Ground chicken burgers are SUPER juicy thanks to a simple trick that makes all the difference. This quick and easy recipe yields healthy lean burgers that can be spiced up however you like.
This post has been overhauled from its initial publish date in August 2015. Originally a sponsored brand post for a product no longer being produced, this post, photos, and recipe are entirely new content, not affiliated with a brand in any way.
The warmer weather is upon us and there has yet to be shortage of new recipes I want to throw on the grill. Burgers of all kinds are favorites in my house, from classic beef to turkey to veggie, but have you ever made ground chicken burgers? I might even like them better than turkey!
Using ground chicken to make burgers delivers all of the benefits of leaner protein and acts as an incredibly neutral flavor base to add a little of this and a little of that to take these burger patties into whatever flavor direction you like.
The big drawback you hear about using lean meat in burgers is that they can become dry when cooking. By borrowing one trick from my baked turkey meatballs you can avoid alllll that frustration and produce ultra juicy chicken burgers (that stay together!) every time.
Why This Recipe Works
- Two words: grated onion. Grating an onion releases a TON more moisture than chopping or dicing would, and provides a welcome juiciness to these ground chicken burgers.
- It checks all the boxes for a truly quick and easy recipe. No ingredients need to be prepped ahead of time, the simple mixture comes together in minutes, it doesn't use many bowls or utensils, and the cook time is fairly short.
- These chicken burgers are a great source of healthy lean protein and can easily be served with buns and toppings alongside beef and other burger types to satisfy a variety of taste buds and eating preferences.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground chicken: I recommend using regular ground chicken instead of ground chicken breast, which is super lean. Since no additional fat is being added to this burger mixture, the naturally higher fat percentage from the light/dark meat combination in regular ground chicken is beneficial.
- Breadcrumbs: While you can use plain or your favorite flavored variety of breadcrumbs, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs add a delicious flavor while binding the ingredients together.
- Grated onion: Grated onion's MVP status really cannot be overstated here. A lot more liquid-y than diced onion, the moisture it provides to the mixture is worth having to wash the grater after.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium (or larger) mixing bowl. If deciding between two sizes, go larger as this will cut down on potential mess.
- Mix with a spoon, spatula, or your hands until the ingredients are just evenly combined. Take care not to overwork it as this can lead to less tender burgers.
- Form the mixture into burger patties. This recipe uses one pound of meat and yields six regular-sized ground chicken burgers. Aim to make them all the same thickness so they cook evenly.
- Oil your grill grates to prevent sticking, then heat grill to medium (around 350°F). Grill burgers over direct heat for 11-13 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the center of the thickest burger reaches 165°F.
Expert Tips
- Oiling the grill grates is helpful to cut down on any potential sticking. Before turning on the grill, I like to dip a paper towel into a neutral, high-heat cooking oil like (canola oil) and rub it on the clean grates. Use just enough to coat without any excess.
- Using an instant-read thermometer to see when the burgers reach 165°F takes all the guesswork out of cook time, especially as all grills behave differently.
- Use this recipe as a framework and spice it up how you like! Ground chicken burgers are neutral in flavor (even more so than turkey, in my opinion), so there's a lot of wiggle room to sub in herbs and spices to go in different cuisine directions:
- Italian seasonings, crushed red pepper, fresh basil, mozzarella
- Taco seasoning, plain breadcrumbs, fresh cilantro, pepper jack or cheddar
- Herbes de provence, fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs, swiss cheese
Recipe FAQs
I think so! Ground chicken is leaner than ground beef, and each ground chicken burger patty is approximately 155 calories with 17 grams of protein. This is without a bun or toppings so total nutrition will vary, but the chicken burgers themselves are a good source of protein on the leaner side.
Since there isn't egg in this recipe, the breadcrumbs do the work to bind the burger mixture together, with secondary help from the dijon mustard. One-half cup of breadcrumbs will help hold things together without making the mixture too dry or crumbly.
Ground chicken is fully cooked when the center of the thickest burger reaches 165°F (74°C), per FoodSafety.gov.
As written this recipe has a fairly neutral flavor so you have room to be flexible on toppings. Many types of melty cheeses work well, as do leafy greens, onions, guacamole, even bacon. BBQ sauce or easy chipotle aioli make wonderful burger sauces, too.
More Grilling Recipes
While it’s not impossible to grill year-round where I live, it’s a whole lot nicer to do so when the sun’s shining, the birds are chirping, and the flowers are blooming. Here are some more grilled favorites.
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!
Juicy Ground Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (57g) grated onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or herbs of your choice
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika smoked or regular
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium/large mixing bowl. Using a spatula, spoon, or your hands, mix everything together until just combined, taking care not to overwork the meat as that leads to toughness.
- Form six equally-sized burger patties from the mixture, aiming for them all to be around the same thickness.
- Oil your grill grates in your preferred manner. With the grill off, I dip a paper towel in neutral-flavored, high-heat cooking oil (like canola oil) and use tongs to rub it onto the clean grates, removing any excess. Then preheat your grill to medium heat (around 350°F).
- Once heated, grill chicken burgers on the greased area over direct heat for 11-13 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the center of the thickest patty reaches 165°F (74°C). Serve with hamburger buns and all your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Oiling the grill grates is necessary here to cut down on sticking and frustration once the burgers hit the grill. Do this carefully in your preferred manner, or follow my tips in the recipe above.
- Using an instant-read thermometer is highly recommended to see when the burgers reach 165°F, fully cooked. All grills are different so ranges are given for grill heat and cook time, but a thermometer will give you the assurance to know when yours are perfectly cooked.
- Have fun with this recipe framework and spice it up how you like! There is a lot of wiggle room to sub in herbs and spices to go in different cuisine directions.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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Terri says
Love chicken patties and these sound delicious. A great combo of tastes all on one bun! 🙂
Alyssa says
Thank you Terri! Yes a lot of flavors going on here but they're all good!