (softened)

For the Chicken Mixture:

• 400 g chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
• 3 g salt (½ teaspoon)
• 3 g cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon)
• 4 g onion powder (1⅓ teaspoons)
• 2 g black pepper (⅔ teaspoon)
• 25 g hot chili sauce

For the Flour Mix:

• 75 g all-purpose flour
• 1 g salt (⅙ teaspoon)
• 2 g black pepper (⅔ teaspoon)
• 3 g onion powder (1 teaspoon)

For the Coating:

• 2 medium eggs (beaten)
• 160 g nacho chips (finely ground)

Extra:

• 1 medium egg (for brushing)

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Tools and Equipment

• Mixing bowls :

• Food processor or blender (for grinding nacho chips) :

• Whisk (or fork) :

• Rolling pin :

• Baking trays :

• Parchment paper :

• Frying pan (for shallow frying) :

• Oven :

• Cooking thermometer (optional, for oil temperature) :

• Tongs (or spatula) :

• Paper towels :

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Method

1. Prepare the Nacho Chip Crumbs:

• Finely grind 200 g of nacho chips in a food processor.
• Set aside 40 g for the dough and 160 g for coating the chicken.

2. Make the Dough:

• In a large bowl, mix lukewarm milk, yeast, and hot chili sauce. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Add the beaten egg and stir to combine.
• Add flour, salt, 40 g of finely ground nacho chips, and softened butter.

• Knead the dough for 10–12 minutes until smooth and elastic.

• Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

3. Prepare the Chicken:

• Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
• In a bowl, mix chicken with salt, cayenne, onion powder, black pepper, and chili sauce.
• Let marinate while the dough is rising.

4. Prepare the Coating Stations:

• In one bowl, combine flour, salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
• In a second bowl, beat 2 eggs.
• In a third bowl, place 160 g of ground nacho chips.

5. Bread the Chicken:

• Dredge chicken pieces in the seasoned flour.
• Dip into beaten egg.
• Coat thoroughly with nacho chip crumbs.
• Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.

6. Shape and Coat the Buns:

• Punch down the risen dough and divide into 12 equal portions.
• Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a 13 cm circle.
• Fold each circle in half like a taco shell.
• Brush the tops with beaten egg and dip in remaining nacho chip crumbs.
• Place on a lined baking tray.
• Let rise for another 30 minutes, until puffed up.

7. Cook the Buns:

• Heat 2 cm of sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat (about 175°C).
• Fry each bun on both sides until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.

8. Bake the Chicken:

• Preheat oven to 175°C (345°F).
• Bake chicken for 25–30 minutes, until crispy and fully cooked.

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Plating and Serving

• Carefully open each fried bun.
• Add a layer of your favorite sauce (ranch, garlic mayo, or more chili sauce), fresh lettuce, and a few crispy chicken pieces.
• Serve hot, ideally with a side of fries, coleslaw, or a cold drink to balance the spice.