These delicious Chicken Burgers are moist, juicy and flavorful, made with seasoned ground chicken and topped with melted cheese before being sandwiched between burger buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and creamy mayo.
We have fallen in love with these homemade ground chicken burgers! They take less than 30 minutes to make, and are perfect for light summer and spring dinners, cookouts and picnics.
Homemade Ground Chicken Burger
Spring and summer is upon us and I wanted to develop the perfect ground chicken burger patties for a chicken burger – one that is actually flavorful, juicy and moist. Because let’s face it, chicken burgers can be tricky to make right.
Chicken Burger is a lighter and healthier alternative to traditional beef hamburger patties. The fat content in ground chicken is lower than ground beef (which is why it is healthy), but the same reason it is healthy also lends itself to be potentially dryer and less flavorful.
After a few rounds of trial and error, I finally arrived at a perfectly seasoned, moist and juicy ground chicken patty. I never thought I’d ever say this, but our homemade Ground Chicken Burgers is so flavorful, we love it just as much as my smash burgers, cheese stuffed burgers, and all the beef burgers I’ve published.
Here are the secrets to flavorful and moist chicken patties:
- Adding moisture – eggs and mayonnaise keep the patties moist and soft
- Adding seasonings – we are generously adding parmesan, minced garlic, onion powder to really flavor the meat
You can make homemade ground chicken burgers using only a few pantry friendly ingredients, and it comes together fairly quickly on the stovetop or on the grill. The smoke from gas grills does add some nice flavor to it.
One bite into these ground chicken patties will yield a tender, well-seasoned layer of meat that is crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside.
Okay, and a cheesy top, because what is a burger without melted cheese?
You will LOVE these chicken burgers! For best flavor, serve ground chicken patties hamburger style with toasted buns, fresh lettuce, tomato, onions, and your favorite condiments.
Or if you wanna go low carb, serve these ground chicken patties with a lettuce wrap instead. They are still really tasty and makes a healthy, protein loaded meal.
These chicken burgers are great served along with some of my favorite summer bbq sides such as French fries, Potato Mac Salad, Bruschetta Pasta Salad and BBQ Baked Beans. Yum yum yum!
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make your Chicken Burger patty:
- Ground chicken – ground turkey can be used as well!
- Plain breadcrumbs – using breadcrumbs help give chicken burger patties moist and tender. You can use seasoned breadcrumbs such as Italian breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs if that’s what you have at hand.
- Parmesan cheese – for best flavor, I recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese if possible.
- Garlic – freshly minced or chopped for best flavor. In a pinch, you can substitute with garlic powder
- Onion powder – easy way to bring some yummy onion flavors in
- Mayonnaise – adds a creamy element that keeps the ground chicken mixture moist and soft
- Fresh parsley – chopped into small pieces before incorporating for a flavor boost
- Salt and pepper – seasonings used to open up the flavors
Other ingredients that goes into the sandwich:
- burger buns – use your favorite!
- lettuce – green leaf lettuce, romaine, spinach…
- tomatoes
- red onions
- mayonnaise
How to make ground chicken burgers
You can prepare the ground chicken mixture and form the patties a day ahead, and store in refrigerator until you are ready to cook it.
Step 1: Make Chicken Patty
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, green onions, garlic, onion powder, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Using your hands, form the ground chicken mixture into evenly sized burger patties. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the middle of patty. This will help prevent the patty from puffing up.
Heat a large oiled (vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil etc.) skillet over medium high heat.
Place the chicken patties onto the skillet, and sear both sides, making sure the inside of the patty is cooked (chicken should no longer be pink), the outside of the patty should be charred. Flip the patty and sear the other side.
Once the patties reach an internal temperature of 165ºF when measured using a meat thermometer, switch off heat and add a slice of cheese to each of the patties. Cover and let cheese melt for ~30 seconds.
Remove patties from skillet.
Step 2: Assemble burger
Once the chicken patties are ready, assemble your homemade chicken burger with all of some of the items below, or whatever you like on your chicken burger!
- toasted burger buns – lightly butter it for an extra special touch!
- veggies – lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, caramelized onions, avocado, cucumber, pickles etc.
- condiments – mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, ketchup, hot sauce etc.
- cheese – American, cheddar, provolone, or even crumble feta (add when assembling, no need to melt)
Tips and Tricks
When making Ground Chicken Burger, here are some tips and tricks to ensure success!
- Use a neutral oil: vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil works great. .
- Don’t overwork the mixture: fold to combine ingredients into the chicken patties meat mixture but do not over mix – this will keep the meat soft and moist.
- Handle gently: once you add the ground chicken mixture to skillet, avoid moving it until you are ready to flip, so that the chicken patty doesn’t fall apart and it will sear properly.
- Don’t overcook: avoid overcooking ground chicken patties, as they can dry out quickly. When chicken patties reach an internal temperature of 165°F, add cheese, let it melt for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat promptly.
- Rest before serving: once cooked, transfer chicken patties onto a plate and let them rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Customize toppings: offer a variety of toppings to suit everyone’s tastes, from classic lettuce and tomato to unique options like sautéd mushrooms or avocado slices.
Reheating and Storage
Allow the chicken burger patties to cool after searing before transferring to an airtight container to refrigerate for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 2 months.
To freeze them individually, place chicken patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for longer storage.
When ready to reheat, bring to a complete defrost if patties are frozen. Drizzle a few drops of water onto patties so they don’t dry out then reheat in the microwave.
I would avoid storing the chicken burger with the burger buns because cold buns make for soggy buns.
Frequently Asked Questions
– Mixing in ingredients such as mayo and egg will help keep the burger moist.
– Avoid over-mixing ground chicken mixture
– Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking the patties to prevent drying out – once internal temperature of the chicken patties reach 165ºF, add cheese to burger and remove from heat once cheese melts.
Yes! Grilling adds a smoky flavor which I absolutely love! You can sear chicken patties on grill or gas grill! A non-stick grill top will work best so that patties don’t stick to the grates.
Yes, you can freeze raw chicken patties. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for longer storage.
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More Quick Dinner Favorites!
- Burger Bowl
- Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Smash Burger Taco
- Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Gochujang Chicken
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Chili Mac and Cheese
Chicken Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
Burgers
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- ⅛ cup green onions chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- cooking oil
Toppings
- 4 burger buns
- 4 slices cheese
- 4 leaves lettuce
- 1 tomato sliced
- 4 slices onion
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Add ground chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, green onions, garlic, onion powder, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to a medium sized mixing bowl. Gently mix until all of the ingredients are fully combined. Shape into four equally sized round patties, making an indention in the middle of each patty.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, drizzle with cooking oil. Add the patties to the skillet. Cook the patties until they are cooked through, making sure to flip halfway through cooking. Patties are done once they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF when measured using a meat thermometer.
- Once the burger patties are fully cooked, switch off heat and add cheese to patties. Cover the skillet for 30 seconds or until the cheese is melted. Remove patties from skillet.
- Assemble burgers by layering burger buns with lettuce, tomatoes, ground chicken patty with cheese, onions and mayonnaise.
- Serve and enjoy!
