These ground chicken burgers are seriously sink-your-teeth-into fantastic. Crispy on the outside, super moist in the center. Oh my, so grand.
I asked a few neighbors and friends what they expected in a “chicken burger”. To my surprise, most guessed a grilled or fried chicken breast! Well folks, I’m here to tell you that you NEED to try this ground chicken version instead. There’s no grilling or deep frying required, and not kidding, my taste testers said this was one of the best burgers they’ve ever had! Don’t get me wrong, I heart me some fried chicken (especially my Pickle Juice Fried Chicken Sandwiches!), however, this lightened up version is my go-to for summer. Serve these alongside these Air Fryer Potato Wedges, my Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta, or this Summer Pasta Salad I made on my televised cooking segments a few years back.
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE:
The key to making juicy, flavor-packed ground chicken burgers is creating a panade. This is basically a mix of bread and milk (or mayonnaise) that moistens the meat and prevents it from drying out. Feel free to make your own breadcrumbs, or take the easy route and use store-bought Panko Breadcrumbs!
FOR THE BURGER PATTIES:
- Springer Mountain Farms Ground Chicken
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Chives
- Mayonaise
- Eggs
- Dijon Mustard
- Lemon Juice
- Salt + Black Pepper
- Cornstarch
- Avocado or Neutral Oil
CALABRIAN GARLIC HERB MAYO:
- Mayonnaise
- Calabrian Peppers
- Dill
- Chives
- Italian Parsley
- Basil Leaves
- Garlic Cloves
- Half & Half
- Lemon Juice
- Salt + Black Pepper
TO ASSEMBLE:
- Brioche Buns
- Tomato Slices
- Havarti Cheese
- Green Leaf Lettuce
- Pickled Red Onions
While the Calabrian Garlic Herb can be replaced with regular mayonnaise + mustard, I HIGHLY recommend you try it. You might think it’s spicy with the Calabrian peppers, but trust me, it’s a subtle heat that pairs so well with the burger patties. You can certainly add more peppers, to taste, or skip them all together and whip up a garlic-herb mayo instead.
CHICKEN SPOTLIGHT:
I partnered with Springer Mountain Farms a few years ago, as I truly believe they have a superior chicken when it comes to quality, best flavor, and they are American Humane Certified™. Located in Northeast Georgia, they are committed to sourcing 100% U.S.-grown corn and soybeans for their chicken feed, and treat their flock with nothing but the upmost care respect. Make sure to use their Find Us locator to find their amazing chicken products near you!
ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
WHEN MAKING THE BURGER PATTIES: If you don’t have fresh lemon juice, feel free to swap that out with lemon abstract, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar.
SAUCE BASE: I specifically created the Calabrian Garlic Herb Mayo for this recipe. However, if you’d rather sub with my Tangy Alabama White Sauce, this Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing, Super Creamy Italian Salad Dressing, or my Super Easy and Flavorful Buttermilk Ranch… go for it!
BUNS + TOPPINGS: My local grocer sells these marvelous seeded brioche buns, so that’s what I used here. However, these would also taste great on regular brioche, soft hamburger buns, or inside sliced sourdough or baguette. Other toppings you could add include sliced pickles, potato chips for extra crunch, sprouts, avocado, different types of cheese, or whatever your little heart desires. Pile them on and let me know in the comments so I can try it! Per the usual, my recipes are always customizable and I encourage you to get creative!
MORE HANDHELD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:
Cobb Salad Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Kimchi Burger Sliders with Gochujang Chili Mayo
My Viral Super Crispy Fish Sandwich (Filet-O-Fish Copycat)
Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Open-Faced Sandwiches
Juicy Beefy Cheddar Cheeseburger Sliders
Ross Gellar’s Leftover Turkey Sandwich with a Moist Maker
Italian BLT with Sun-dried Tomato Mayo
The Best Cuban Sandwich with Carnitas
Grinder Salad Corned Beef Masterpiece (viral Tik Tok recipe)
Let’s Make a Maryland Crab Cake Stacker
The Best Brunch Style Banh Mi with Sunny Eggs
Fully Loaded Lemongrass Banh Mi Burger Sliders
VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!
- 1 lb. Ground Chicken
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, divided in half
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Chives
- ¼ cup Mayonaise
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- Salt + Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp. Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp. Avocado or Neutral Oil
- ¾ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. Minced Calabrian Peppers
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Dill
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Chives
- 1/ 4 cup Fresh Italian Parsley
- 4 - 5 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 tbsp. Half & Half
- 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
- 4 Brioche Buns, toasted
- 8 Tomato Slices (or 4 if it’s a large tomato)
- 4 Havarti Cheese Slices
- Green Leaf Lettuce, as desired
- ¼ cup Pickled Red Onions
- PREPARE THE PATTIES: Mix together the ground chicken, half of the breadcrumbs, chopped chives, mayonnaise, eggs, dijon, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Form into four bun-sized patties, place back in the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes. On a separate plate mix together the cornstarch and remaining breadcrumbs, then set aside. Note: The patties will be wet and sticky… that’s a good thing.
- WHIP TOGETHER THE MAYO: Place all ingredients for the Calabrian garlic herb mayo in a small food processor. Puree until fully blended. Transfer to a bowl and set in the refrigerator.
- PAN-FRY THE BURGERS: Drizzle enough oil in a medium-high heat skillet to cover ½ inch of the patties. About 3 - 4 tablespoons, depending on the size of your skillet. Remove the patties from the fridge and coat each one, both sides, in the cornstarch-breadcrumb mixture. Add the burger patties to the skillet, but make sure not to overcrowd. You may need to work in two batches. Pan-fry for 5 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Flip again and cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, or until golden crispy and the internal temperature has reached 165F. Transfer to a wire rack once cooked and place in a 200F warmed oven if you’re cooking in batches.
- FOR SERVING: Slather desired amount of Calabrian Garlic Herb Mayo on both sides of the toasted buns. Assemble the sandwiches with the chicken patties, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickled onions. Enjoy immediately.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- If the chicken is browning too quickly, go ahead and turn the heat down on the skillet to medium. I honestly end up flipping my patties 4 – 5 times during the cooking process. As long as your instant thermometer reads 165F before removing them from the skillet, you’re all good.
- Sometimes I’ll double the batch and make 8 all at once. They stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I simply let them cool and place them over crumbled parchment paper in an air-tight container. To reheat, I place them in my air fryer that has been preheated to 375F. I’ll air fry them for 5 – 8 minutes, or until fully warmed (the time will depend on what kind of air fryer you own). I haven’t tried freezing them yet, but I’m sure you could do that as well. Let me know if you try it!
- Any leftover Calabrian Garlic Herb Mayo an be kept refrigerated in an air-tight container and used on sandwiches, with crab cakes, or simply a dip with chips. Enjoy within 2 – 3 days.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Springer Mountain Farms. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com!
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