These easy Ground Chicken Burgers are a great homemade recipe for a busy weeknight. Made with almond flour instead of bread crumbs and using simple seasoning, they’re also paleo and Whole30 compatible when eaten without a bun. Plus they can be cooked up in a skillet or on the grill!
We love traditional burgers around here, but sometimes you want to change things up. Or maybe you just want to eat less red meat. That’s where these homemade chicken burgers come in.
They come together in no time at all and are just as easy to make as a regular burger. Plus they’re super customizable – you can serve them on gluten free buns, or make them paleo and Whole30 compliant by using lettuce leaves or bell pepper for a bun.
Whatever you do, be sure and pile them high with lots of fixings.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe.
Ingredients
- ground chicken
- almond flour
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- paprika (regular or smoked)
- ground black pepper
- a gluten free hamburger bun or lettuce wrap
- your favorite toppings (tomato, red onion, avocado, cheddar cheese, etc.)
- additional fixings (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, etc.)
I’ve written condensed directions here including pictures so you can see how to make this recipe. The full set of instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Before you scroll through, there is important information throughout this post.
How to make ground chicken burgers
- Take out a skillet and add oil to it, heating over medium heat. Measure out the ingredients for the burger patties in a large bowl.
- Wet your hands with water, then combine everything using your hands and divide the chicken mixture into four equal portions in the mixing bowl. Continue wetting your hands to form four patties, roughly 1/4 inch thick.
- Place each chicken patty in the skillet as you make it. You may need to take out a small plate to place the last patty on in case it doesn’t fit in the pan.
- Cook the patties on the first side for about 4 minutes, then flip carefully and cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side. Keep them in the pan until they are browning on the outside and at an internal temperature of 165 degrees f F (as checked with a meat thermometer – affiliate link)
- Place each patty in a gluten free bun or lettuce wrap and top with whatever you like!
How to make ground chicken burgers on the grill
- Follow the above steps 1 & 2 to make the patties.
- Heat your grill to 350 degrees F and put some olive oil on the grill grate with a paper towel and tongs.
- Put the chicken burger patties on the grill and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip each burger patty and cook another 3-4 minutes, until they’re at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (as checked with a meat thermometer – affiliate link)
- Remove from the grill and serve!
You can also watch the recipe video to see how to cook these chicken burgers on the grill.
You may have a couple of questions about this recipe – let’s get to those now.
Can you freeze chicken burgers?
Yes! Cook the chicken burgers as directed, then wrap tightly in plastic and place in the fridge. When ready to eat, remove the plastic and defrost in the microwave until warmed throughout.
Can you make ground chicken burgers without breadcrumbs?
Yes you can! This recipe uses almond flour instead of breadcrumbs to help bind the meat together.
Can ground chicken burgers get too wet or too sticky?
They definitely can! Ground chicken can be very sticky in general, and if you add an egg to it (like some recipes call for), it can get incredibly sticky and difficult to work with. To make the ground chicken easier to work with, try wetting your hands with water or rub some oil on them before handling the meat.
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground chicken?
Yes you can, though I recommend using dark meat instead of turkey breast as the darker meat has a higher fat content and won't dry out.
What to serve with ground chicken burgers
- a starchy side like potato chips, regular or sweet potato fries, or grilled potatoes;
- a fun salad like Greek rice salad or corn, tomato, and avocado salad;
- some coleslaw! Try this apple broccoli slaw or some pineapple coleslaw; or
- any type of fruit, but especially grilled fruit like grilled pineapple – you can even put it on the burger!
Recipe tips
- Ground chicken thighs work best for this recipe as they have more fat and result in a juicier burger than lean ground chicken. If you want to cut the fat content you can mix them together using half ground chicken thighs and half ground chicken breast.
- Make sure to wet your hands before working with the chicken mixture! It can be sticky and using water will help it keep from sticking to your hands. You can also use a little bit of oil if you find the water isn’t doing the job.
- If you’d like to add something extra to your patties, try incorporating a teaspoon or two of fresh chopped parsley, thyme, or some green onion!
- To make this recipe ahead of time, make the mixture and form the patties. Pile them on a plate with plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper in between each patty so they don’t stick together. Wrap them all up with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook them.
Pin this ground chicken burger recipe for later!
If you’re looking for different recipes to try on the grill, check these out:
- Grilled Pineapple Chicken (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Easy Grilled Shrimp (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Dijon Chicken Thighs (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
Or if you want other ground meat recipes, take a look at these:
- Gluten Free Chili (Instant Pot) (GF w/ DF option)
- Ground Lamb Soup (Instant Pot) (GF w/ DF option)
- Paleo Turkey Meatballs (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Paleo Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Sweet Potato Sliders (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
If you try these juicy Chicken Burgers (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It totally makes my day to hear how a recipe worked out for you.
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Recipe for Healthy Ground Chicken Burger
Ground Chicken Burgers
Equipment
- A cast iron skillet
Ingredients
For the Patties:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¼ c almond flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal brand)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
For the Burgers:
- 1 tbsp oil avocado or other oil - for frying
- Gluten Free Buns or Lettuce Leaves for Paleo or Whole30
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Cheese Slices omit for Paleo and Whole30
- Mayo
- Mustard
Instructions
On The Stove
- Take out a skillet (cast iron if you have it) and add in the 1 tbsp of oil. Put the heat to medium to warm it up.
- Measure out and place all the ingredients for the hamburger patty in a large bowl. Wet your hands and combine them together thoroughly, making sure to not overwork the meat.
- Divide the combined meat mixture into four even portions in the bowl. Take one portion and form it into a circular patty using your hands. The patty should be roughly one-quarter thick.
- As you make each patty, place them in the skillet. You may need to take out a small plate to place the last patty on in case it doesn’t fit in the pan.
- Cook the patties on the first side for about 4 minutes, then flip carefully with a spatula and cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side. Keep them in the pan until they are browning on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Place each patty in a gluten free bun or lettuce leaves and top with whatever you like!
On The Grill
- Follow the above steps 1 through 3 to make the patties.
- Heat your grill to 350 degrees F and put some olive oil on the grill grate with a paper towel and tongs. Put the chicken burger patties on the grill and cook for 4 minutes with the lid closed.
- Flip each burger patty and cook another 3-4 minutes with the lid closed, until they're at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (as measured with a meat thermometer).
- Remove from the grill and serve!
Notes
- Ground chicken thighs work best for this recipe as they have more fat and result in a juicier burger than lean ground chicken. If you want to cut the fat content you can mix them together using half ground chicken thighs and half ground chicken breast.
- Make sure to wet your hands before working with the chicken mixture! It can be sticky and using water will help it keep from sticking to your hands. You can also use a little bit of oil if you find the water isn't doing the job.
- If you'd like to add something extra to your patties, try incorporating a teaspoon or two of fresh chopped parsley, thyme, or some green onion!
- The best way to tell when the chicken patties are done is by using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. We've had a Thermapen for years and love it (affiliate link).
- To make this recipe ahead of time, make the mixture and form the patties. Pile them on a plate with plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper in between each patty so they don't stick together. Wrap them all up with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you're ready to cook them.
Your directions are misleading. You don’t instruct on how to mix the chicken patty meat. To a novice, I would have added the oil to the meat with the seasonings, but it was meant for “frying”. Also what about adding an herb like parsley or thyme for a bit more flavor. However, thank you, I have been using Ezekiel bread crumbs for the binder.
Thank you for letting me know! I’ve edited the instructions to make it more clear.