These ground chicken burgers are my family’s go-to for fast, flavorful dinners. Juicy and tender, these lean chicken burger patties cook in just 15 minutes–perfect for easy weeknight meals. Top them with your favorite fixings and my creamy homemade chicken burger sauce for a fresh, flavorful twist on the classic burger.
Top Reader Reviews
These chicken burgers are the perfect dinner recipe!
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Make sure to have extra napkins because these were so juicy and delicious, you’ll need them. Such a great dinner especially for summer.
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Juicy Chicken Burger Patties
As much as I love a juicy chicken sandwich, sometimes I really just want a classic-style burger made with ground chicken instead. My homemade chicken burger patties are leaner and healthier than ground beef, but still give me all the texture and flavor I crave. My kids love these too, so I know they’re a winner!
It only takes a few ingredients to turn ground chicken into a simple burger patty, and a few minutes to cook them up. I cook these on the stovetop most often because it’s doable year-round, but these can also be cooked on the grill, in the oven, or in an air fryer. Then add buns, load them up with all the best toppings, and finish them with my homemade chicken burger sauce!
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Don’t Overwork the Chicken
My number one tip for the best ground chicken burgers is not to overwork the ground chicken when you’re making the burger patties. If you mix them up too much, they will become tough and shrink while they cook. Just quickly combine the ingredients until fully incorporated.
Ground Chicken Burger Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet (for stovetop)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Burger Patties:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (divided)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce (*)
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 pound ground chicken
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
For Assembly:
- 3 slices cheddar cheese (optional, for topping)
- 3 burger buns (toasted)
- burger toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, onion, etc.)
For the Burger Sauce (Optional):
- ½ cup mayonnaise (**)
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together Worcestershire Sauce, milk, and 1½ teaspoons of canola oil.2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, 2 teaspoons milk, 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Place the ground chicken in a medium bowl and fold in the Worcestershire mixture. Don’t overwork the mixture.1 pound ground chicken
- The chicken mixture will be sticky, so it’s best to spray your hands with cooking spray before forming the patties. Gently form each portion into a patty about 4 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick, and liberally salt and pepper the top of the patties.kosher salt, ground black pepper
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoons canola oil
- Cook the chicken patty until the bottom is golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.
- Flip the burger patties over and season the second side with salt and pepper. Cook until the internal temperature reads 160°F (about 5-6 minutes), turn off the heat, and top each patty with a slice of cheese. Cover the skillet until the cheese has melted, and transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cover with foil and set aside for a few minutes. (The burgers will continue cooking as they rest, and will reach 165°F.)
- While the burgers are resting, make the burger sauce (optional). Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.½ cup mayonnaise, 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 6 tablespoons BBQ sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Serve your chicken burgers on toasted buns with your favorite burger toppings and condiments.3 slices cheddar cheese, 3 burger buns, burger toppings
Notes
- I recommend bringing the ground chicken to room temperature before forming the patties. This will help the burgers cook more evenly.
- Take care not to overwork the ground chicken, or your burgers will turn out chewy.
- Wet your hands when forming the patties to keep them from sticking.
- I recommend making your patties about 4 inches round, and ½ inch thick. If they’re too big, they’ll be difficult to cook evenly, and I find this is a good portion size.
- After shaping, you can chill the patties in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to help keep them firm. I recommend doing this if you plan to grill the patties.
- Only flip the patties once during cooking, or they may dry out.
- Properly cooked chicken patties should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- I like to toast the buns in the skillet while the patties cool to add a little extra texture to my burgers.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
- Grill: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (375-450°F). Grill chicken patties for 5-6 minutes, then flip and continue cooking another 5 minutes, or until 165°F.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F, then bake chicken burger patties for 20-25 minutes, or until 165°F.
- Air Fry: Cook ground chicken patties in the air fryer at 370°F for 4-5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking another 4-5 minutes, or until 165°F.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Internal Temperature
Like all ground chicken recipes, chicken burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before consuming. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to take the temp at the thickest point of the chicken patty. I recommend removing them from the heat at about 160-162°F, then covering them with foil to rest. They will finish cooking and come to temperature under the foil. This also gives the juices time to circulate through the whole patty.
My Favorite Chicken Burger Sauce
I use my favorite homemade burger sauce for these chicken burgers too. It’s a simple mix of mayo, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, and a kick of crushed red pepper. This creates a wonderfully creamy, savory sauce with tons of flavor that pairs well with the ground chicken. If you want something just a little bit lighter, swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt!
How to Make Chicken Burgers Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients to make these chicken burger patties. I recommend bringing the ground chicken to room temperature before forming the patties so they cook more evenly. Heat 1½ tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Now is a good time to prep your toppings as well. I sliced up tomato and red onion for my burgers.
Mix the Seasonings: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 2 teaspoons of milk, and 1½ teaspoons of canola oil. The combination of milk and oil helps keep these burgers super moist and juicy, while the Worcestershire deeply flavors the meat.
Season the Chicken: Place 1 pound of ground chicken in a medium bowl and fold in the Worcestershire/milk/oil mixture. Don’t overwork the mixture or the burgers will be tough.
Form the Chicken Patties: Gently form each portion into a patty about 4 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick, and liberally salt and pepper the top of the patties. The chicken mixture will be sticky, so it’s best to spray your hands with cooking spray or wet them with water before forming the patties.
Cook the Patties: Cook the chicken burger patties until golden brown on the bottom side, about 6-8 minutes.
Flip and Top with Cheese: Flip the burger patties over and season the second side with salt and pepper. Cook until the internal temperature reads 160°F (about 5-6 minutes), turn off the heat, and top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese. Cover the skillet until the cheese has melted, and transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate. Cover with foil and set aside for a few minutes. I like to toast my buns in the skillet while the burgers rest.
(Optional) Make the Burger Sauce: Whisk ½ cup of mayonnaise, 4 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 6 tablespoons of BBQ sauce, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper together in a medium bowl.
Top and Serve: Serve your chicken burgers on toasted buns with your favorite burger toppings and burger sauce!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover ground chicken burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer (separated by parchment paper) for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating them in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
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