Delicious and juicy Ground Chicken Burgers are easy to cook on your backyard BBQ grill or stovetop. Crispy and flavorful chicken burgers are a perfect fast weeknight dinner.
๐Ingredients
Ground chickenโor turkey
Mayonnaise
Bread crumbsโPanko preferred
Seasoningโyour choice, but salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder are recommended.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- ๐Ingredients
- Top tips to make them perfect
- ๐จโ๐ณHow to Cook Ground Chicken BurgersโStep-by-Step Photo Instructions
- ๐ก๏ธWhen are chicken burgers done?
- ๐ฅฃSubstitutions, options, and variations
- Seasoning chicken burgers
- More burger recipes
- Making chicken patties ahead
- ๐ดHow to serve chicken burgers?
- โ๏ธStorage of leftover chicken patties
- โFAQs
- How to prevent chicken burgers from falling apart?
- Safety Tips
- Ground Chicken Burgers
Featured Comment from Marcia :
"They turned out beautifully and are moist and flavorful. A keeper recipe."
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This recipe uses a panade to keep the chicken patties moist and tender. Season to your taste since the chicken will pick up flavors well.
Grilled or fried chicken burgers will fit a healthy diet like a low-calorie or low-fat diet or even a low-carb keto diet.
Top tips to make them perfect
- Mix by hand, but don't overmix.
- Dimple the center of the burger pattie to prevent puffing and promote oven cooking.
- Cook for 5 minutes on the first side and flip once. Do not flatten.
๐จโ๐ณHow to Cook Ground Chicken BurgersโStep-by-Step Photo Instructions
- Use the seasoning of your choice. You may use ground turkey instead.
2. Mix ground chicken with Panko bread crumbs, mayonnaise, and seasoning.
3. Form into ยผ to โ pound patties about 3 ยฝ to 4-inch diameter with a slight "dimple."
4. Preheat a well-oiled grill on high heat. Or on the stovetop, preheat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat,
5. Cook for about 5 minutes per side until the internal temperature is 165ยฐ. Serve like a hamburger.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
๐ก๏ธWhen are chicken burgers done?
For safety, all chicken, including ground chicken, must be cooked to 165ยฐ, so use an instant-read thermometer. Undercooked chicken patties are unsafe, but overcooked ones will dry rapidly.
๐ฅฃSubstitutions, options, and variations
Ground chicken can be lean from breast meat or fuller fat from thighs. Breast meat tends to dry more easily, while the fat in dark meat can lead to juicier results. Ground turkey may also be used with this recipe to make turkey burgers.
Panko breadcrumbs will give a more meaty texture, while regular breadcrumbs will be smoother. Panko breadcrumbs come in various flavors, so choose what you like. I suggest cheese-flavored or Italian breadcrumbs. Gluten-free may also be used.
Mayonnaise adds flavor and moisture to the panadeโuse either full-fat or low-fat mayonnaise. Plain Greek yogurt or even milk may be used.
Worcestershire sauce will add a deeper flavor to make the chicken taste more beef-likeโuse 1 teaspoon.
Seasoning chicken burgers
Chicken takes flavor well, so your possibilities for seasoning and topping are endless. Make it Italian with some basil and Italian bread crumbs. Make it Southwest with some salsa, guacamole, avocado, and jalapenos. Add your favorite hot sauce, BBQ sauce, blue cheese, or buffalo sauce.
More burger recipes
For other sandwiches at your BBQ cookout, check out recipes such as Grill Hamburgers, Juicy Lucy Burgers, Meatloaf Burgers, or Smokehouse Burgers. For healthy options, see Low Fat Burgers or Grilled Portobello Mushrooms.
Making chicken patties ahead
You can make these chicken patties and store them airtight and refrigerated for three days or freeze them for three months.
๐ดHow to serve chicken burgers?
Serve as a sandwich on a hamburger bun like a beef burger. Add bacon or cheese of your choice and condiments like ketchup and mustard. Then top with lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion, and maybe a slice of avocado.
If it is a cookout, try typical cookout dishes like potato salad, coleslaw, potato chips, Macaroni Salad, Pineapple Mango Salsa, or Grilled Corn on the Cob.
If cooked on the stovetop, all the above and perhaps Crispy Baked French Fries or Microwave Corn on the Cob.
โ๏ธStorage of leftover chicken patties
Store leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a freezer for three months.
โFAQs
Yes, for most people. Chicken is inherently low in fat and has a good nutrition profile, but how you prepare and cook chicken combined with your nutritional needs will determine your answer.
A panade is a mixture of starch (like breadcrumbs) and liquid that coats the ground meat particles with starch and keeps them moist.
Milk is used in things like meatloaf. I chose mayo for this recipe, but you could use egg or even sour cheeseโjust something liquid-like to help bind.
