Cheddar Ranch Chicken Burger
These chicken burgers are crazy popular! They exploded on my social media the day I shared it more than 6 years ago and it is still so popular.
Wanna know a secret? Ground chicken burgers are much more flavorful and juicy than beef burgers! Plain beef burger patties can be dry and typically need an addition of veggies and sauces for added moisture. Chicken burger patties, on the other hand, are very juicy all by themselves.
These are certainly not your ordinary burgers, and I think that’s a good thing. There’s so much flavor in these burger patties from the ranch seasoning and cheddar cheese! Ranch goes so well with both cheddar and chicken, and when I add some crispy bacon and homemade ranch dressing, the burgers are just out of this world!
While these cheddar ranch chicken burgers make a seriously satisfying weeknight dinner with the family, they also double as a great backyard barbecue recipe! And if you don’t have a grill, no worries – you can easily make these chicken burgers on your stove top as well. More info on that below!
Make It Gluten-free
Make sure you check the ground chicken that it’s gluten-free. Some brands add vinegar to their ground chicken so make sure the packaging states that the meat is gluten free. Many vinegars are not gluten free. You can ask your butcher if they are able to grind chicken to order or get a brand that does not have added ingredients.
When mixing the burgers, use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Depending on the brand of breadcrumbs, you may need to add a couple extra tablespoons. Judge if you need to add more or not after the ground chicken mixture is mixed.
Make sure the ranch seasoning mix you’re using is also gluten free.
Alternate Option to Grill Chicken Burgers
- Spray them. Make sure to spray the burger patties with oil on both sides before adding them to the grilling basket.
- Prepare the grill. Set the coals the far away from the grill grate so the burgers don’t cook too fast on the outside.
- Grill the patties. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the patties.
- PRO TIP: Raw chicken burger patties are quite soft, so I recommend using a vegetable grilling basket with a finer grate to cook the burgers on the grill.
How to Freeze Chicken Burgers
- To freeze raw chicken burgers, mix the ingredients together and shape the burger patties. Place the patties on a rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 2 hours.
- Once frozen, stack patties in twos with sheets of parchment paper in between and place them inside a freezer bag. You can freeze all burgers at the same time or portion them into several smaller freezer bags. Get the air out of the bags, seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw the burgers, place the frozen patties on a plate, cover it, and slow-thaw it in the refrigerator. Or, you can pull the portioned bag out of the freezer and lay it in a place in the refrigerator.
If you’ve made my Cheddar Ranch Chicken Burger recipe and found a lot of good information here, PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter!
Cheddar Ranch Chicken Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Burger Patties
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 oz ranch seasoning mix
- 3 garlic cloves smashed and minced
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
To Make Chicken Burger Patties:
- Combine all ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix until evenly incorporated throughout.
- Cover a baking sheet or a large cutting board with parchment paper and shape the burger patties. You want to shape all the patties before starting to cook so that the burgers cook at the same time.
- Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook burgers for 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the burgers.
To Make Burgers:
- To make the burgers, you will need buns, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and ranch dressing. You can also add any other veggies you would like.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free Notes: Make sure to get ground chicken that’s gluten-free. Some brands add vinegar to their ground chicken so make sure the packaging states that the meat is gluten free. There are vinegars that are not gluten free. You can ask your butcher if they are able to grind chicken to order or get a brand that does not have added ingredients.
When mixing the burgers, use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Depending on the brand of breadcrumbs, you may need to add a couple extra tablespoons. Judge if you need to add more or not after the ground chicken mixture is mixed.
Make sure the ranch seasoning mix you’re using is also gluten free. - Storing: store cooked chicken burgers in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator. Properly stored, they will last 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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30 Minute Meals, Burger Recipes, Chicken Dinner Recipes, Lunch Recipe Ideas, Sandwich Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
These are juicy and easy to make. Reheat them the next day and they’re still great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Love hearing that they’re still delicious the next day too, thank you for sharing that tip!
