Juicy Ground Chicken Burgers made with chicken breast, onion and garlic like my grandma used to make. Quick pan sear and dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
We also love these grilled chicken burgers and turkey burgers!
These ground chicken burgers will knock your family’s socks off! Growing up in Ukraine my grandma made the best ground chicken patties. We used to say they are like Spitz, roasted sunflower seeds, highly addictive!
Reader’s Review
So good! If I hadn’t made them, I’d think it was ground beef! So juicy! Thanks for a great healthy burger alternative!
Mary Jo
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Very juicy: Grandma always added pureed onion to make otherwise dry chicken breast juicy and also flavorful.
- Soft: I add a slice of bread to make chicken patties tender and hold them together.
- Simple ingredients: You just need 5 simple ingredients plus salt and pepper.
- Versatile cooking methods: Cook on the grill or pan fry year round.
- 30 minute meal: Perfect for quick healthy dinner.
Ingredients for Ground Chicken Burgers
- Chicken: I am using 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts because I always have them on hand. You can save time (not money) and buy ground chicken. Chicken thighs will work too.
- Bread: I used a slice of sprouted whole grain bread. White bread or gluten free bread works too. Alternatively, use about 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or quick cooking oats.
- Egg: Egg is a binder. If you add bread and have an egg allergy or are out of eggs, your burger should still stay together or you could add a flax egg.
- Onion and garlic: Grated onion is grandma’s secret to juicy chicken burgers, not to mention flavorful.
- Salt and pepper: To season and taste.
How to Make Chicken Burgers
Here is quick overview. They are super easy to make in your food processor or blender. Then shape into 24 smaller or 12 larger patties.
- Grind the chicken: Add cubed chicken breast in a food processor or high speed blender, and process until it resembles ground chicken. Work in batches and then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients: Process egg, onion, garlic, soaked and squeezed bread, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Mix everything together: Add pureed bread, onion and garlic mixture to the bowl with ground chicken and mix well with your hands.
- Toast the buns: Brush a bit of olive oil or butter on each cut side of the bun and fry for about 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cook chicken burger: Form ground chicken mixture the size of a tennis ball and flatten into a patty. Pan fry in a large skillet for about 4-5 minutes per side.
Tips for Best Results
- For easier patty shaping: Dip your hands into a bowl with cold water in between forming the chicken burgers.
- When to flip the burgers: When white edges appear and bottom is golden brown.
- When the burgers are ready: Chicken is ready when meat thermometer inserted in the center registers internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Residual heat will finish cooking them to 165 F degrees without over drying the meat.
- Turn down the heat: Your second and third batches will take less time to cook as the skillet gets hotter.
- To grill the burgers: Grilling time depends on the grill and thickness of chicken patties. Plan for about 5 minutes per side while covered on medium grill heat.
Serving Ideas
- Classic burger toppings are lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and cheddar cheese. Of course with mustard (we love sweet and spicy mustard), mayo and ketchup.
- For “naked” chicken burgers wrap the patty in lettuce, like I do with healthy chicken lettuce wraps, or slice and serve over simple spring mix salad.
- Serve as part of a BBQ spread with Olivier salad, cucumber and tomato salad and healthy vanilla cupcakes for dessert.
- With classic summer salads like healthy coleslaw or healthy potato salad.
They also taste great cold!
How to Store and Reheat
Store: You can refrigerate chicken burgers for up to 5 days.
Freeze: These freeze amazing-ly!! Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
Reheat: Place on a hot skillet, add a splash of water, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. This way burgers heat through and do not dry out like in the oven.
To Make Ahead
You can prepare meat mixture in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze uncooked chicken patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then transfer into a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen following the recipe plus 5 minutes.
More Burger Recipes to Try
More Chicken Recipes
I hope you will give this ground chicken burgers recipe a try and check out more of our healthy chicken recipes!
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 small onion, cut in chunks
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 slice of bread, sprouted whole grain, white or gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil, for frying
- 12 hamburger buns
- Lettuce, tomato, red onion, for topping
Instructions
- In a food processor or high speed blender, add chicken and process until ground. Work in batches and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Return blender to its base, add egg, onion and garlic. Quickly soak bread in water, squeeze well and add to the blender along with salt and pepper. Process until well combined and add to the bowl with ground chicken meat. Using your hands, mix well.
- Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet or grill on medium heat and swirl some oil to coat (spray the grill). Form mixture into a tennis ball size for a burger patty or smaller to enjoys on their own, then flatten.
- Pan fry or grill for about 4-5 minutes per side (grills vary). It's time to flip when white edges appear and patty is brown on the bottom. Please note that second and third batches will take less time to cook as the skillet (grill) will be hotter.
- Serve hot assembled in a burger or with a side grain and a salad.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Cook, cool and freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in teh fridge overnight or for a few hours.
- Reheat: Place burgers in a hot skillet with a splash of water, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent burgers. Onions…such a brilliant idea… And the prepared mustard made it killer combo
So glad you enjoyed it!
I have some already cooked ground chicken that I froze for my daughter but she did not like it plain so I wonder if I can use it somehow in this recipe. Do you think it would work? She is 10 months and much prefers feeding herself so this would be great.
Yes, of course. Just use 1:1 ratio in terms of weight for raw chicken.
My first attempt at chicken burgers. Hubby has dropped 36lbs, missing hamburgers though. I have been afraid to try because they are usually dy. These did the trick, he loved them, so did I. its saved in his calorie tracker app. Thank you so much!
So happy to hear you found this ‘burger’ recipe!
Really good! I put chopped jalapeños in mine and Swiss cheese on top. (I was out of pepper cheese)
Great additions to grandma’s burger!
You said to soak the bread in water. Do I need to add any liquid if I’m using breadcrumbs?
No.
Best chicken burgers ever! Family and friends agree. Everyone always asks for the recipe.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I tried this yesterday for dinner. And it was amazing! I only added a bit of dried rosemary, thyme and chilli flakes to the mince for a herby flavor. The prepares mustard is really good. I think this is going to be my go to recipe for chicken burger.
What great feedback! Thanks Akshata!
Can we use 1 pound of chicken with same ingredients?
Hi Adeena, if you are only using half the chicken, I would adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
I’m about to cook these and have question. In the ingredients it says one slice of bread. In the comments you mentioned 2 slices. I have already mixed everything together with using one slice of sprouted bread. Can you confirm? Thank you.
1-2 slices is fine. It is approximate measurement. It will work out. 🙂
These patties are awesome! It is the first of your recipes I made and I love your clarity and simplicity. What made the experience even better is that I made them in a newly seasoned carbon steel pan and they did not stick. As my husband walked through the door he said that the kitchen smelled like his favourite restaurant. I am content.
Ilse! So wonderful to hear this. I hope you continue to enjoy many of my recipes (and your new carbon steel pan 🙂
This came out so well! Juicy and delicious, and very quick and easy.
Awesome to hear!