Make healthy air fryer chicken burgers that are bursting with flavor. All you need to do is add your favorite toppings and sauce to transform the patties into a delicious weeknight meal you can enjoy in 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
Say goodbye to bland burgers! These mouthwatering, air fryer chicken burgers are a healthy alternative to traditional beef burgers. Serve them on a toasted bun or inside romaine or butter lettuce, as I do for my ground beef lettuce wraps for a lighter option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: Use ground chicken thighs that are 80-90% lean, so you have more fat to flavor and keep the burgers together. You can use ground chicken breast if you prefer fewer calories.
- Garlic: I suggest using two fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Spices: Season the air fryer chicken burgers with kosher salt, dried parsley and oregano, garlic powder, and onion flakes.
- Egg: Use eggs to bind the ground turkey mixture together and add moisture to the patties.
- Mayonnaise: High-quality mayonnaise, like Duke’s or Hellman’s, deeply flavors the burgers; it’s the perfect complement to otherwise bland ground chicken.
- Liquid Smoke: We may not be grilling the burgers, but no one needs to know that. A few taps of liquid smoke give the burgers a subtle smoky flavor as though they are fresh off the grill.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
The cooking time for air fryer chicken burgers varies depending on the thickness and size of the burger patties and air fryer model you use. I cook these burgers in an Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer for 20 minutes at a lower temperature, about 320°F (160°C), for the best results; it is also a good idea to have a food thermometer handy to ensure the patties reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Additions and Substitutions
- Don’t be afraid of experimenting with different spice blends. Replace the seasoning in this recipe with Kinder’s burger blend, Montreal’s steak seasoning, Cavender’s Greek seasoning, or Cajun spices like my Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe.
- Include panko breadcrumbs (about ⅓ cup) in the ground chicken mixture if you prefer more of a crispy chicken sandwich texture.
How to Air Fry Chicken Burgers
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the ingredients for the chicken burgers in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a food scale to portion 3-5 ounces of ground turkey.
Step 4: Form the meat into a ball and set it onto the baking sheet; repeat with the remaining turkey. Use another baking sheet to press down the turkey to create patties.
Step 5: Make an impression in the center of each patty using your thumb. Air fry for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Expert Tips
- Use your hands or a stand mixer on a low setting to combine the ingredients, but do not over-mix, or it will cause the burgers to become dense and less juicy.
- Refrigerate the chicken mixture before forming and cooking the burgers. Chilling the mixture helps bind the ingredients and prevent the patties from falling apart as they cook.
- A lower cooking temperature and longer cooking time will keep the burgers from shrinking and puffing up. You can also use your thumb to press down in the center of each patty to keep this from happening.
- Chicken is lean and prone to drying out. For this reason, be sure you don’t overcook the patties. The best way to know when the burgers finish cooking is to use a food thermometer. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (73°C).
If you enjoy the meal, try one of these air fryer recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve air fryer chicken burgers with sweet potato fries, roasted potatoes, or Hasselback potatoes. And you can pair them with avocado, cucumber, tomato salad, or sumac cucumbers for a lighter meal option.
If you’re making burgers for a barbecue or cookout, create a spread with classic, vinegar coleslaw, southern potato salad, pasta salad, or egg salad with pickles.
Use ancho aioli, Sriracha mayo, chipotle lime sauce, or BBQ aioli as a creamy sandwich spread to elevate the flavor of the burgers.
Topping Ideas for Burgers:
- Lettuce, Tomatoes, Pickles, Jalapeños
- Onions, Sumac Onions, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
- Grilled Pineapple
- Avocado or Guacamole
- Cheese Slices, Fried Egg
- Bacon
- Homemade Coleslaw
What to do with the Leftovers
- Can I make this recipe in advance? You can combine ground chicken with the other ingredients and even form the patties 1-2 days before cooking them. Cooked patties keep for 3-4 days, making them excellent for meal prep.
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover patties in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap and store uncooked chicken burgers for nine months in the freezer, or you can wrap cooked air fryer chicken burgers in plastic wrap before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They will freeze for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the burgers in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: Warm leftover burgers in the air fryer at 360°F (182°C) for 5 minutes or in the microwave.
- Repurpose: My favorite way to use the leftover burgers is to chop the patties to make a cheeseburger salad with tomatoes, pickles, onions, and drizzled with a small amount of homemade Big Mac sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use chicken breast?
While many use ground chicken breast for its leanness and mild flavor, I like using ground chicken thighs to make burgers. The slightly higher fat content produces a juicier, more flavorful burger that is less likely to dry out.
More Burger Recipes:
Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
- Mixing Bowl
- 2 Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Food Scale
- Air Fryer
- Food Thermometer
- 1 pound ground chicken, 80-90%, dark meat
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano,
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion flakes
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
- 2 taps liquid smoke
- Combine the ingredients for the chicken burgers in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a food scale to portion 3-5 ounces of ground turkey.
- Form the meat into a ball and set it onto the baking sheet; repeat with the remaining turkey. Use another baking sheet to press down the turkey to create patties.
- Make an impression in the center of each patty using your thumb. Air fry for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
- Use your hands or a stand mixer on a low setting to combine the ingredients, but do not over-mix, or it will cause the burgers to become dense and less juicy.
- Refrigerate the chicken mixture before forming and cooking the burgers. Chilling the mixture helps bind the ingredients and prevent the patties from falling apart as they cook.
- A lower cooking temperature and longer cooking time will keep the burgers from shrinking and puffing up. You can also use your thumb to press down in the center of each patty to keep this from happening.
- Chicken is lean and prone to drying out. For this reason, be sure you don’t overcook the patties. The best way to know when the burgers finish cooking is to use a food thermometer. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (73°C).
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.