Grilled Chicken Burger

Easy Grilled Chicken Burger made with 7 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. Add your favorite burger toppings and bite into the juiciest burger ever!

This grilled chicken burger recipe is a variation of my grandma’s ground chicken burgers. Super easy to make with a secret ingredient that makes them juicy and irresistible!

Grilled chicken patties are one of my favorite burger recipes and what better time to share them than in the midst of grilling season.

Serve on a traditional bun or low carb on a lettuce wrap, they’re a summer favorite for lunch, dinner, BBQs, and meal prep!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Here are the top 4 reasons why you’ll love these grilled chicken burgers.

• 7 ingredients: All staple ingredients, including salt and pepper.
• Tasty and juicy: With the perfect commination of simple seasonings and my grandma’s secret ingredient, grated onion, each patty is mouthwatering and never dry.
• Easy: 20 minutes and no need to chill the homemade patties. Once they’re formed you can throw them on the grill right away.
• Healthier: These burgers are a healthy alternative to beef burgers. The extra lean chicken breasts have no added fat, they’re full of nutrients and high in protein.

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Burger

You need 7 simple ingredients for this grilled chicken burger recipe. They’re all kitchen staples you most likely have on hand.

• Chicken breasts: I used 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into one inch cubes. Boneless skinless chicken thighs will work too.
• Egg: 1 large egg is needed for binding.
• Onion: Adds flavor and keeps these burgers moist.
• Fresh garlic clove: Pulsed with the onion to add more flavor.
• Breadcrumbs: Another binding ingredient but also locks in juices and gives the chicken patties a tender texture.
• Seasonings: Salt and pepper to taste.
• Buns and toppings: Today I chose lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion. See variations below for more ideas.

How to Make Grilled Chicken Burger

Here’s a quick and easy overview of how to make grilled chicken burger from scratch. There is a full recipe card located below.

• Grind chicken: Add cubed chicken breast to a food processor. Work in batches and process chicken until ground and then transfer to a large bowl.
• Make chicken patties: To the food processor, add egg, onion, and garlic; then process to a chunky puree. Add puree to the bowl with ground chicken, then add your breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well using a spatula or wet hands.
• Form patties: Divide mixture into 6 even sections and form patties. Place them on a baking sheet and use your thumb to make a divot in the center of each patty.
• Grill: Preheat grill on medium-high heat, use an oil soaked paper towel to oil the grill grates. Place chicken patties on the grill, cover and cook. Once the edges are white and the bottom is brown, carefully flip the burgers with a good grill spatula. Cook for 4-5 minutes covered on each side, only flipping once.
• Serve: Add your favorite toppings and serve chicken burgers hot.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my most helpful tips for a grilled chicken burger everyone will love.

• Shape patties bigger than the bun: The burgers will become smaller while cooking, so make sure you’re starting with a patty that is slightly bigger than the bun.
• Make a divot in a patty: Once the chicken burger hits the hot grill a dome may form, but making a divot will help avoid a bumpy center.
• Flip once: The more times you flip, the more dry the meat gets and more likely the patty will fall apart. Don’t peek under it! Use a good grill spatula and only flip once.
• Use meat thermometer: Avoid the guessing game and insert a meat thermometer in the center of the patty. When the internal temperature reaches 165 F your burgers are ready.
• Don’t press on grilled chicken patties: Keep all the juices and flavor in while they cook, pressing down will release all that goodness.

Variations

There are many ways to be creative, here are some easy variations to try.

• Using ground chicken: You can save time and get ground chicken from the store. Use 2 pounds.
• Bread instead of breadcrumbs: Like in my ground chicken burgers recipe technique. Use a slice of bread soaked in water for a few seconds and then squeezed.
• Add seasonings: Add anything you like! Smoked paprika, cumin, thyme, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, all purpose seasoning.
• Add cheese: My personal favorites to pair with chicken are cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and gouda cheese.
• Greek chicken burger: Add tzatziki, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
• Teriyaki chicken burger: Add teriyaki sauce, pineapple rings, and mayo.
• Buffalo chicken burger: Frank’s red hot sauce with crumbled blue cheese.
• To cook them on the stove: Pan fry chicken burgers on an oil coated large skillet or grill pan for about 4-5 minutes per side. Flip once when white edges appear and burger is brown on the bottom. Check doneness with a meat thermometer.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Burgers?

Our favorite way to enjoy a grilled chicken burger is on a toasted bun with crisp lettuce, tomato, onion and an array of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayo, aioli, or healthy BBQ sauce. Sometimes we’ll add bacon too!

Then I’ll make crock pot corn on the cob and an easy salad for the ultimate simple dinner.

Our go-to salads right now are Mediterranean pasta salad, Caprese pasta salad, healthy coleslaw, Green goddess potato salad, Green goddess salad, and Mediterranean orzo salad.

How to Make Ahead and Store

Store leftovers: Let cooked burger patties cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, place burgers in a hot skillet, add a splash of water, cover and simmer until warmed through. 

Freeze raw patties: Lay patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a large Ziploc bag. You can cook from frozen by following recipe’s instructions and cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

Freeze cooked patties: Once cooled, freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat the same as refrigerator method but it will take longer.

FAQs

More Burger Recipes to Try

• Ground chicken burgers
• Greek turkey burgers
• Turkey burgers
• Spinach feta turkey burgers
• Salmon burgers
• Black bean burgers