To learn more about panades, check out Panade: The Secret to Keeping Ground Meat Tender.
How to prevent chicken burgers from falling apart?
They are delicate, but you can have excellent results with some care.
- The panade needs to be thick and pasty. If it has too much liquid, it will tend to fall apart.
- Don't make the patties too thin. โ is the minimum.
- Make the patties on wax paper or parchment paper to help when you move them to the grill or pan.
- Keep the patties cool, work fast, and refrigerate if delayed.
- Oil everything well, like grill grates or pans.
- If cooking on the stovetop, use a non-stick or cast iron skillet.
- Do not flip too much.
- If all else fails, mix in an egg next time.
Safety Tips
Cook the chicken patties to 165ยฐ internal temperature measured with an instant-read thermometerโdo not guess.
Store all raw poultry separately from other foods and use a separate cutting board. Wash all instruments and surfaces that touch raw poultry with appropriate disinfectants.
Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after touching raw poultry.
Ground Chicken Burgers
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ยฝ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
- ยผ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder - optional
Instructions
- Use the seasoning of your choice. You may use ground turkey instead.
- Mix 1 pound of ground chicken with ยฝ cup Panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Add seasoning of your choice. I use All-Purpose Seasoning or use ยฝ teaspoon onion powder, ยผ teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยผ teaspoon black pepper. Do not over-mix.
- Use ยผ to โ pounds of meat per burger patty and form into โ to ยฝ inch thick and about 3 ยฝ to 4-inch diameter patties. Add a slight "dimple" about the size of a quarter and โ inch deep in the center.
- Preheat a well-oiled grill on high heat. Or on the stovetop, preheat a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium.-high heat with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil until shimmering.
- Cook for about 5 minutes per side until the internal temperature is 165ยฐ.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Adjust the number of chicken burgers you want.
- I suggest panko bread crumbs. Use the flavor you have. You can also use other starches like crackers.
- I like the mayo here but use milk or plain yogurt if you prefer.
- Ground chicken needs to cook to 165ยฐ for safety but do not overcook, or they will dry.
- The dimple in the middle of the burger needs to be there to prevent it from puffing up and becoming harder to get to the correct temperature.
- This recipe will work with a wide variety of grill temperatures. Just be sure to cook to the right final internal temperature.
- If cooking on a stovetop, a grill pan provides a nice touch of grill marks.
- Chicken burgers are more "tender" than beef. So handle them with care, or they may fall apart.
- Seasoning and cooking tips in the recipe post.
- Nutrition is calculated using lean ground chicken breasts and low fat mayo.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
ยฉ 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Originally Published May 7, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
S. says
Hi Dr. Dan. Enjoy your recipes. Can these be air fried?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Welcome to the blog.
The answer is perhaps. The main issue will be holding them together. I would add an egg to help bind them. An airfryer is a mini convection oven. So see https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/baked-meatloaf-burgers/ for an example to model. Of course, cook to 165ยฐ for ground chicken.
Hope that helps. If you try it, please report back here for others.
Dan
Marcia says
I made this recipe using fresh minced garlic and onion and my favorite herb of 2022, tarragon. They turned out beautifully and are moist and flavorful. A keeper recipe.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Marcia,
Welcome to the blog and glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
JBH says
Can they be cooked on a charcoal grill?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi JBH,
Welcome to the blog.
This should do well on a charcoal grill. They are cooked on high heat which is a good fit for charcoal. But, as always, cook to the final internal temperature and never by time alone.
Dan
JPD says
We made these into chicken sliders, added a little fresh garlic and a lemon pepper rib rub combo. Outstanding,super moist and great flavor.
Jim says
These sound good but one question. I am a type 1 diabetic so counting carbs is critical for me. I see in nutrishinal info that one burger has 15 he of carbs. Is that all from the bread crumbs? I usually count 1 tbs as 5 grams.
Thanks
DrDan says
Hi Jim,
I just check the database I connect to and a couple of other references. The breadcrumbs are about 5gm (plus a fraction) per tablespoon (2 per serving here) and the mayo is about 4 gms. There are some fractions in there so it rounds to 15 per serving. If you want, cut the breadcrumbs in half and you will still be very good.
Dan
Kristie says
Have you ever made these ahead or frozen them? Would the patties keep in the fridge for a few days before cooking?
DrDan says
I would say 48 hours max on the fridge and they should freeze well for a couple of months.
Nancy says
What is 7:2:2 seasoning? I'd really like to make these chicken burgers.
DrDan says
The 7:2:2 is a homemade seasoning 7 parts kosher salt and 2 parts each course pepper and granular garlic. It is in the FAQs. And in instruction #2 there is a substitute suggestion.
Susan says
Excellent and fits into my eating plan easily. Thanks very much!