These pub-style crispy breaded chicken burgers deliver huge taste with just a few ingredients. BEST of all, you can make a whole whack of them and freeze 'em for when you're craving a greasy spoon type dinner without all the grease.
I'm not sure where my obsession with copying diner recipes came from but it's true; my life is and always has been ruled by copying and perfecting good, bad food.
Things like french fries, pizza and hamburgers. I'm still on a quest for the perfect good, bad onion rings. Not fancified high end restaurant style ones ... I want to be able to make them the way a greasy spoon does. You know. Like frozen onion rings.
Say what you want about crappy food, but the truth is, if it didn't taste good it wouldn't be so popular. The problem with crappy food is ... it's crappy. And usually frozen, overloaded with salt and filled with ingredients like Xantham Gum (which isn't necessarily bad for you in small quantities but it can make you tooty.) Sadly, I'm pretty sure it's those weird ingredients that are key to successfully copying many diner foods.
Years ago I used to buy "Jane's Pub Style Chicken Burgers". The kind of salt loaded, crispy frozen chicken burger that you'd get at one of the grimier establishments in town. The sort of establishment that you have to ask for a key to the washroom.
Those are the chicken burgers I used as my model for a healthier but just as delicious homemade version.
The actual Jane's chicken burgers include ingredients one would normally never think to put in a chicken burger. Like whey protein powder. That seemed like a weird ingredient to put in a chicken burger.
How good is this chicken burger? At the end of the meal you're gonna start looking over your shoulder to get a refill on your fountain pop.
Homemade Chicken Burgers
Just like with hamburgers you're going to have better luck if you add binders - in this case it's an egg and some breadcrumbs.
Whenever you're making any type of burgers (chicken, turkey, beef) mix your ingredients together gently. It helps retain the texture of the meat so they don't end up mushy.
I almost always make my burgers too big, so I use a ⅓rd cup to measure out the meat. It also helps to start to get it formed into a patty. Shove it in the measuring cup then plop it out into your hand.
Set the burgers in the fridge to firm up if you need to before breading them with flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order.)
Dip your chicken burger into the flour, egg and then breadcrumbs. Push the burger into the breadcrumbs to make sure they're good and stuck. And don't forget the edges of the burgers!
I'm using store bought breadcrumbs here but if you want to go all out you can make homemade seasoned breadcrumbs.
Then you panfry them in 4 tablespoons of oil or as much as you need to create a layer of oil on the whole bottom of the pan. You're pan frying, so don't be skimpy. Skimpy is for bathing suits.
Cook the chicken burgers on medium/low heat for around 4 minutes on each side.
Check to make sure they aren't burning because they brown up quickly.
I always use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. I had a close call a little while ago with cooking chicken. I came very close to not overcooking it. Almost unheard of for me to not overcook chicken.
Ground chicken must be cooked to 165°F.
Now eat it. You're done. You made a diner style chicken burger - with less fat, salt and weird ingredients.
TO FREEZE:
- Cook the chicken burgers then freeze them. When you want some, let them thaw and flash heat in a 450°F oven for 2 minutes on each side.
2. OR you can freeze the burgers uncooked right after the breading stage by laying them on a waxed paper lined plate until frozen solid. Transfer them to a freezer bag or storage dish once frozen.
Homemade Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 hamburger buns
Breading Ingredients
- ⅛ cup flour
- 1 beaten egg just add a little water or milk if you think 1 egg doesn't look like it's going to be enough
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil Use whatever neutral cooking oil you like.
Instructions
- Mix chicken, egg, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder together.
- Mix in bread crumbs.
- Form into patties using ⅓rd cup as measuring tool.
- Coat with flour, egg then breadcrumbs.
- Panfry in 4 Tablespoons of cooking oil for 4 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F
Notes
Nutrition
Now. Who needs a key to the bathroom?
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Has anyone baked these in the oven? If so, what temp and for how long?
Just wondering what the white topping is on your burger. (Because if it is just mayo, then we are "food-lube" sisters! I use a lot of mayo, but my hubby, who never eats it, calls it food-lube.
Anyway, it looks yummy!
That's exactly what it is! For me, chicken burgers are only complete with salt, mayo and lettuce. ~ karen!
Hi Karen, I love your advice. Mostly. But I’m sincerely confused by how you can buy a chicken swing and cuddle and love YOUR chickens, the turn around and eat them? Ground up into burgers?! What am I missing?
I guess what you're missing is I'm not a vegetarian/vegan and you are? ~ karen!
Damn! Why didn’t I find this recipe 8 years ago. They are awesome! Every ingredient was perfectly measured. Loved them. I cooked them on too high a temp, as I didn’t read the whole post, so next time will lower that, but seriously yummy.
Don't feel bad, it's SO easy to brown them too much. Glad you liked them and thanks for coming back to review them. ~ karen
I don't know how I missed these but I saw a Facebook post about them and I had a package of ground chicken in the freezer that needed to be used. So I made them for lunch one day for the two of us. I didn't have lettuce so we topped with sliced tomato, sweet onion and alfalfa sprouts. Mayo and spicy mustard also. My husband can be picky about things but we both loved them! The four that were left were cooled, placed in a bun, wrapped good and frozen. I did them in a bun because then I wouldn't have to go buy more buns when we wanted a sandwich. They came out of the freezer great, I put the patties and some frozen fries in the 425 F oven for 20 minutes which gave the buns time to thaw. Grilled the buns and the patties and fries were done. Second time around they were as good as the first. We have a lunch winner! Now to buy more ground chicken and make some more. We are down to two left in the freezer. Thanks for this recipe!
Really, really good. Very quick and easy to make and looked really appetizing once cooked too. Nice crunch to the breadcrumb coating. Will definitely make again - thanks!
I"m glad you liked them Lori. Thanks for reviewing! ~ karen
I think I will be prepping these tonight for tomorrow's dinner after a rainy day activity of clearing out a garage, topped with fresh lettuce and tomatoes from the garden, yum yum!
I had one last night! ~ karen
I added parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs when I breaded them.