Mouthwatering Italian Chicken Burgers are CRAZY delicious! Your family will flip for this healthy burger recipe any night of the week!
If you’re a fan of Chicken Parmesan, you will LOVE these cheesy, saucy Italian Chicken Burgers! Ground turkey mixed with Italian seasonings and bread crumbs, then topped with mozzarella and bacon-infused pasta sauce, make this easy sandwich recipe absolutely amazing!
Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Chicken Sandwich!
Forget fast-food chicken sandwiches! This Chicken Burger recipe completely differs from what you’d order at McDonald’s or Burger King.
For one thing, Italian Chicken Burgers are made from healthy ground turkey, so they are tender and juicy. These burgers are also oven-broiled and aren’t greasy or loaded with empty calories. These burgers are infused with all the yummy flavors of your favorite Italian foods: pizza, pasta, and especially chicken parmesan!
Other Recipes to Serve with Italian Chicken Burgers
- Every good burger deserves French fries and these Air Fryer French Fries are fast, easy and delicious!
- An Easy Wedge Salad is the perfect side salad for almost any dinner menu!
Ingredients
Chicken Burgers: To give these burgers all their amazing flavors, you’ll need ground chicken for the base. Then we’re adding Parmesan, Italian bread crumbs, flat leaf parsley, minced garlic, green onions, salt & pepper, and Italian seasoning. YUM!
Toppings: Dress up your burger with pesto, spinach or arugula, more marinara, and burger buns. You can even add a little garlic aioli on the top bun or sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the burger and extra sauce.
How to Make Italian Chicken Burgers
STEP ONE: Combine the parmesan, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic, green onion, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the ground chicken and gently mix by hand. Don’t squeeze or overmix.
STEP TWO: Divide the chicken mixture into four equal portions and each portion into patties. Place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
STEP THREE: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and once hot, add the chicken patties. Cook them on each side for 4-6 minutes until they’re browned and cooked through.
STEP FOUR: Top each chicken patty with marinara and a cheese slice. Place the burgers onto a baking sheet (or use the same skillet if it’s oven-safe). Set your oven’s broiler to high. Place the burgers on a baking sheet or back in the skillet (if it’s over-safe) and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted. If you prefer toasted rolls, pop the buns under the broiler long enough to toast them.
STEP FIVE: Assemble the burgers by smearing pesto on the top bun. Add some spinach or arugula on the bottom bun, top with the burger, and spoon more marinara. Pop the top bun in place, and you’re ready to eat!
Tips for Success
- Mixing the ground chicken with the bread crumbs and parmesan is best done by hand – don’t squeeze the meat or overmix, as this can make your burgers tough.
- Chilling the patties in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes before broiling helps bind them together beautifully.
- Flipping the burgers about halfway through distributes the moisture evenly and keeps the breadcrumbs from absorbing all the juice and becoming mushy.
- When forming patties, make them slightly larger than your buns for the perfect handheld burger!
What’s the Difference between a Chicken Sandwich and a Chicken Burger?
The difference is pretty simple. A chicken sandwich is made from a boneless, skinless chicken breast filet, usually breaded and deep-fried. This makes for a juicy, crispy, delicious, but high-calorie sandwich.
A chicken burger is made with ground chicken and is usually pan-seared, grilled, or oven-broiled. Chicken burgers, with about half the calories and far less fat, are tasty and much healthier than most chicken sandwiches.
How Long is Ground Chicken Good?
According to FDA recommendations, uncooked ground chicken (and turkey) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. After that, it should be cooked, frozen, or thrown out. Once frozen, ground poultry will keep indefinitely – assuming you vacuum seal it; otherwise, watch for freezer burn.
Cooked ground chicken can be safely stored in airtight containers or bags in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Other Awesome Burger Alternative Recipes
- Greek Turkey Burgers
- Island Teriyaki Burger
- Barbecue Chicken Burgers
- Salmon Burgers
- Garden Fresh Caprese Turkey Burgers
- Fish Filet Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce
*This post originally posted on 07/31/2013.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons marinara sauce plus more for serving
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- ½ cup Spinach or arugula for serving
Instructions
- Add the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic, green onion, salt, and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add the ground chicken to the mixing bowl and gently mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Form the chicken mixture into 4 patties and place on a plate. Refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry together.
- Place a large skillet (see note) over medium heat and add the olive oil to the pan. Add the patties to the skillet and cook for 4-6 minutes per side until cooked through and browned.
- Top each burger with 1 1/2 tablespoons of marinara and a slice of mozzarella cheese.
- Set your oven's broiler to HIGH and put the burgers under the broiler to cook for 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted. Carefully remove the burger from the oven.
- To assemble: Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on the cut side of the top bun. Add some spinach and/or arugula to the bottom bun. Place the burger patty over the greens and spread a little more marinara on the patty, if desired. Place the top bun over the patty and serve warm.
Leave a Reply