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Big flavor and a juicy patty—two big reasons why this is hands down the best chicken burger recipe! We’ve added all the right ingredients so that we never have to face a sad, dry chicken burger again.
Table of Contents
- Why This Chicken Burger Recipe?
- Chicken Burger Ingredients
- Recipe Modifications
- Toppings for Chicken Burgers
- How to Make the Best Chicken Burgers
- Cooking Tip
- Other Methods for Cooking
- What to Serve With Chicken Burgers
- Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Tasty Ground Chicken Recipes to Try
- Best Chicken Burger Recipe (Juicy & Tender)
“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 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 choices without sacrificing texture and flavor. That’s the reason why my turkey burger recipe has done as well as it has!
If you’re looking for more recipes that swap out beef for ground chicken, you have to try these ground chicken meatballs in sauce. They’re so good! And since ground chicken makes for such a delicious meatball, I think you’ll love this Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs as well as my Greek-style baked chicken meatballs.
Why This Chicken Burger Recipe?
- It’s loaded with flavor—freshly grated garlic, finely chopped red onion, fresh herbs, and liquid smoked are just a few of the ingredients that make this burger the tasty burger that it is.
- It’s juicy—Egg and panko breadcrumbs help hold moisture, but this recipe goes a little extra by adding a bit of plain Greek yogurt to the mix. It’s superb!
- They won’t fall apart—Thanks to the binders in the ground chicken mixture and a quick rest in the refrigerator, these patties stay together whether you grill them, bake them, or fry them.
★★★★★
“Tasty, juicy, low fat, easy to make – what’s not to love. We make them in double batches and freeze them. Everyone who tries them just loves them.”
—LIZZIE
Chicken Burger Ingredients
Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground chicken—When choosing ground chicken, you can go with a blend that is 100% chicken breast meat or one that incorporates dark meat, which is richer in fat and flavor.
- Liquid smoke—This is my secret weapon when making burgers with ground chicken or ground turkey, and why this is the best chicken burger recipe. It adds an almost beefy chargrilled taste and makes all the difference!
- Plain Greek yogurt—This ensures your patties are super moist and it won’t come through in the flavor at all.
- Mustard—Go for a nice whole grain old-style mustard or Dijon mustard.
Recipe Modifications
- Worcestershire sauce—If you don’t vibe with liquid smoke or you simply don’t have it, you can use Worcestershire sauce. A low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Sour cream or mayo—You can use this in place of the plain Greek yogurt.
- Italian breadcrumbs—These will work in place of panko breadcrumbs.
- Garlic powder—If you prefer to use garlic powder, use 1/2 teaspoon in place of the one garlic clove listed in this recipe.
- Dried herbs—Instead of fresh thyme, you could use 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme or my homemade Italian seasoning!
Toppings for Chicken Burgers
Chicken burgers create a foundation for so many awesome burger styles! Here are a few to consider:
- Classic burger—cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup (feeling ambitious? Give my easy homemade ketchup a shot).
- California-Style—This could include many of the same toppings as a classic burger, but with avocado and bacon.
- Southwest burger—Salsa, pepper jack cheese, jalapeño (In this case, you could swap out the herbs in the patty for a teaspoon or two of taco seasoning!)
How to Make the Best Chicken Burgers
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all of the burger ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well blended. (The mixture is a little sticky, so before handling it, lightly oil your hands to keep it from sticking to your hands.)
- Create four chicken patties, then place each one onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to make a divot. (This prevents the patties from shrinking on the grill.)
- Pop the patties into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes to set.
- When ready, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grates up nicely to prevent sticking. Place the chicken patties onto the grill, close the lid, and let the patties 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 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.
- When the chicken patties are done, transfer them to a serving platter.
Cooking Tip
When grilling, it’s best to use an oil with a high smoke point. Consider using vegetable oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or safflower oil.
Other Methods for Cooking
- In the oven—Place the patties 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.
- On the stovetop—Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Add the patties, then cook 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!
What to Serve With Chicken Burgers
- To hold—I love a good brioche bun or pretzel bun. You could definitely pop these patties between some sturdy leaves of iceberg lettuce for a low-carb option, too.
