Top 10 Ground Chicken Recipes

Last Updated on April 13, 2023

You might not be used to using ground chicken in the kitchen, especially since it’s not as popular as ground beef, pork, or even turkey. However, when you use it right, ground chicken can be a staple and help you spice up your weekly meal plan. 

Read on to learn the ups and downs of cooking with ground chicken and perhaps give our suggested top 10 ground chicken recipes a go.

Why Is Ground Chicken Not as Popular as Ground Beef?

We can list many reasons why you don’t see ground chicken in the store as much as you do ground beef, but the most important reason for the lack of popularity is value. While producing beef generates a lot of “scraps,” with chicken, all you’re left with is good, lean meat that has a better market value. This leaves no incentive for poultry producers to ground the meat. On the flip side, some parts of beef are more likely to be sold as ground.

This doesn’t mean only bad meat goes into minced beef, but only those parts that are less desirable to consume as a whole. As we said, chicken meat doesn’t contain many such parts. 

Another reason ground chicken is not very popular is associated with health risks. Should you really be concerned? Let’s talk about that.

Is Ground Chicken Healthy?

Ground chicken is just minced chicken meat, so there’s no reason for it to be any less healthy than regular chicken meat, right? Well, no. 

The process of grounding introduces the meat to some new bacteria. The process of grounding slices the meat into smaller parts, which increases the chances of cross-contamination from the air and tools used in the process. This is not a special case with chicken, as ground beef, pork, or any other meat is also subject to similar risks. Having said that, ground poultry is more associated with risks in terms of food-borne illnesses.

The reason you can have a rare steak is that only the exposed parts come in contact with bacteria — as long as the meat is fresh. However, you still wouldn’t eat rare cooked chicken thighs because of the risks we just mentioned.

Either way, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consume ground chicken under any circumstances. Once you eliminate these risks, ground chicken can even be a healthier alternative than minced red meat. 

First, you need to make sure you get it from a reliable place or make it at home with a meat grinder — like a KitchenAid or another stand mixer with the proper apparatus. If you’re getting it from the poultry section, make sure it’s made from 100% chicken breasts or thighs. In other words, make sure you don’t have bones and any other inferior parts in your meat. 

Secondly, you have to make sure you don’t undercook it. As long as you don’t break these rules, you’re good to go cooking with minced chicken.

Is Ground Chicken Tasteless?

Ground chicken has a reputation for being bland and dry, but that’s just because it’s not as fatty as the other ground meat we’re used to. If you cook it all by itself, the ground chicken will be a disappointing meal with a rubbery texture. Having said that, the fact that it has a mild and neutral taste profile makes it a great base for so many different dishes. 

So, as long as you cook ground chicken with the right ingredients like herbs, fats, oils, and fresh ground spices and add some delectable sauces, ground chicken can be a staple ingredient for phenomenal dishes. 

10 Recipes to Try With Ground Chicken

1. ​​Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Kids love chicken nuggets, but we all know the ready-made versions are far from healthy. Once you start making these homemade chicken nuggets, you’ll never get them frozen or at the drive-through again. 

Prep time: 20 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 0.5 kg ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons oil

Preparation: 

1. Beat the eggs thoroughly with a whisk. 
2. Add salt, ground black pepper, chili powder, and half of the bread crumbs. Save the ground chicken, oil, and the other half of the bread crumbs for later.
3. Once you have a homogenous egg and spice mixture, add the ground chicken and knead the mixture.
4. Make walnut-sized balls, flatten them, and cover them with bread crumbs.
5. Heat a frying skillet, add a tablespoon of oil, and fry the nuggets on each side. Separate them in batches if needed, and don’t overcrowd the skillet.
6. Serve while they’re hot with dipping sauces.

Tip: Grounding the spices at the time you’re adding them is a great way to enrich the aroma and flavor.

2. Sesame Ground Chicken

Flavor up the ground chicken with some Asian zest. The whole family will love this easy, healthy, and savory recipe. You can also use pork or turkey to make this recipe, but lean chicken is guaranteed to steal the show since it works as an excellent base for the seasoning.

Prep time: 20 mins
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 kg ground chicken
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil (toasted)
• ⅓ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• Scallions and sesame seeds to finish

Preparation:

1. Dice the onion and chop the garlic.
2. Preheat a pan over medium heat before adding the olive oil and onions. Cook the onions until they turn translucent. 
3. Add chopped garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Add the ground chicken and cook it thoroughly by breaking it up into pieces using a spatula.
5. Add the seasoning.
6. In a medium saucepan, mix sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and broth of your choice.
7. Add the cooked ground chicken to the saucepan and mix.
8. Bring it to a boil and add the cornstarch while stirring.
9. Simmer the saucy chicken until it thickens.
10. Garnish the sesame ground chicken with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.

