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chicken smash burger
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5 from 1 vote

Ground Chicken Smash Burgers with Pepper Jack Cheese

These chicken smash burgers are packed with flavor from adding peppers, onions, cilantro, and some simple condiments to the ground meat. Cook these ground chicken burgers on the griddle when you're looking for a break from the beef!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Cuisine: Entrees
Keyword: chicken smash burgers, chicken smashburger, ground chicken burger, ground chicken smash burger recipe
Servings: 2 burgers
Calories: 1234kcal
Author: Neal

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 3 tablespoons white onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons poblano pepper diced
  • 1 pound ground chicken 92% lean or dark meat preferred
  • 2 tablespoons panko
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon spicy mustard or substitute dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • your favorite seasoning like a garlic pepper or citrus seasoning
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese
  • 2 hamburger buns
  • burger toppings like sliced avocado, tomato, pickle, mayo, etc

Instructions

  • Preheat griddle on low.
  • Add bacon to the preheated griddle and cook until done. Once cooked to your liking, remove from the griddle and allow to drain.
  • While the bacon is cooking, saute white onion and poblano pepper in a bit of your favorite cooking oil. You can also scrape the bacon grease on the griddle towards the vegetables for extra flavor. When vegetables are done cooking, remove from the griddle.
  • In a large bowl, add ground chicken, sautéed onion and pepper, panko, cilantro, Worcestershire, garlic, mustard, and mayonnaise. Use your hands to mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  • Separate ground chicken mixture into 4 balls. For smaller patties, separate mixture into 6 balls. Use hands to shape meat into balls, just like you would for smash burgers.
  • Place burger balls on the griddle, making sure to space them far enough apart to be able to smash the meat and flip it.
  • Place a large square of parchment paper on top of the first burger ball, then use a press to evenly smash the burger meat down. The chicken smash burgers should be slightly thicker than a regular beef smash burger. Repeat until all chicken burgers are smashed. Sprinkle the top of the burger patties with your favorite seasoning.
  • Allow the burgers to cook on the first side untouched until meat is about 75% cooked through. Then flip to the second side. Be sure to use your spatula to get under the burger crust as you're flipping, so that the crust stays on the patty.
  • Allow the burgers to cook on the second side for 1-2 minutes before adding one slice of cheese to each burger. Continue to cook burgers until the internal temperature of each patty reaches 165 degrees.
  • When the chicken burgers are almost done cooking, dab the cut side of your hamburger buns in the leftover grease and toast on the griddle until done to your liking.
  • When buns are toasted and chicken smash burgers are cooked through, remove them from the griddle and build your burgers. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Be sure to cook chicken burgers until the internal temperature of each patty is 165 degrees.
  • Top with your favorite burger toppings, or try avocado slices and ranch dressing for a fun twist.
  • Substitute the poblano pepper for fresh diced jalapeno pepper for extra spice.