How to Make a McChicken at Home
Skip the drive-thru—this Homemade McChicken is crispy, juicy, and made with real ingredients you actually recognize. A mix of chicken breast and thighs keeps the patty tender, while a light, seasoned batter brings all that fast-food crunch. Toasted brioche buns and fresh butter lettuce take it up a notch, but the best part? You can pull this off right at home in under an hour.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Patties:
- 1 lb chicken (You can do all breast or do ½ lb breast + ½ lb thighs) boneless & skinless
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp sage
Batter:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1½ cups cold iced water
Assembly:
- 4 brioche buns
- Butter for toasting buns
- Butter lettuce
Instructions
- Chop breast + thighs into small bits. In a food processor, pulse together with salt, white pepper, onion & garlic powders, and sage until no more chunks and it sticks together. (Don’t overdo it—texture matters.)
- Scoop 3-4 oz portions of that mixture and shape into thin patties. Line them on a parchment tray. Freeze for about 30 minutes so they firm up and are easier to handle.
- Meanwhile, heat oil to about 325°F (1-1.5 inches deep). Medium heat; you want golden, not burnt.
- Whisk together all the dry batter ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder). Coat patties in this dry mix; shake off excess.
- To the leftover dry batter, add cold iced water + baking soda. Whisk to a thin wet batter. Dip each dry-coated patty into this wet batter so it’s completely coated.
- Fry in batches—don’t overcrowd. Cook until patties are golden brown. Remove and let drain on a wire rack so oil doesn’t pool under them (crispier = good).
- Toast the brioche buns with butter until golden. On the bottom bun, place a leaf of butter lettuce, then your crispy chicken patty. Top with whatever dressings you like (mayo? McChicken sauce? Totally optional). Crown with top bun.
Notes
Serve It Up
- Eat it hot so you get that crunch + juicy combo.
- Pair it with fries, a side salad, or maybe even slaw to get some freshness.
- If you want to spice things up, you could add sriracha or hot sauce—but it’s amazing even “plain” because the batter + chicken mix already bring flavor.
Servings: 3