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Homemade Ground Chicken

How to make ground chicken with a knife, food processor, or meat grinder from boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
4.86 from 7 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 lbs
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts*
  • 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs*

Instructions

  • To Make Ground Chicken with a Knife
  • For best results, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and freeze for 60-90 before slicing.
  • Working horizontally across the chicken, cut 1/4" slices at a 45-degree angle going 75% of the way through the chicken. Flip the chicken and make the same 45-degree slices in the opposite direction. Then carefully cut 1/4" vertical slices.
  • Gather the chicken into a pile and chop the chicken in several directions until you've reached your desired grind.
  • Transfer the ground chicken to a chilled bowl to keep cool if preparing in bulk.
  • To Make Ground Chicken with a Food Processor
  • Add the chicken in small batches and pulse 4-6 times (may vary by model) until you reach a desired consistency.
  • To Make Ground Chicken with a Meat Grinder
  • Cut the chicken into small strips or pieces that will easily fit down the tube of the meat grinder.
  • Select your desired grind thickness and gradually add the chicken to the grinder, alternating between pieces of chicken breast and thigh for an even blend.
  • Check the tube of the meat grinder when finished and chop any remaining pieces that didn't run through with a knife to reduce waste, if desired.

Notes

*You can use all chicken breast or adjust the amount of chicken thighs to make ground chicken with different fat ratios. 5 pounds of chicken thighs is roughly the equivalent of 95% lean ground chicken while 5 pounds of chicken breast is around 98% lean ground chicken. See post above for more notes on blends and using other parts of the chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 135kcal | Protein: 24g | Fat: 4g