These Masala Chicken Burgers are packed with classic Indian spices to create an insanely flavorful (and leaner) homemade patty cooked on the Stove, Grill, Oven or Air Fryer.
fry sauce / sriracha mayo / cilantro chutney / mint chutneyfor spreading on the buns
lettuce(butter lettuce or romaine goes well here)
grilled onions(see 'how-to' instructions below)
tomato slices
Instructions
Mix All Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, olive oil and all the other ingredients. Using a fork or spatula, mix everything really well.
Do a Taste Test
Add about a teaspoon measure of the chicken patty mix to a bowl or a plate and microwave on high for 12-15 seconds, or until the mix cooks through. Check for taste and make adjustments accordingly.
Make Patties (Touch-less Patties)
Using a large spoon, roughly score the ground chicken mix in the bowl into 4 portions.
Line a baking sheet or board with individual patty sized parchment squares (see notes). Fill a bowl with tap water. Using the spoon, scoop out one portion and place it on the parchment liner. Dip the spoon in water and start shaping the patty, smoothing it into a round even-sized patty.If grilling it outdoors, gently press down the spoon in the middle, creating a small impression. This prevents the patty from puffing up in the middle. Skip this step if cooking in a skillet or oven.
Continue the same process with the remaining patties. Once ready, stack them together using a parchment liner to separate them. At this point, you can freeze any excess patties in a large ziplock bag. For cooking, use one of the following methods:
Cook Chicken Burger Patties on Stove
Heat a wide non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Wait for it to get hot, about 2-3 minutes, then add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken patties about 1 inch apart. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until cooked though. If using a meat thermometer, the center of the patty should record a temperature of 165°F or higher. Remove and keep aside.
Chicken Burger Patties on the Grill
Heat a grill on medium-high heat (or 375°F). Place a large piece of aluminum foil and grease it with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Place the chicken patties on the greased foil. The foil ensures even cooking of the chicken patty and prevents is from burning. Cook for 6-7 minutes on the first side, flip and cook another 6-7 minutes, or until it cooks through.
Oven Broiled Chicken Burger
Place the patties on a lightly greased aluminum lined baking sheet. Arrange the top rack so there is a 3-inch clearance from the broiler plates. Place the sheet on the top shelf and broil for 8 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side.
Air-Fryer Chicken Burgers
Grease the fryer basket with cooking spray or brush it with olive oil. Place 2 patties at a time. Slide the basket back in position and cook on 360°F for 8 minutes. Remove the basket, flip the burger patties and put it back in for another 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through.
Grilling Onions
Peel and cut a large onion into ¼ inch slices. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion rings and sprinkle a pinch of salt. This helps them caramelize faster. Flip onion rings after a minute and cook for another minute on the other side. The same process can be followed on the grill or airfryer. Remove the grilled onions and keep aside for later.
Assemble Burgers
Spread some butter or olive oil on your burger buns and lightly toast them in a skillet, air fryer or grill. Spread a generous layer of sriracha mayo, or your preferred condiment, on the top and bottom bun. Layer in the following order to preserve maximum crispness of ingredients - lettuce, burger patty, grilled onions, tomato slices and finally the top bun. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Ground turkey (white or dark) is a wonderful substitute. Just like chicken, turkey is another lean ground meat that plays particularly well with the masala spices. Turkey is poultry, so cook it just as you would the chicken, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Use spinach for extra volume and nutrition. The spinach is optional, but it adds a generous amount of volume and nutritional value. It also gives me an excuse not to have to make a salad. :)
If Chaat masala is unavailable, a teaspoon of lime juice is the closest substitute.
Do a taste test- this is the only time you can adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Cut a sheet of parchment paper into 8 squares. This makes the touchless patty technique much easier. Plus, it creates a seamless approach to storing and freezing the patties.
Create a divet for grilled burgers. The ground meat has a tendency to puff in the center when grilled at such a high heat, which can lead to uneven cooking. A quick trick to prevent this - use the spoon and create a shallow impression in the center of the burger patties before grilling.
Use a sheet of aluminum foil on an outdoor grill. The foil ensures the chicken burgers cook evenly. Just make sure to lightly grease it with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking.
If making the grilled onions, add a pinch of salt at the beginning. This helps the onions release their juices and caramelize faster.
Bun, sauce, lettuce, burger patty, grilled onions, tomato slice, sauce, bun. This is the proper order to ensure maximum crispness!
Double the recipe and freeze. This recipe can easily be doubled for easy meal prep. Simply score the mix into eight portions rather than four and prepare 16 parchment liners. Once the burgers are shaped on the parchment liners, stack them together with another parchment liner and place them in two plastic freezer storage bags. Seal tight, label, date and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates and include whole wheat burger buns, but no condiments or toppings. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.