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Copycat KFC Zinger Burger: UK Fakeaway Recipe
Inspired by KFC Zinger Burger Not the official recipe
- 45 min
- Makes 4 burgers
- ~$2.44 per serving~£1.81 per serving
- Not enough ratings yet
A fakeaway Zinger: buttermilk-soaked chicken breast in a crunchy, cayenne-heavy coating, with shredded lettuce and mayo in a soft bun. Marinate in the morning, fry in 20 minutes at dinner.
Clone Score
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Rate the cloneCost at home
~$2.44 each at home
- Homemade
- ~$9.75 for 4 (~$2.44 each)
~£1.81 each at home
- Homemade
- ~£7.23 for 4 (~£1.81 each)
Estimate · prices vary by location · excl. tax & delivery.
Estimate. Prices vary by location; tax and delivery fees are not included. Pantry staples (salt, oil…) are not included.
Ingredients
Chicken
Coating
- Pantry
- Pantry
- Pantry
To serve
Pantry staples are not included in the cost estimate.
Ingredient cost
- Homemade
- ~$9.75 for 4 (~$2.44 each)
- Homemade
- ~£7.23 for 4 (~£1.81 each)
Method quantities are for the original 4 burgers.
Kitchen gear
- Heavy, deep pot, at least 6 qt (5.7 liters), or a deep fryer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wire rack
Method
-
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make 4 thin fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even ½ in (1.3 cm) thickness.
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Whisk the buttermilk with 1 tsp cayenne and ½ tsp salt. Add the chicken, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
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In a wide, shallow dish, mix the flour, cornflour, paprika, the remaining 1 tsp cayenne, the garlic powder, black pepper and 1 tsp salt.
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Lift a fillet out of the buttermilk, press it into the flour, dip it back into the buttermilk for a second, then press it into the flour again so ragged bits stick to it. Repeat with the rest and let them sit on a rack for 10 minutes.
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Pour oil into a heavy, deep pot to a depth of about 1½ in (4 cm), no more than a third full, and heat to 340°F (170°C). Never leave hot oil unattended.
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Fry 2 fillets at a time for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C) on a thermometer. Drain on a rack.
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Toast the cut sides of the buns in a dry pan. Spread mayo on both halves, add lettuce to the bottom, then the chicken, and close.
Tips for a closer clone
- Pound the fillets evenly so the outside does not burn before the middle is cooked.
- Drizzle a spoonful of buttermilk into the flour and rub it in with your fingers before dredging for an even shaggier crust.
- Keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F (165°C and 175°C). Too cool and the coating soaks up oil; too hot and it darkens before the chicken is done.
- Air fryer: spray the coated fillets with oil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, turning halfway. Less crunchy, still good.
How cooks rated it
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The Clone Score is how close cooks say it gets to the original. Taste stars are separate: a dupe can taste great without being identical.
Made by the community
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About this dupe
What makes it taste like the original
The heat is in the chicken, not in a sauce: cayenne goes into both the buttermilk and the flour. A double dip gives the craggy, extra-crunchy coating, and the plain mayo and cold lettuce cool it down.
UK and US
The Zinger is a long-standing item on the KFC menu in the UK, so this recipe is written with UK supermarket shopping in mind. Everything here is also sold in US stores: use all-purpose flour and cornstarch where the UK says plain flour and cornflour.
Vs the original
The original is one fillet in a sesame-topped bun with lettuce and mayo. Restaurant prices vary by location and by delivery app.
Where this recipe comes from
Untested: a starting point written with AI help and checked against our recipe rules. Nobody has cooked it yet. Make it, rate how close it gets, and tell us what you changed. How we label recipes
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Copycat recipe inspired by the restaurant original. Not the official recipe. DupeEats is not affiliated with KFC.
The original
On the menu
KFC Zinger BurgerFrom dupeeats.com/d013 · Copycat recipe, not the official recipe. DupeEats is not affiliated with any restaurant brand.