3. Broccoli and Cheese Chicken Patties

By Cheri Neufeld

It’s hard to believe that these golden and crispy patties aren’t fried, but baked! Packed with rich flavors and an entire broccoli, it’s a delicious, guilt-free appetizer that you can serve before meals, with salads, or as the main course by piling them on a serving plate with dipping sauces.

Prep time: 40 mins
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

• 500 g ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 garlic clove
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 medium shallots
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 cup mozzarella or cheese of your choice
• ½ tablespoon salt
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2. Place a baking sheet on a baking tray or spray it with oil.
3. Mince the garlic, chop the shallots, and finely chop the broccoli.

Tip: You can also use other vegetables instead of broccoli, like grated carrot, grated zucchini (by squeezing out the excess water), peas, corn, or finely chopped cabbages.

1. Place the chopped broccoli in a skillet and softly cook with a little cooking oil.
2. In a big mixing bowl, add the softly cooked broccoli, chopped shallots, minced garlic, ground chicken, one egg, cheese, salt, and pepper in a big mixing bowl.

Tip: You can go with as much cheese as you want. Remember to cut back on salt if you use a cheese high in sodium content like halloumi, roquefort, or feta. 

1. Knead the ingredients together and make fritter balls.

Tip: The fritter balls shrink and thicken when they are cooked.

1. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and repeat.
2. Bake for an extra 8 to 10 minutes until the tops turn golden.
3. Serve while hot with dipping sauces.

4. Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

By Mel Hill Photography

Teriyaki sauce is one of the best ways to spice up lean ground chicken. Here’s a homemade teriyaki sauce recipe that’s easy, hearty, and absolutely delicious. 

Since you’ll be simmering the meatballs, they won’t have any chance to dry out and turn hard, and the result is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. You can serve them on top of noodles or rice, as appetizers, or as the main course with some leafy salad next to it.

Prep time: 35 mins
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

For Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup cooking sake (or Shaoxing wine or dry sherry wine)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar (brown or white)
• ¾ cup water

For Meatballs:

• 500 gr ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon cooking sake (or Shaoxing wine or dry sherry wine)
• ½ tablespoon salt

For Garnishing:

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• Chopped scallions
• Toasted sesame seeds

Preparation:

1. For the teriyaki sauce, mix the cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl with one tablespoon of water. Save the rest of the water to mix in after you add some thicker teriyaki sauce to the meatballs. 
2. Mix everything until it’s homogeneous — get rid of all the lumps. Add the sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix until everything dissolves in the thick sauce.
3. For the meatballs, get a big mixing bowl and add the ground chicken, oil, breadcrumbs, one egg, minced garlic clove, cooking sake or the cooking wine of your choice, salt, and two tablespoons of teriyaki sauce you just whipped.
4.  Pinch the mixture with your fingers, and avoid kneading. Make meatballs roughly the size of a tablespoon. 

Tip: The mixture can be too sticky depending on the type of ground chicken meat. If that’s the case, leave the mixture to rest in the refrigerator for it to firm up a bit. Alternatively, you can rub cooking oil on your hands before making the meatballs. If none of these seem to work, you can add more breadcrumbs.

1. Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a large pan. Ensure the oil is hot but not too hot when adding the chicken meatballs. Seal all the sides of the chicken meatballs by rolling them around in the pan for about 5 minutes. Don’t worry about cooking them thoroughly for now.
2. Set the heat to low and add the rest of the teriyaki sauce into the skillet. Cook for at least 5 more minutes and some more until the sauce thickens, covering the meatballs.
3. Finish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. You can serve the teriyaki chicken over some noodles or rice while it’s still hot. 

5. Chicken Meatball Kale Soup

By Shelly In Real Life

This chicken meatball kale soup takes some time to make, but it’s full of flavor, healthy whole grains, and green leaves. It’ll make you feel nothing but loved as it goes down your throat. A perfect meal for a cold winter day.

Prep time: 75 mins
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

For Meatballs:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 250 gr ground chicken
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoon cream
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Soup:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 celery rib
• 1 carrot
• 1 leek
• 1 big or 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 lemon
• ¼ tablespoon dried thyme
• ¼ tablespoon dried rosemary
• ⅛ tablespoon dried oregano
• 4 cups or 100 ml chicken or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 100 gr or a few leaves of lacinato kale
• Fresh parsley

Preparation:

Preparing the Meatballs:

1. Start by mincing the onion. 
2. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan with a lid and quickly cook the minced onions for about 3 minutes until they soften. 
3. Add salt and pepper. 
4. Turn the heat down, put the lid on, and cook slowly for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will let out some juice. 
5. Remove the lid and turn the heat back up to medium. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the juice evaporates, and the onions turn golden brown. This caramelizes the onions and adds a rich flavor kick to the soup. 
6. Once it’s done, let it cool down to room temperature in a large mixing bowl. 