We enjoy the tasty flavor and always moist.
I am so glad you like them, Rick!
Looking forward to lunch this weekend. Thanks Billie
I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Tried this for the first time, OMG they’re delicious! I used Colby Jack instead of cheddar because I didn’t have cheddar lol. I also used my air fryer, 370 for 18ish minutes. Even my extremely picky 10 year old loved it. This will definitely be a new staple in my house! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m so glad you loved the Cheddar Ranch Burgers and that even your picky eater gave them a thumbs up—that’s the ultimate compliment! 😊 Thanks again for your kind words!
Love this recipe! So simple to make and very tasty and it is now on our weekly rotation! Even my picky husband loves it!
Total fail! Followed the recipe exactly. Oiled my non stick electric griddle and then it all went down hill! They stuck to the griddle anyway and fell apart . The flavor was good. I had made cilantro lime rice as well. So just scooped the crumbles on top, added cheese and salsa. Wasn’t bad!
For next time, you might try chilling the patties in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. It helps them hold together better. Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your experience.
Amazing! This is my now my go to burger.
Would these be able to be cooked in the air fryer?
Hi Brandee, I have not tried them in the air fryer so I can not say if that is a good option.
I cooked mine in the air fryer on 370 for 10-15 minutes. They turned out really well.
That sounds like a great idea! I’m glad they turned out well for you. The air fryer is such a convenient way to cook them. Thanks for sharing your tip – I’m sure other readers will love to try it out!
These Burgers are delish! Great flavor and if you like a little heat drizzle with Buffalo sauce. Yummy! Healthier alternative to a beef burger. Many thanks for sharing the recipe!
I am so glad you like them, Rosie!
If I only have 1 pound of ground chicken, how much do I need to adjust the other ingredients?
Delicious. I was very impressed with the flavor. Made this a few weeks ago and today I’m adapting it to make ranch chicken cheddar meatloaf. Thank you for posting this recipe.
I am so glad you liked the recipe, Karen!
These looks so good! Do you think I can prepare the patties the night before making them? Thanks!
Yes, it will be fine to make them the night before, you can even freeze them for later if you want. If you scroll up I go over the freezing instructions.
Instead of cooking them on the stove can you just bbq them?
Trying these tonight for first time. Super excited .
I hope you loved them!
These look so delicious 😋!! I gotta give them a try! Adding them 2 Monday night menu!! I’m making Meatballs subs for lunch 2mar.
They are a favorite in my house as well as the meatballs subs! I hope you enjoy them both! 🙂
I have only done these twice,however, they are simple but with a giant flavor. They are healthy and have become a favorite of mine. Thank you for this fabulous burger recipe.
Thank you, Dana! I am so glad you liked the recipe!
Love! Have made these twice & both times were delicious! I added a couple spoonfuls of pickled jalapeños (diced) to the mix cause I like things spicy. It definitely helped balance out the saltiness 🙂
That is a good idea! I will have to give that a try, thanks for sharing!
This turned out really squishy for me – not the firm texture I want from a burger. What did I do wrong?
Hi Barbara,
I like to use a smaller grate on top of my grill grates, I use one of the vegetable ones.
Delicious!!!
Thanks, Kimberly!
I’m making these tonight can’t wait! They look amazing. I will use low fat cheese as well to cut the fat we also will eat it w a side salad. I’ll be back to let you know how they come out. So excited.
I hope you like it, Michelle!
Sooo good. We have probably made them 5x. Kids love them, too!
I am so happy to hear that!
Very tasty!! My husband likes them bunless, I think I would prefer with a bun. I only bought 1 pound of chicken so I 1/2 the recipe. Great dinner option.
So glad you liked it!
These were so yummy!! I couldn’t find ground chicken so I used turkey and they turned out fantastic!! So flavorful and juicy!! I will definitely be sharing this recipe with everyone!!
Thank you, Cindy! I am so glad you liked it!
