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My ground chicken burgers are perfectly seasoned and are juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. They don’t need any breadcrumbs or eggs to bind, and can be cooked on the grill or stovetop.
I love cooking with ground chicken because, like chicken breasts, it’s a blank canvas to work from. My ground chicken meatballs recipe inspired me to adapt the mixture into full-fledged burgers, and the results are incredible.
Even though these chicken burgers are super lean, cooking them on a hot grill or skillet locks in all the moisture and keeps the center juicy. Also, my special burger patty mixture also skips the breadcrumbs and eggs, so no fillers are needed for tender, flavorful patties.
Chicken burger recipe highlights
- Quick and easy. The entire recipe takes less than 7 minutes to cook, with no resting time required.
- Healthy and filling. Ground chicken is low in saturated fat, and each burger packs in over 30 grams of protein.
- Easy to make ahead. Chicken mince burgers are freezer-friendly, so I often have a batch or two in the freezer at all times.
- No eggs or breadcrumbs. There is no need for eggs or bread crumbs, which are typically found in most chicken burger recipes. This also makes them gluten-free and low in carbs.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Ground chicken. I prefer using lean ground chicken because the addition of oil in the mixture keeps them super juicy and tender. Higher fat cuts tend to be more soggy and greasy. If you do use a higher-fat cut, omit the oil in the mixture.
- Garlic. Freshly minced is always best, but use garlic powder if that is all you have.
- Onion. I learned in culinary school that using grated onions rather than diced or chopped onions in burger patties is superior. It not only adds extra moisture, but it’s evenly distributed and there are no random chunks throughout. Bonus point? It also helps with binding!
- Olive oil. The secret ingredient! The extra oil helps keep the insides juicy and moist, so you’ll be craving burgers every single time.
- Sweet chili sauce. Adds a lovely, subtle, sweet, and spicy flavor. You can also use standard chili sauce or sriracha, or just skip it altogether.
- Mustard. I prefer American mustard, but Dijon mustard will also work.
- Worcestershire sauce. Adds an extra layer of flavor that takes these burgers to another level.
- Oil. Any cooking oil with a high smoke point, like peanut oil or vegetable oil.
- Burger fix-ins. I like to keep things classic with hamburger buns, salad, mayo, slices of tomato, red onion, and cheddar cheese.
How to make ground chicken burgers
Step 1- Make the ground chicken mixture. Start by adding all your burger patty ingredients to a large bowl and mixing until combined.
Step 2- Shape. Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into four thick patties.
Step 3- Grill. Now, add oil to a grill pan or charcoal grill and cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“It was excellent! I didn’t have sweet chili sauce on hand, unfortunately, but these still turned out well! I will be adding this to our dinner options.” – Suzanne
Recipe tips and variations
- Use your hands to mix the patties, as it ensures everything mixes well and doesn’t stick to the mixing spoon or spatula.
- Do not overmix the burger mixture, as overmixing it risks the burgers becoming slightly chewy and tough (even without overcooking them).
- Avoid pressing down on the burgers while cooking, as this will release some of their juices and cause them to dry out.
- Press down in the center of each burger to prevent it from puffing up, and also ensure even cooking. I know it looks odd to have a slight dip in the center, but it makes a big difference!
- Add other spices or herbs, such as smoked paprika, parsley, or oregano, to them.
- Feel free to switch the ground chicken for ground turkey if that is all you have on hand.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover chicken burger patties can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled burgers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
You can bake ground chicken burgers, but you will need to use a higher-fat cut of ground chicken to prevent them from drying out. Bake the chicken burgers for 15-16 minutes at 180C/350F.
If you prefer to pan-fry the burger patties, grease a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, then add the burger patties in a single layer. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes.
Nothing beats French fries, so opt for a healthy option like my air fryer french fries, air fryer sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, jicama fries, or baked curly fries.
If you tried this Ground Chicken Burgers recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Ground chicken burgers (Extra juicy)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 small onion grated or diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, grated onion, olive oil, sweet chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into four thick patties.
- Add oil to a grill pan or charcoal grill and cook the burgers for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- Remove the burgers from the pan and assemble as desired.
Notes
- To pan fry: If you prefer to pan-fry the burger patties, simply grease a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, and then add the burger patties in a single layer. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes.
- Leftovers: Leftover chicken burger patties can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
- Reheating: Microwave the burgers for 30-40 seconds or reheat on a grill or non-stick pan.
Loved this simple, tasty recipe! Easy and fast to make and ultra flavorful. I did add some fresh breadcrumbs just because my mixture was a little bit too wet and it turned out perfectly.
Love to hear that!!
It was very good! I didn’t have sweet chili sauce on hand unfortunately but these still turned out well! I will be adding this to our dinner options.
My family raves about these ground chicken burgers.
Absolutely amazing, quick, tasty, filling low calorie burger ever, love them 😋
We love food
Absolutely delicious!!! I am making again for tonight. I used my George Forman grill. My husband loved them!! TY
Thanks, Amy!!
Fantastic chicken burger recipe! I doubled the recipe as written and made 6 x 1/3lb burgers. Love that all the ingredients are staples in my house, no specialty ingredients needed to make these. The ground chicken I get from the supermarket is very loose so I did have to add breadcrumbs to make the patty mixture easier to handle and shape. Used a burger press to shape the patties and froze overnight before grilling on a charcoal grill directly from frozen. Served with a rosemary aioli (as per another commenter suggested) and some melted cheddar on top and it was a hit! Will be putting these into regular dinner rotation!
You need it now~ 🙂
These are so tasty and I’ve never had them turn out dry! I add finely chopped fresh jalapeños to the mixture for a little extra spice. They are a little tricky to cook on my outdoor propane grill but I’ve found as long as you let the first side get cooked thoroughly before trying to flip, it stays together much better.
Just made these burgers and they came out delish!!! Thank you 😊
Made this for supper tonight and doubled the amounts so we would have extra. Grilled them up and they were delicious. I made dill pickle Cole slaw as a side and the flavors were incredible. We will make these burgers a lot this summer. Great recipe. Thank you!
So welcome!
Where’s the video??? I want to see the toppings you put on the burger in the picture here
In the recipe card. Where it says video.
I tried to paste a screenshot here, but it doesn’t appear it will let me. In the recipe card it says to see video below, and just below “Rate this Recipe” the word VIDEO is shown but there is no link, nothing in the card other than Pinterest links.
So good! First time ground chicken vs ground beef. I was wonderfully surprised, a bit grilled on the outside, juicy (but done) on the inside. Thank you!
Thanks, Robin!