Tip: It’s important not to burn the onions when caramelizing them, so adjust the heat accordingly and pay attention to any parts getting darker quicker than the rest.

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C.
2. In a separate bowl, mix rosemary, thyme, oregano, bread crumbs, grated parmesan, salt, and pepper. 
3. Add the chicken mixture and cream.
4. Gently pinch the mixture until everything is combined. 
5. Coat your hands with a drop of olive oil and roll walnut-sized balls out of the mixture.
6. Place them in a baking tray that you cover with baking paper or a silicone baking mat. Try not to overcrowd the tray — leave 5 cm spaces between the balls.
7. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the balls and repeat. When it’s done, bake for 5 more minutes for some extra crunchiness.

Preparing the Soup:

1. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or a heavy bottom for a more even heat distribution.
2. Add the ground chicken and one egg yolk to the caramelized onions and mix.
3. Chop the onion, celery, and carrot. Add the vegetables — except the leak, which you’ll add last — to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes. 
4. Crush the garlic cloves, add them, and cook for another minute before adding the butter and the herbs. Cook for another 2 minutes, making sure the onions start to turn golden.
5. Juice the lemon and add it in. Follow that with the chicken or vegetable broth. Put a lid on and bring the mixture to a boil. 
6. After that, turn down the heat and take off the lid. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Add the baked meatballs and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. 
8. Add in the kale that you’ve removed rough ribs from and chopped into small pieces.
9. Cook for another 2 minutes until the kale just starts to wilt. 

Tip: If you have other leafy greens in your fridge, you can add them to the soup. Just be mindful of how delicate they are and adjust their cooking time accordingly. For example, add spinach right before serving the soup.

1. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated parmesan before serving.

6. Chicken Sloppy Joes

A sloppy joe is more than a loose meat sandwich with sauce — it’s the ultimate kid food! You can easily earn parenting points with these healthy, savory chicken sloppy joes. They are great with ground chicken because you can always make them sloppier by turning up the sauce, making the most of the lean chicken meat and texture.

Prep time: 25 mins
Portions: 6

Ingredients:

• Baguette or sandwich bread
• 500 gr ground chicken 
• 1 small onion
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 100 gr pepper jack cheese (or any other cheese with a flavor kick like gouda, havarti, cheddar, or edam)
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet and add the ground chicken to sear it. Add diced onions, diced green bell pepper, and diced zucchini. Add the spices and seasoning.
2. In a small saucepan, simmer the milk with flour until it thickens. Add the shredded cheese as you continue whisking.
3. Heat the baguettes or buns in a skillet. 
4. Scoop up some of the chicken mixture onto the bun and top with cheese sauce. 
5. Serve while it’s hot.

7. Chicken Parmesan Meatballs on Skillet

By Susan Filson

The best way to cook chicken meatballs is by simmering them in a sauce to make sure it doesn’t dry out and take on as many flavors as possible. This recipe includes a delicious marinara to ensure your chicken is packed with all the good things there. If you’re looking for an easy skillet dinner that won’t fail to impress you, grab a skillet.

Prep time: 45 mins
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 500 gr ground chicken
• 1 egg
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 25 gr parmesan cheese
• 1 medium shallot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• A handful of parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce:

• 3 cups marinara
• 25 gr parmesan cheese
• 100 gr mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 200 C.
2. For the meatballs, put the ground chicken in a big mixing bowl and add breadcrumbs, shredded parmesan, the egg, Italian seasoning, diced shallots, minced garlic, and minced parsley. Add in salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Mix everything by gently pinching the mixture in between your fingers. Don’t knead.
4. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, make walnut-sized meatballs out of the chicken mixture with your hands. You’ll have around 20 meatballs.
5. Put a cast iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once the pan is hot, place the meatballs on the skillet, cook until all sides are brown, and take them into a clean platter. Don’t focus on cooking them thoroughly; at this stage, we’re just searing the meatballs.
6. Turn off the heat, drain the excess fat, if any, and allow the cast iron skillet to cool down for a while, which might take up to 10 minutes.
7. Once you make sure it won’t burn, pour the marinara into the pan. Add the meatballs to the sauce and top them with grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
8. Slide the pan with meatballs and marinara mixture into the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 minutes.
9. Garnish with a sprinkle of minced fresh parsley. You can serve chicken parmesan meatballs on top of noodles, other pasta, or as the main course with crusty bread. 

