McDonald’s Junior Chicken Copycat

The McDonald’s Junior Chicken is a classic fast food favorite- The crispy tender chicken, refreshing mayo all cradled between the softest buns. As good as it is from the drive through, everything tastes better when you make it at home. This recipe brings you the familiar taste of the beloved Junior Chicken sandwich, but with the added bonus of customizing the everything to your liking.

Here's how its made

To start, we make the chicken patties from a mix of chicken thighs and chicken breast (or about 600g of ground chicken), seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, white vinegar, and a touch of white pepper for that perfect balance of flavor. The key to this recipe is forming small, evenly-sized patties (about 3g each) and freezing them for 30 minutes to an hour. I love using this burger press to get perfectly even patties each time. This step helps the patties hold their shape during frying or baking, ensuring a crispy texture without falling apart.

For the coating, you’ll use flour, egg, and cornflakes, seasoned with white pepper for a golden, crispy finish. The cornflakes provide a crunchy texture that mimics the original Junior Chicken's iconic coating, while keeping it lighter and crispier. Once your chicken patties are coated, you can fry them up in peanut oil or vegetable oil to get them nice and crispy or bake them for a lighter version.

The sauce is a homemade version of the classic McDonald's mayo, combining mayonnaise, mustard, white vinegar, and a pinch of salt to create that tangy, creamy kick. Add some crisp lettuce—either iceberg or romaine—and a soft burger bun to seal the deal.

This homemade version of the Junior Chicken is fresher, customizable, and just as delicious as the McDonald’s original, with the added benefit of knowing exactly what’s in it.

Heads up!

You'll need to use the food processor twice in this recipe- first for the cornflakes and then to grind up the chicken mixture. Make sure you go in this order to avoid having your breadcrumbs accidentally get in contact with water.