The best chicken burger recipe comes with juiciness and tons of flavor! It’s easy, adaptable, and will change your mind about chicken burgers. 

Chicken burger on a parchment-covered serving board with a chicken burger in the background.

Why You’ll Love This Burger

“Damn, that’s a tasty burger!” People aren’t usually talking about chicken burgers when they say that so, let’s address the obvious.

Ground chicken, much like ground turkey, doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to burgers due to their lack of fat and flavor. But it’s totally possible to snub red meat and opt for leaner and healthier choices, like chicken or turkey, without sacrificing texture and flavor.

It’s all about using the right savory ingredients and, of course, enough spices!

How Do You Keep Chicken Burgers From Falling Apart

  1. Use the right binders. Eggs and breadcrumbs are famous for holding ground meat together for burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf. I use both in this recipe because they also both help with moisture, and because ground chicken is so lean, it benefits from the boost!
  2. Chill your patties. Popping your patties into the fridge for 30 minutes after they’re formed helps them set and firm up so they can withstand being handled and flipped.

Why Are Chicken Burgers So Dry?

Ground chicken is naturally lean, whereas beef has a much higher fat-to-protein ratio. Since protein seizes up during the cooking process, you can be left with a bit of a stiff piece of meat if there’s no fat to break it up. On top of that, fat equals moisture, so your low-fat chicken burger is anything but juicy unless you add the right things to the mix.

Ingredient Breakdown & Swaps

*Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Ground chicken.
  • Spices. My rule of thumb for seasoning any ground meat is 1 tsp of salt per pound. I eyeball my pepper for the most part.
  • Garlic. I prefer to grate my garlic to a paste using a microplane since you can really blend it into the meat. But mincing it is totally fine.
  • Onion. Any onion goes! White, yellow, or red. Just chop them as finely as you can.
  • Fresh thyme. You could also use dry thyme or Italian seasoning.
  • Liquid smoke. If you don’t like a smoky charbroiled flavor, use Worcestershire sauce or low-sodium soy sauce instead. I personally love a smoky essence and find that it adds a ton of flavor, making it reminiscent to a nice beef burger! But the other two options will offer up a nice punch of umami.
  • Plain full fat Greek yogurt. This is the ticket to moisture! Your patties and your palate will thank you. If you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, you could use sour cream or mayo instead.
  • Whole grain old style mustard. You could also sub-in Dijon.
  • Egg.
  • Panko breadcrumbs. Italian breadcrumbs will do if that’s what you’ve got.

Toppings

You can literally go any way you want with toppings with these burgers! Here are some things I like to top them with:

  • Cheese
  • Lettuce
  • Tomatoes
  • Shaved onions
  • Pickles
  • Mayo
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
Mixing bowl on the left with the chicken burger ingredients in it and to the right, 4 chicken burger patties, 2 of which have melted cheese on them.
Serving platter with two cooked chicken cheeseburgers and buns with tomatoes and onions.

A Quick Rundown on How to Make Chicken Burgers

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With your bare hands, mix all of the burger ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
  2. The mixture is a little sticky, so before handling it, lightly oil your hands to keep it from sticking to your hands.
  3. Create four patties out of the mixture, placing each one onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make a divot.
  4. Pop the patties into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes to set.
  5. When ready, heat the grill to medium-high heat.
  6. Oil the grates up nicely to prevent sticking.
  7. Place the patties onto the grill, close the lid, and let the patties cook for 5 minutes.
  8. Carefully flip the patties, close the lid, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the patties reach an internal temperature of 165º F with a meat thermometer. About a minute before the patties are ready, you can top them with a slice of cheese to get a nice melty cheeseburger.
  9. When the patties are done, transfer them to a serving platter.
  10. Pop the patties onto some buns and dress your burgers to your liking.

Can You Bake Chicken Burgers in the Oven?

You can! Just pop them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them for about 18-20 minutes at 375º F or until they reach an internal temp of 160-165º F, carefully flipping them halfway through.

Can You Cook Chicken Burgers in a Skillet?

Yes! A skillet or grill pan are also options. Heat some olive oil in the pan over medium heat and once hot, add the patties. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until you reach an internal temp of 160-165º F. Tip: get yourself a splatter screen if you cook meat in a skillet often. It reduces the greasy mess quite remarkably!

Chicken burger patties on a grill pan.

Storage, Freezing, & Reheating

  1. Chicken burgers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
  2. You can freeze these chicken burgers! Just let them cool, then place a square of parchment between each patty, pop them into a gallon-sized freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the fridge the day before you plan on cooking them.
  3. To reheat from the fridge, simply pop them in the microwave in increments of 25 seconds until heated through or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If reheating from frozen, I suggest the oven route. Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake them for about 15 minutes, flip them, and go for another 10 minutes or until they register at 160-165º F.

What to Serve With Chicken Burgers

Have You Made This Recipe?

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Close up of a Chicken burger on a serving board with a chicken burger in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the binding agent for ground chicken?

Eggs, breadcrumbs, or both combined act as great binders for ground chicken—especially when it comes to burgers.

Why do my homemade burgers fall apart when cooking?

This would be the result of not using a binder and/or not chilling your patties in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to cooking.

How do you know when chicken burgers are done?

When they reach an internal temperature of 160-165º F, they’re safe to come off the heat. You can check the internal temp with a meat thermometer.

What is the white stuff on chicken burgers?

If you see a white substance seeping out of your chicken patties as they cook, don’t fret. It’s just extra protein being pushed out of the meat by heat.

More Yummy Ground Chicken Recipes

Burger with melted cheese on a serving platter.

Best Chicken Burger Recipe

The best chicken burger recipe comes with juiciness and tons of flavor! It's easy, adaptable, and will change your mind about chicken burgers. 
4.99 from 71 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill in the fridge: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • A few cranks of cracked black pepper
  • 1 clove of garlic, grate to a paste or minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 TBSP liquid smoke
  • 1 heaping TBSP full fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 TBSP Whole grain old style mustard
  • 1 egg, ligtly beaten
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

  • Place parchment paper over a baking sheet.
  • Put all of the chicken burger patty ingredients into a large mixing bowl and, with clean hands, mix until well blended.
  • Lightly oil your hands with some olive oil to help keep the mixture from sticking to your hands. One at a time, form four patties out of the mixture, and place each one onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Gently press your thumb into the center of each patty to make a divot; this prevents the meat from shrinking over high heat.
  • Put the patties in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes so that they can set.
  • When you're ready, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grate dipping a wad of paper towel into some canola oil and then, with tongs, lightly dragging the paper towel over the grate to create a slick surface. This will keep the patties from sticking to the hot grates.
  • Place the patties onto the grill, close the lid, and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the patties, close the lid, and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the patties reach an internal temperature of 165º F. About a minute before the patties are ready, you can top them with a slice of cheese to get a nice melty cheeseburger.
  • Once the patties are done, transfer them to a clean plate or serving platter.
  • Put the patties onto some buns and dress your burgers to your liking!

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 13g