This recipe for BBQ Chicken Burger is the juiciest, tastiest chicken burger you will ever have! Studded with cheese, basted in barbecue sauce, and topped with creamy coleslaw, this ground chicken burger is anything but boring or dry!
The Best Recipe for Chicken Burgers
Chicken burgers, compared to classic hamburgers, have the reputation of being dry and flavorless.
But when seasoned and cooked correctly, a flavorful, juicy chicken burger is possible and easy to achieve at home.
This recipe is made with ground chicken that is seasoned to perfection, stuffed with cheese, and basted in barbecue sauce for an unforgettable chicken burger you will want to make again and again.
What you Need for Ground Chicken Burgers
- Ground Chicken: A blend of dark and white meat, all dark meat, or all-white meat chicken can be used for these BBQ Burgers. Use purchased ground chicken or see my tip below to make your own ground chicken at home to save money.
- Cheddar Cheese: Instead of topping the burgers with cheese, diced or shredded cheese is added right to the ground chicken, which helps to keep every bite juicy and flavorful.
- Seasonings: Chicken can be pretty bland on its own. By adding in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and paprika will he
- Barbecue Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce. The barbecue sauce helps to add moisture and flavor to the chicken, helping to prevent a dry burger.
- Coleslaw: While optional, topping these Chicken Burgers with homemade coleslaw, adds additional moisture texture to this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Burgers
- Gently combine the ground chicken with the diced cheddar cheese, seasonings, and a bit of barbecue sauce in a large mixing bowl. Remember to NOT over-mix your burger ingredients--this will make your burgers become tough!
- Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into patties that are slightly larger than a hamburger bun.
- Place a thumbprint into the middle of each patty. This will help to prevent shrinkage and allow for even cooking.
- Preheat a grill, grill pan, or nonstick skillet to medium-high heat.
- Place the prepared chicken burgers onto the heated grill or pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip the burgers and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Remove the burgers from the grill and brush with the reserved barbecue sauce on both sides. This will really finish the burgers off with incredible flavor.
- Tent the burgers with foil and allow the burgers to rest for 10 minutes, which will allow the temperature to come to 165 degrees F and the juices to evenly distribute through the chicken, keeping the burgers moist.
- Serve the chicken burgers with creamy coleslaw and additional barbecue sauce on a bun of your choice.
Recipe FAQs
Preheat a smoker to 300 degrees F. Cook the chicken burgers until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 45 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
Chicken must be cooked to 165 degrees F to be considered safe to eat. Remove the burgers from the heat when they reach 160 degrees F, as they will rise about 5 degrees while they rest. It is crucial to use a digital thermometer to determine that the burgers reach the correct temperature, as undercooked burgers are not safe to eat and overcooked chicken burgers will be dried out.
NO! If like coleslaw on your pulled pork, you will love coleslaw on these chicken burgers. It adds flavor, texture, and moisture, but these chicken burgers are delicious served with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, or avocado.
Chicken Burgers are best if consumed immediately after preparation. If you happen to have leftover chicken burgers, allow them to cool and then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat in a dry skillet and then brush with additional BBQ sauce.
How to Make Homemade Ground Chicken
A huge money-saving tip is to grind your own chicken to make ground chicken. And it is quite easy to do. You just need a food processor and either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
To make ground chicken, place one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into large chunks, into a food processor, and pulse until chicken is broken down enough to form into patties--this is only 5-7 quick pulses in my food processor. Be sure that the chicken is cold when processing--it will work a lot better.
Side Dishes for Chicken Burgers
Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.
I hope you enjoy these juicy chicken burgers as much as my family does. Be sure to leave a comment and review below sharing your experience.
BBQ Chicken Burger
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken dark or white meat
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce plus additional for serving
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese diced into tiny cubes or shredded
- 1 cup homemade coleslaw
- 4 buns
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high heat. Alternatively, heat a nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates or pan with oil to keep the burgers from sticking.
- Place the ground chicken into a large mixing bowl and add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, ¼ cup barbecue sauce, and diced cheese. Mix together until just combined and ingredients are evenly distributed, being careful to not overmix the chicken.
- Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and shape it into patties that are slightly larger than the bottom of a hamburger bun. Place a thumbprint into the middle of each burger, to help prevent shrinkage and even cooking.
- Grill or cook for 5 minutes. Flip the burgers, and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken burgers reach 160 degrees F.
- Remove the burgers to a plate and brush with additional barbecue sauce. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the burgers to reach 165 degrees F.
- Serve the burgers on buns with coleslaw or as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was orginally published in 2017 but updated with a new video and pictures in 2021.
Annette Hunt
I made these chicken patties for a family meal at the cabin. Everyone enjoyed them, even the grandchildren! My daughter asked for the recipe because it was such a big hit! We will enjoy again and again! The coleslaw was awesome with them as well! I liked that it didn't have mayo in it.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad your family enjoyed Annette! Thanks for sharing!
Debbie
This was delicious! Looking to eat healthier and this is a great alternative to beef burgers!
Kristen Chidsey
So happy to hear you enjoyed Debbie!
Ashley
These were so good for dinner. We will definitely make them again.
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! So glad you enjoyed Ashley!
Cathy
My family loves burgers but I don't typically use a lot of red meat.These fit the bill!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you could find a recipe to agree upon and enjoy!
Amy Anderson
Have you ever broiled these or used a cast iron skillet to cook them? Just curious...Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amy!
Yes, I have used a cast iron skillet many times and that works great. Just preheat over medium high heat and then cook 5-6 minutes per side or until burgers get to 165 degrees. I have not broiled, but that should work as well, just watch for carefully as the cheese or BBQ sauce can burn quickly
Amy Anderson
Thanks! Plan to try these soon😊
Karen
This burger looks amazing. Love the buns and the cole slaw topping!!
Tammy
That looks so yummy! Thanks for the great recipe and for linking it up to Tasty Tuesdays at Creative K Kids. I pinned it to the Tasty Tuesdays Pinterest Board.
Miz Helen
Happy Saturday Kristen!
That is sure a great basket of goodies, your BBQ Chicken Burger looks delicious! Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
CJ Huang
I'm liking how you put some slaw on top of the burger. It just adds a bit of "something." 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing this recipe with us - you're featured this week on Five Friday Finds! I'm looking forward to what you share this week. 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks CJ for choosing my recipe to be featured!! To me, the slaw is what make the sandwich 🙂 Enjoy!