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Make these air fryer chicken patties for a fast and easy dinner any night of the week! Ready in under 20 minutes and delicious served on buns with your favorite toppings or cut up for a salad topping.
If you’ve tried my air fryer hamburgers or air fryer turkey burgers before, you’ll love this chicken version, aka air fryer chicken patties. They’re super easy to make and can even be prepped ahead of time or frozen for later!
And before you think otherwise, these are NOT like other recipes you may see that use frozen, pre-bought chicken patties. These ones are made from scratch and taste better than those processed ones.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Healthy. Using a lean protein like ground chicken makes this chicken patty recipe a nutritious and delicious lunch or dinner.
- Breadcrumb-free. They stick together, even without breadcrumbs or eggs! Keeping the ground chicken mixture breadcrumb-free also makes this recipe naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly.
- Perfectly cooked. I love how the air fryer gives these ground chicken patties a nice crispy exterior but keeps the inside tender and juicy.
- Convenient. Chicken patties are great to make ahead of time, store well in the freezer, and are so handy when I need a quick and easy weeknight dinner to feed the family.
Ingredients needed
I’m using almost identical ingredients to my ground chicken burgers but with a few minor tweaks and of course, no grill. Here is what you’ll need:
- Ground chicken. Compared to ground beef, ground chicken is a lean protein that’s still very flavorful.
- Seasonings. I like to use salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder to give each patty savory flavors.
- Olive oil. Helps form the patties and encourages browning on the outside. Another neutral-flavored oil could also be used.
- Worcestershire sauce. Provides a delicious umami flavor to the chicken patties.
How to make chicken patties in the air fryer
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Make the chicken mixture. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until fully combined.
Step 2 – Form the patties. With slightly wet hands, form the chicken mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.
Step 3 – Air fry. Arrange the patties in a single layer in your air fryer basket and air fry until they’re cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Step 4 – Rest, then serve. Let the patties rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
What to serve with this
My favorite way to serve chicken patties is on hamburger buns with all the classic burger fix-ins, like lettuce, tomatoes, sliced onions, pickles, and a slice of cheese on top (like a spicy chicken sandwich or hot honey chicken sandwich). I can’t forget about the sauces, either! Some ranch dressing, ketchup, BBQ sauce, spicy mayo, or hot honey sauce is always delicious.
When I’m craving a lighter meal, I’ll chop up the patties and serve them on top of a green salad or grain bowl.
Recipe tips and variations
- For the crispiest exterior, make sure the patties aren’t overlapping or touching in the air fryer basket. You may need to air fry in batches if your air fryer is on the smaller side.
- Don’t overcook the patties! You’ll know they’re done air frying and cooked to perfection when a meat thermometer measures the internal temperature at 160ºF. As they’re resting, they’ll come up to a safe temperature of 165ºF.
- Instead of ground chicken. This recipe also works well with ground turkey for air fryer turkey burgers or with ground pork.
- Customize the flavor. Swap the seasonings in the recipe card for a garlic herb, Italian, Cajun, or taco seasoning blend.
- Make them with cheese. Stir grated parmesan, shredded mozzarella, or your favorite shredded cheese into the chicken mixture for gooey melted cheese strings in every bite.
Storage instructions
To store: Wrap the leftover ground chicken burgers in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, keep them in a ziplock bag or airtight container, and store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: The homemade chicken patties also freeze well before and after cooking (let them cool before storing). Separate each patty with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper, keep them in a ziplock bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Pop the thawed or frozen patties back in the air fryer and reheat at 375ºF for 5 to 8 minutes or until they’re warmed through.
Frequently asked questions
I found that the patties held together but if yours are falling apart, place the formed patties in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. The cold temperatures will help the meat mixture firm up!
My patties took about 10 to 12 minutes to cook through (5 to 6 minutes per side). Keep in mind that the total cooking time will vary depending on the size of the patties and the power of your air fryer.
The best way to tell that your patties are fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
More air fryer chicken recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan – This Italian-style dish combines breaded chicken with red sauce and gooey cheese.
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – Make a batch of these for game day or to serve as an appetizer at any party.
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets – Perfect to make instead of hitting the drive-thru, and great with all your favorite sauces!
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast – The easiest way to cook juicy, tender chicken breasts for dinner!
- Air fryer orange chicken– The Chinese/American classic gets a wholesome makeover.
- Air fryer chicken cutlets– Golden, crispy, and ultra crunchy, without the excess oil.
Air Fryer Chicken Patties
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Using lightly wet hands, shape the mixture into four equal-sized patties.
- Add the chicken patties to a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 180C/350F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Let the patties rest for 5 minutes before assembling before serving.
These patties are next level great ! I served them with your peanut sauce , Arman ….SO GOOD …this recipe is going to be on constant repeat here 😊
Armin, can these be cooked in the oven and if so what temp and how long.
Thank you.
Yes! 180C/350F for 18-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165F. (flip halfway through)
Many Thanks Armin, Will give it a try. Thank you. Your recipes are great.
Can these be baked in the oven?