These ground chicken burgers are about as easy as it gets. You’ll need 3 ingredients, a little olive oil, and some buns. They’re spicy (but not as spicy as my Nashville Hot Chicken Burgers), low fat, and surprisingly amazing reheated.
So whether you need a fun cookout meal or a meal prep recipe, these burgers are the move!
How to Make Burgers with Ground Chicken
I promised easy so check it out: Mix crushed chipotle peppers and ranch seasoning, heat a bit of oil in a skillet, season a pound of ground chicken cut into 4 quarters, and pan sear for 2-3 minutes per side.
That’s it!
The recipe card below includes a spicy slaw to top your ground chicken burgers with, but I’ll drop a few more ideas below.
I’ll also include a few troubleshooting tips or things to consider in the notes section of the recipe card.
Sides for Your Ground Chicken Burgers
Chipotle ranch is kind of a weird flavor to match in theory, but I think you’ll be surprised at the flavor of these burgers. The crushed chipotle gives a great smoky flavor and the ranch mostly cooks off to leave a slight garlic and buttermilk flavor.
What I’m trying to say is—you can pair these burgers with just about anything but here are some of my favorites:
- Copycat Wingstop Fries, Cajun Fries, or Crinkle Cut Fries
- Air Fryer Carrot Fries
- Mexican Potatoes in the Air Fryer (or oven)
Whether you cook an entire feast or make a big batch of chipotle ranch burgers on their own, I’d love to hear what you think. Drop a comment on this post or snap a pic and tag me on the ‘gram or in my free Facebook group!
Chipotle Ranch Ground Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
For the Chicken Burgers
- 1 lb Ground Chicken, 97/3
- 1 Tbsp 16g Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Crushed Chipotle Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Ranch Seasoning
- 4 Nature's Own Butter Buns, or your choice of buns
For the Slaw
- 10 oz bag Tri-Color Cole Slaw Mix
- 1/2 C 113g Fat Free Greek Yogurt
- 2 Tbsp 30g Pickle Juice, or your choice of vinegar
- 2 Tbsp 24g Swerve Granular, or a granulated sugar substitute
- 1 Tbsp Ranch Seasoning
- 1-2 tsp Crushed Chipotle Pepper, to spice preference
- 1-2 tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
Slaw
- Mix the yogurt, pickle juice, and spices together in a large bowl before folding the slaw mix in. Place in the refrigerator to let the flavors get to know one another while you cook the burgers.
Chicken Burgers
- Mix the crushed chipotle and ranch together in a small bowl. Divide the chicken into 4 pieces and gently massage about 2/3 of the seasoning mixture into the top of each piece. (Don't over handle the chicken.)
- Heat a large skillet (I used a 12-inch cast iron) over medium-high heat before adding the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken pieces spice side down. (Use the ventilation in your kitchen and be careful not to stand over the chipotle pepper as it cooks.)
- Sprinkle the remaining seasoning on top and use a spatula to firmly press each piece down. This will be the only time you should press the burgers (to keep the juices sealed inside) so make it count!
- Cook for about 3 minutes or until the chicken burgers have a good sear and have developed some color on one side. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the burgers are cooked through and reach an internal temp of 165F.
- Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, reduce the heat to a medium-low, and toast the buns. Top each burger with the slaw and enjoy!
Notes
- Each burger has 5 Smart Points.
- Nutrition facts are for the burgers with buns only (no slaw).
- In case you glazed over the note, be sure to not inhale the chipotle pepper as it cooks unless you need to clear your sinuses!
- I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet. If you use a smaller pan, you may have thicker burgers. Adjust the cook time accordingly.
- If you cook with too much heat, you'll burn the exterior before the interior cooks through.
- Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness but try not to cut into the burgers after cooking to keep the juices inside. Also, be sure to let the burgers rest for a few minutes after they come out of the pan.
- If you're prepping chicken burgers for later, refrigerate the patties without the buns.
Nutrition
More Recipes with Ranch Seasoning
If you’re picking up some for these ground chicken burgers, you’ll probably have some left over. Put it to good use!
Love these! I don’t eat beef super frequently so I really look for turkey/chicken burgers. However, a lot of times they don’t have great flavor! These have all the flavors though and I eat these without the slaw because I’m not a fan and they’re STILL so tasty! I make this recipe with ground turkey too depending on what the grocery store has that day for the macros I need!
Didn’t have the peppers so I subbed paprika and these were amazing!
Love these! I don’t eat beef super frequently so I really look for turkey/chicken burgers. However, a lot of times they don’t have great flavor! These have all the flavors though and I eat these without the slaw because I’m not a fan and they’re STILL so tasty! I make this recipe with ground turkey too depending on what the grocery store has that day for the macros I need!
Didn’t have the peppers so I subbed paprika and these were amazing!
These burgers are sooo good. I’m not good at or patient with cooking chicken, but these were simple and quick to make. A good alternative to a regular burger with significantly less fat, something I believe is hard to find that also tastes this good. You can even change up the seasoning to make them more spicy or more mild, but the recipe makes a delicious burger.
These burgers are sooo good. I’m not good at or patient with cooking chicken, but these were simple and quick to make. A good alternative to a regular burger with significantly less fat, something I believe is hard to find that also tastes this good. You can even change up the seasoning to make them more spicy or more mild, but the recipe makes a delicious burger.
I didn’t read the recipe card well enough apparently and before I knew it I already had the ranch mixed with Ground Chili Pepper. That was the only change I made and these came out so bomb! I let the slaw sit for about an hour so the flavors could really come together. The slaw really took these up a notch. My husband had his on a regular bun but I used a flatout fold bread for mine which I crisped up in the oven. Another winner!
I didn’t read the recipe card well enough apparently and before I knew it I already had the ranch mixed with Ground Chili Pepper. That was the only change I made and these came out so bomb! I let the slaw sit for about an hour so the flavors could really come together. The slaw really took these up a notch. My husband had his on a regular bun but I used a flatout fold bread for mine which I crisped up in the oven. Another winner!
wow wow wow is all I can say. Which is quite impressive considering how few ingredients are involved. Mason is just a master with spice balance in these recipes. My parents don’t love ground chicken nor spicy things, but they loved this and asked me to make it for them again. Additionally, the slaw is so sweet and yummy and pairs perfectly with the heat of the burger. And the RANCH flavor. Oh man, I could go on forever. This is definitely a fun and flavorful meal for any night of the week.
I substituted cayenne powder instead of chipotle chili and they were super!