- Fries—The classic combo! We love these burgers with a side of my crispy air fryer French fries or these air fryer sweet potato wedges.
- Salad—A nice Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing never disappoints. Another option is this pesto pasta salad, Greek cucumber tomato salad, or coleslaw!
- Vegetables—We love pairing these burgers with grilled asparagus, air fryer green beans, or Parmesan roasted zucchini.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Chicken burgers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- 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.
- To reheat, pop them into the microwave and heat 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s all in the ingredients. You want the right amount of seasoning for good flavor, and the right ingredients to make the burgers moist and keep the patties together.
My rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of ground meat. After that, garlic, herbs, and mustard bring big flavor. If you like a smoky flavor, liquid smoke is an awesome addition.
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.
More Tasty Ground Chicken Recipes to Try
If you try this Chicken Burger Recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the comments below!
Best Chicken Burger Recipe (Juicy & Tender)
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, lightly 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!
We loved this recipe! We are trying to eat less red meat and were really worried that we wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy burgers but these were so delicious and moist. Thanks for the recipe! Will make again and will be trying your turkey burger recipe as well.
We’ve tried so many recipes for chicken burgers and this one is by far the best. We usually adapt recipes according to our likes/dislikes, but this one is perfect as is. My husband makes up double batches and freezes them ; they thaw out a little sloppy but firm up in the frying pan or on our woodburner grill. They’re juicy, full of flavour and very filling – we make them into quarter pounders and as they are high in protein I find that one is sufficient, served with coleslaw and baked potato.
Thank you for this recipe! It’s going into our monthly rotation. I didn’t have smoke or yogurt and used parsley in place of thyme. Slightly different than the original recipe, but still SO GOOD!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jen! Thanks for sharing your adaptations. I love when people can take a recipe of mine and put their own twist on it. It also helps other readers see different options. So awesome!
Really great flavor. I used chicken thighs because i like dark meat better. I just made a second batch to have on hand for reheating and having lunch. Id much prefer these over a beef burger. I also added black beans to the recipe. One other thing I’d like to try adding is sunflower seeds for a little crunch. You wont be disappointed making this burger nor will your guests. Bon appetit
So glad these were a hit, Chad!
We honestly just love this recipe. Best chicken burger recipe I’ve ever made, not that I’ve made many because they always turned out dry but my husband has to decrease his red meat so I had to keep trying. Will be trying your turkey burger recipe next! Thanks for making healthy also be tasty.
I’m so glad, Lucia! Happy to make the transition to less red meat a little more palatable ;)
Here’s something else that works with this – take the tray out of the refrigerator and directly into a 400° oven. Bake for 10 minutes, flip them over and bake until they hit your temperature (about another 10 minutes). Juicy and delicious!
Just for the sake of completeness, I sauteed and cooled the onion before mixing it in. Didn’t want raw onion in my burger.
My wife and I love this chicken burger recipe. We started to make it last summer and it’s back in the rotation, baby! Grilling season is here! Sorry it took me a year to come and rate the recipe. I need to get better at this. I will be trying some more of your stuff. The wife really wants me to make your salmon burger so that’s likely next. Keep on cookin’! -Rod
I’m so happy to hear this, Rod! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback :) Keep me posted on others you try!
Tasty, juicy, low fat, easy to make – what’s not to love. We make them in double batches and freeze them. Everyone who tries them just loves them.
This makes me so happy, Lizzie! They really are awesome and it’s so unexpected for chicken burgers. Thanks for the feedback! :)
OMG!!! These were amazing! We barely ever eat red meat and I’ve struggled with finding a chicken burger recipe that’s a knock out. This one is perfect. Cooked them up on our outdoor flat top griddle with sliced mushrooms, and caramelized onions. Topped with sliced Gruyere cheese and made a gravy/sauce for the mushrooms and onions out of beef broth thickened with a cornstarch slurry and seasoned with more fresh thyme and ground pepper. It’s on repeat tonight…2nd time in 3 weeks. Just amazing!
Julie! This is so awesome. I love the way you’re dressing your burger, too. Sounds like you’re an amazing home cook to me! Love to hear how people take one of my recipes and make it their own :) That’s what it’s all about.
Skip the egg and use the Mayo, it’s much more flavorful!