The Best Smash Chicken Burger (Video)

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Smash Chicken Burger - two juicy patties made from seasoned ground chicken topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon, red onions, and spicy mayo then sandwiched between two buttery crispy buns are the stuff burger dreams are made of!

When YOU make Chicken Burger Recipe please tag us on @munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation!

I know some of you may wonder if it’s possible to get a juicy burger from ground chicken, and the answer is an absolute, yes! It’s lighter than ground beef, and lean meat so it doesn’t produce as much of its own grease, but there are plenty of ways to keep it moist.

I promise, this chicken smash burger recipe is going to become one of your favorite ways to eat a burger and you may never go back to take-out burgers again.

Just like any homemade hamburger recipe, I like to pair it with a side of homemade crispy air fryer french fries.

Ingredients Needed

For the Chicken Burger Patty

Ground chicken: This is lean meat that doesn’t have enough fat to keep it moist on its own, so it’s important to remember not to overwork ground chicken as you mix the ingredients together.
Egg: Binds the patties together so that they don’t fall apart. The egg also helps to keep it nice and moist.
Breadcrumbs: These also help to bind the meat together to hold its shape. It does absorb moisture, so the breadcrumbs and egg work together to balance each other.
Bell pepper, green onion, and garlic: Flavorful additions to the meat mixture that add a bit of color as well.
Seasoning: Smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, salt & pepper.
Oil: I use avocado oil, as I do for so many other recipes, but you can use what you’ve got. Olive oil also works well for this.

For the Toppings

Cheddar cheese: A slice of melted cheddar on top adds a bit of sharpness as well as a bit of added grease. See, there are plenty of ways to keep a chicken burger ultra juicy!
Cooked bacon: Cooked until desired crispness, and then cut each strip in half to give each burger 4 pieces.
Buns: Toasted brioche buns are my favorite! They’re soft, buttery, and slightly crisp. You can use your favorite burger buns. I also have a recipe for quick homemade hamburger buns which I highly recommend trying if you’ve got some extra time.
Mayo & Sriracha: Combined to make a spicy mayo!
Sliced red onions: Make these as thin or as thick as you’d like!

How to Make a Chicken Burger with Ground Chicken

This ground chicken burger is a complete restaurant-quality meal right at home! Here's how you make it:

Step 1: First, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Mix together using a wooden spoon or by hand until combined, but be careful not to over mix. You don’t want to end up with dry patties!

Step 2: Next, divide the meat mixture into four and roll each portion into a ball.

Step 3: After, heat the avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 4 balls to the skillet and use a spatula to smash them down and flatten them.

Step 4: Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side, then flip them over and top each one with a slice of cheese. Cover with the lid and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Step 5: In the meantime, while the chicken burgers are cooking, drizzle the mayo and sriracha on each side of the bun and use a butter knife to spread it.

Step 6: Now, place 2 cheesy patties on one side of the bun, top with red onions and crispy bacon, then top with the other half of the bun. Repeat with the second burger and enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Variations

This chicken burger recipe is basically perfect as is, in my opinion, but there’s still plenty of room to make it your own!

If you’re not a double patty kind of person, you can stretch this recipe out and make 4 single burgers instead.
Skip the cheese if you prefer not to make it a cheeseburger.
Adjust the seasonings to your liking. You can also make the sriracha mayo more or less spicy if you prefer.
Swap red onions for caramelized onions. If you’ve had either my caramelized onion arugula burger or caramelized onions burger with shiitake mushrooms, you’ll know how much flavor they add.
Use different toppings, you can add a slice of tomato. Sliced pickles, or some lettuce.
Use traditional ketchup instead of the mayo and sriracha if you prefer something a little sweeter and less spicy.
Pickled red onions are another favorite topping of mine. So much so that I dedicated an entire homemade burger recipe with pickled red onions!
I love a nice sharp cheddar, but if you would rather use something else, go for it! Havarti, provolone, or Swiss cheese can be substituted.

Recipe FAQs

Why is it called a smash chicken burger?

Smash-style burgers can be made from any type of ground meat. The idea is to place the meat mixture onto a hot surface and use something (either a spatula or a smashed burger press) to flatten it into a thinner patty.

When burgers get cooked, they tend to seize up and end up smaller and thicker. Using a press to smash it down helps to prevent this.

Can I use a different meat?

You can! Of course, it would no longer be called a smash chicken burger, you can absolutely make a smash turkey burger or smash beef burger. Use any type of ground meat you like and make this recipe in all kinds of different ways!

If you’re interested in a delicious burger recipe using beyond meat, I suggest you check out my juicy burger beyond meat recipe.

How do I know when my chicken burger is cooked?

Using a digital thermometer, the internal temperature should read 165 degrees F. If you don’t have one, another way to tell is that the juices should run clear and it will no longer be pink in the middle.