8. Chicken Meatloaf Wellington

If a regular meatloaf is too loaded for your taste, take a fresh take on it with this hybrid recipe that crosses classic British beef wellington and chicken meatloaf.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

• 500 gr ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
• 25 gr parmesan cheese
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 40 gr cup sun-dried tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pastry:

• 1 sheet unfrozen puff pastry
• 1 egg

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix ground chicken, the egg, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, chopped basil leaves, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and seasoning. The mixture should be wet and sticky. 
3. Lay the puff pastry on a tray lined with a baking sheet or on a silicone baking sheet and pour the chicken filling onto it. Pull the ends together, giving it a loaf shape. Roll the meatloaf gently with your hands and leave the seam side at the bottom. 
4. Cut several slashes across the top of the meatloaf, brush with a well-beaten egg wash, place the tray in the preheated oven, and bake for about 1 hour.

Tip: You can turn the tray around in the middle of the cooking session for a more even browning.

1. Let it cool down for 10 minutes before serving. 

9. Thai Larb Gai

By letyran

Larb Gai is Thailand’s beloved lettuce wrap filled with savory, spicy, and fresh flavors that bring the most out of the lean minced chicken meat. The combination of the flavors will make you forget you’re eating healthy, and the whole thing is a breeze to make. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Prep time: 25 minutes
Portions: 4

Ingredients:

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar (brown or white)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 jalapenos (or chiles)

For the Filling:

• 500 gr minced chicken
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar (brown or white)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnishing:

• A handful of basil, cilantro, and mint leaves.
• Lettuce leaves

Preparation:

1. Mix the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and water in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and add minced jalapenos. If you like it hot, you can turn up the spiciness with more jalapenos or by replacing the jalapenos with chili peppers.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the oil with minced garlic and cook until it turns brown. Add in the sugar and give it a good stir.
3. Add the minced chicken to the skillet and cook while breaking the lumps with a spatula until there is no light-colored meat on the skillet.
4. Add in the soy sauce, fish sauce, and seasoning; give it a stir and transfer to a serving plate.

Tip: The good thing about Thai Larb Gai is that it’s an assemble-your-own-wrap kind of meal — just like Korean barbecue. Serve the dipping sauce, lettuce, and chicken mixture in separate bowls on the table. You can throw in some diced chili peppers, sauerkraut, or fresh sprouts to make it even more enjoyable.

10. Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Extra Crisp

By anjuli_ayer

There’s cheese inside and outside of these tacos, and it’s everything you can expect from it: crispy, oozy, savory. These tacos are guaranteed to fill the cheese-shaped hole in your heart. Try not to get addicted!

Prep time: 50 minutes
Portions: 8

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

• 1 jalapeno
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 avocado
• A handful of fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Tacos:

• 500 gr ground chicken
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 can of chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 350 gr cheddar cheese
• 8 corn tortillas (small)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing

Preparation: 

1. For the sauce, bring out your food processor or blender. Add in the avocado, minced garlic, seeded and chopped jalapeno, cilantro leaves, sour cream, lime juice, and buttermilk. Blend everything and season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Tip: You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 3 days. Make excess and use it as salad dressing, or add the leftovers to a vegetable soup.

1. For the tacos, grab a nonstick pan and turn up the stove to medium heat. Add olive oil and diced onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions start to turn transparent. Mince three cloves of garlic and add them in with the onions. Keep sauteing for about a minute more until you smell the rising garlic scent.
2. Add the minced chicken and cook by breaking up the meat lumps with a spatula. Keep cooking for about 10 minutes, until all the meat parts darken in color. Add the chipotle chile, chili powder, adobo sauce, and cumin. Add salt and pepper to your taste before removing the skillet from the stove.
3. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat on the stove. 
4. Grate the cheddar cheese. Place ¼ cup of cheese on the skillet, spreading about the size of the corn tortillas. Place a tortilla on top of the melting cheese. 
5. Scoop some of the chicken mixture onto half of the tortilla with a spoon and put two tablespoons of grated cheese next to it. The cheese under the tortilla will start to crisp in a few minutes. Fold the cheesy side of the taco over the side with the chicken mixture. Try to be as neat as possible, keeping the fillings inside.
6. Cook for about a minute or two before flipping the taco over. When both sides are hot, place the taco onto a serving plate and repeat the same with the next ones. The cheese on the outside will solidify into a savory, crispy, golden wrap as the tacos cool down.
7. Garnish the tacos with cilantro leaves, and serve the sauce in individual salsa bowls or ramekins.

Over and Out!

Despite its bad reputation in the fast food industry, ground chicken offers a lean, protein-packed alternative to red meats. Don’t let its modest taste and texture mislead you; minced chicken is an excellent base for the hardiest recipes. It just needs its friends, namely aromatics, seasoning, aromatic cooking oils, and sauces.