These Juicy Gluten-Free Chicken Patties are a easy to make and packed with flavor.
Ground chicken, seasonings and some special ingredients ensure they’re juicy, savory and great for pan-frying or grilling.
Plus they’re naturally low carb, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Why this recipe works
Ground beef is the typical choice for patties and burgers, but sometimes you want something different.
Whether you’re avoiding red meat or you just need a way to use up a pound of ground chicken in your fridge, chicken patties are a great alternative.
However, ground chicken can be a bit dry when cooked. And its texture is different than ground beef, often making it difficult to form patties that hold together.
Furthermore, most recipes use breadcrumbs as a binder, but I wanted to find a way to make chicken patties without breadcrumbs.
So I came up with a few tricks to make sure they work every time.
First, we need to make sure these gluten-free chicken burgers don’t dry out. So I add mayonnaise, which adds a rich creaminess that traps in moisture.
Next, we need to make sure they hold together. So I offer two options, both of which work great: blanched almond flour or nutritional yeast (no breadcrumbs here!). The almond flour flavor disappears when you cook the patties. The nutritional yeast adds a cheesy, umami flavor but it’s subtle.
Whichever you choose, they both blend with the chicken and mayo to form patties that hold together.
You’ll see below that I like to use pancake/egg molds to form my burgers, but they’re not necessary! I just like using them to make perfectly round patties. But even without them, the patties will turn out great.
Finally, we need to make sure they taste good. So I add Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder, plus salt and pepper, for a zesty, savory flavor. But see the FAQ below for many more options.
If you’ve never tried one, you might be hesitant to swap in a gluten-free chicken patty for your regular burger. But once you’ve tried these, you’ll want to add them to your regular dinner rotation.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal) OR 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (use an avocado-oil based mayo for Paleo/Whole30)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- for serving:
- hamburger buns (I like Udi’s gluten-free burger buns for a gluten-free option)
- lettuce cups (for a low carb/keto/Paleo/Whole30 option)
- ketchup (I like Primal Kitchen ketchup for a Paleo/Whole30 option)
- mustard
- pickles
- thinly sliced raw red onion
Equipment:
- a medium mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping; optional)
- a spatula (the kind for flipping)
- a large skillet or grill pan
- pancake/egg rings (optional)
- a heat-proof brush, if using a grill pan
- an instant read thermometer, optional
- a plate or platter, for serving
How to make Gluten-Free Chicken Patties
Step 1
In a medium bowl, add the ground chicken, almond flour or nutritional yeast, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Use your hands or a spatula to mix the ingredients until evenly blended (fair warning if you use your hands: the mixture will be sticky).
Step 2
Use your hand or spatula to divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. If using pancake/egg rings, put them on a plate, add one portion to each mold and pat the mixture into place.
If not using rings, you can just add the portions directly to the skillet or grill pan from the bowl.
Step 3
Heat the oil in the skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Use a heat-proof brush to brush the oil over the grill pan, if using. Add the patties (keeping them in the rings while they cook, if using) and cook without moving them for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.
Step 4
Remove the rings, if using, and flip the patties. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, until golden brown on the second side and an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle of a patty (without touching the pan) registers 165°. Transfer from the skillet/grill pan to a plate or platter, let them rest for 5 minutes, and serve with all your favorite burger fix-ins.
FAQ
You can use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
You can swap out the seasonings and use whatever you want. Some other good options are ground cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, curry powder or fennel seeds.
You can also add fresh or dried herbs, such as parsley, basil, mint, tarragon, thyme, rosemary or cilantro.
You can form the patties and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes so they won’t be fridge-cold when you cook them. Make sure you cook them thoroughly, or until an instant read thermometer registers 165° when inserted into the middle of a patty.
Cooked patties can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven, in the microwave or in a skillet with a just a touch of oil over low heat.
Yep. Once cooked, let the patties cool to room temperature. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once the patties are frozen (about 1-2 hours), transfer them to an airtight container or baggier and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a low oven, in the microwave or in a skillet with a just a touch of oil over low heat.
Yes. Each patty has 2g of carbs and 1g of fiber, so they have 1g of net carbs, making them suitable for a keto lifestyle.
Yep. The recipe as written is Paleo friendly. Check labels on any ingredients to make sure and serve them on lettuce cups.
Yep. The recipe as written is Whole30 compatible. Check labels on any ingredients to make sure and serve them on lettuce cups.
Other recipes you might like:
- Ground Chicken Tacos (gluten-free, keto, Paleo, Whole30)
- Italian Turkey Burgers (gluten-free, keto, Paleo, Whole30)
- Gluten-Free Salmon Cakes (keto, Paleo, Whole30)
- Paleo Breakfast Sausage Patties (gluten-free, keto, Whole30)
Juicy Gluten-Free Chicken Patties
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal) OR 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise see notes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- for serving: burger buns (gluten-free, if necessary); lettuce cups; ketchup; mustard; pickles; thinly sliced raw red onion
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the ground chicken, almond flour or nutritional yeast, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Use your hands or a spatula to mix the ingredients until evenly blended (fair warning if you use your hands: the mixture will be sticky).
- Use your hand or spatula to divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. If using pancake/egg molds, put them on a plate, add one portion to each mold and pat the mixture into place.If not using molds, you can just add the portions directly to the skillet or grill pan from the bowl.
- Remove the molds, if using, and flip the patties. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, until golden brown on the second side and an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle of a patty (without touching the pan) registers 165°. Transfer from the skillet/grill pan to a plate or platter, let them rest for 5 minutes, and serve with all your favorite burger fix-ins.
Notes
- 261 calories
- 3g carbs
- 22g protein
- 18g fat
- 4g saturated fat
- 3g polyunsaturated fat
- 11g monounsaturated fat
- 105mg cholesterol
- 1g fiber
- 17mg calcium
- 1mg iron
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