Ground Chicken Burgers Without Breadcrumbs use egg, a little mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to hold the meat together while keeping the patties tender. Garlic powder seasons the mixture without adding wet chopped vegetables. The burgers cook in a lightly oiled skillet until browned outside and fully cooked in the center. Plan on about 30 minutes, including a short rest. Serve the patties with a side dish or add your own buns and toppings separately.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Preparation
- About 15 minutes
- Cooking
- About 12 minutes
- Resting
- 3 minutes
- Total
- About 30 minutes
- Yield
- 4 patties; 4 planned servings
- Equipment
- 12-inch nonstick skillet, wide spatula, mixing bowl and instant-read thermometer
Times are estimates and depend on equipment, ingredient size and preparation speed. Any optional chilling or separately prepared sides add time.
Why Make These Chicken Burgers?
- No breadcrumbs, flour or cracker crumbs in the patty mixture.
- Mayonnaise adds fat to balance lean chicken.
- Four evenly sized patties make portioning straightforward.
- A skillet provides browning without needing an outdoor grill.
Ingredients for Ground Chicken Burgers
- 1 pound (454 g) ground chicken, preferably a blend containing thigh meat
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, for the skillet
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Use ground chicken rather than a very wet purée of chicken breast. Mayonnaise contributes fat as well as flavor; omitting it from extra-lean meat can produce a noticeably firmer patty. Dijon is present in a small amount and should not dominate the finished burger.
How to Make Ground Chicken Burgers
Combine gently
Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add ground chicken and fold just until the seasonings are distributed. Stop once the mixture is uniform; repeated kneading makes the finished patties springy.
Shape four patties
Divide into four equal portions. With lightly damp hands, shape each portion into a patty about 3/4 inch thick. The mixture will be softer than beef burger mix. If it will not hold a shape, refrigerate it for 10–15 minutes; add that time to your plan rather than adding flour.
Brown the first side
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties with space between them. Cook for approximately 5–6 minutes without pressing down. When the underside has set and browned, slide a wide spatula fully underneath each patty.
Turn and finish
Flip carefully and cook for roughly another 5–6 minutes, reducing the heat if the exterior darkens too quickly. Insert a thermometer horizontally into the center of each patty; every patty must reach 165°F (74°C). Continue cooking as needed.
Rest and serve
Transfer to a clean plate and rest for about 3 minutes. Serve as four portions. Do not use the plate or utensils that held raw chicken unless they have been washed. Any buns or additional toppings are separate from the listed recipe.
Tips for Tender Patties
Patties stick when turning
They may not have formed a crust, or the pan may be too dry. Use a nonstick pan and wait until the underside is set before sliding in a broad spatula.
Outside browns before the center cooks
The patties are too thick or the heat is too high. Reduce to medium-low and continue to 165°F; use even thickness next time.
Mixture feels loose
Ground chicken varies in moisture. A brief chill can help shaping; do not add an unmeasured handful of crumbs to a breadcrumb-free recipe.
Ways to Change the Flavor
- Untested option: replace Dijon with 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard; the texture will be slightly more coarse.
- Untested option: add 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs to the mixture; keep the patty size and temperature check unchanged.
What to Serve Alongside
Pair the patties with a crisp salad, roasted vegetables or potatoes. If you choose buns, toast them separately and count them as an additional serving component.
For a side, try Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks or Roasted Butternut Squash Salad.
Storage, Reheating and Make-Ahead Tips
Refrigerate cooked food in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat the center to 165°F (74°C).
Keep cooked patties in a single layer or separate them with parchment. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon water, then uncover briefly if you want a drier exterior. Cooked patties may be frozen in individually wrapped portions; texture can become firmer.
Keep raw ground chicken refrigerated and cook within 1–2 days of purchase or refrigerator thawing. Freezing and substitution suggestions describe expected handling and texture, not kitchen-tested quality guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground chicken breast?
Yes, but an extra-lean breast-only mixture will usually be firmer. Keep the measured mayonnaise and stop cooking once each patty reaches 165°F.
Can I leave out the egg?
Not as a direct swap in this formula. The egg helps bind the soft mixture, and an egg-free version needs its own development.
Are these burgers gluten-free?
The patty formula contains no flour or breadcrumbs. Check the mustard, mayonnaise and other packaged ingredients for your needs, and choose any bun separately.
Can I cook them on grill grates?
A skillet is the intended method. The soft mixture may fall through grates before it sets; a grill version needs separate testing.
More Tasty Chicken Recipes
- Explore all 10 ground chicken dinner recipes
- Ground Chicken Bolognese
- Ground Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Ground Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
If you make this recipe, share how it turned out and any changes you made in the comments. Details about your pan, timing and ingredient swaps are especially useful to other cooks.