We have been making these for a few years.. absolutely delicious. We do not use breadcrumbs or egg- just ground chicken, ranch dressing, shredded cheddar cheese- on the grill and served on a brioche bun- my family’s favorite and like you said …we like chicken burgers over beef burgers.
I am happy you like it, Robin!
These were delicious. I’m a diabetic looking for delicious healthy recipes and this is one for the books. Is there anyway you could post the nutrition facts?
This is a great recipe I just got on and found it! I am on a very low sodium diet so I would skip the ranch dressing and add more garlic and good spices to it! Thank you for the recipe!!!
Thanks, Glad you liked it!
I’m going to try adding sautéed onion & bacon in the mixture. Wondered if anyone has tried this.
I have not, but I think it would be delicious!
They were awesome
Have you tried them on the grill? I’m making burgers tomorrow and saw this recipe and it sounds delicious
I have and they are really good on the grill! I hope you enjoy them!
Did you put them on anything? Or just straight on the grill rack? Making these tonight on the grill
I make them straight on the grill! Hope you enjoyed them!
I would like to cook them on the grill too. Can you tell me how long do you cook them on each side? Thanks!
Hi, you will cook them for about 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the patties. But since it’s chicken, I recommend checking with a meat thermometer that they are cooked through. I go over tips for grilling them above in the post.
A George Foreman grill or similar counter top grill works very well for this recipe too. Very tasty!
Good to know! I am glad you liked it! 🙂
Hi! Excited to try these tonight. Can you tell me what you cooked them in on the video? It looks like a small electric cooker. I am looking to buy one so I would love recommendations!
This was a hit for my whole family. My parents, my husband, and my kiddos loved them. My dad was disappointed there weren’t leftovers the next day.
Could you make these into a loaf instead?
I made this tonight and it was delicious! My fiancé and our 11 month old absolutely loved it. I already can’t wait to make it again! Thank you!!
I am so glad you liked them, Lindsay!
Can these be made keto?
You can leave out the bread crumbs, they just might not stay together as well as with bread crumbs.
Hi! Do you think I could freeze these AFTER I cooked them? I loved them tonight but made too many for me to eat in a week. Next time I’ll be prepared to freeze the extras before I cook! Thanks!
Hi Kate,
Yes you can freeze after by putting them on a baking sheet and placing them in the freezer for 4 hours then take them out and storing them in a freezer bag or use parchment paper between the patties and place them in a freezer bag.
Great big smile. I had to halve the recipe, but still makes 5-6 on small/ regular sized buns. Really tasty. Used avocado guacamole on the bun. big YUM. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Sandra,
Your are so welcome! I am so glad you liked it!
Can I use Kirkland canned chicken instead of ground chicken?
No, it won’t stay together like ground chicken does.
Is this nutrition for 1 burger with or without bun?
Hi Lisa,
Yes, the calories are without the bun.
Looks scrumptious! What could I serve this with?
Hi Jennifer,
I like a couple of slices of avocado with my burger but for a side dish, I do a lot of different things! I like either mac and cheese, potato salad, macaroni salad, a vegetable… it really depends on my mood! You should look at my side dishes and pick what looks good to you! Here is the link to them https://gesundheitsreport2.org/category/side-dishes/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
These look so good! Do you think I could use Old Fashion Oats vs the bread crumbs?
I would mix the egg with the oats First, so they get soft, then add the rest of the ingredients. Fingers crossed!
I hope you liked it!
Do you think I could bake them in the oven and if so how long? I’m cooking for a bunch of hungry guest, lol Thanks, Karen
I made these tonight and they were delicious!
Awesome! I am so glad you liked them!
Hello, has anyone put these in the air fryer? If so, how long and what temp? Thanks!
Hi Lindsey,
I am sorry I don’t have an air fryer so I can’t say for sure but I did a google search and it looks like you can place as many burgers that will fit in the air fryer, close it, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes. I would definitely use a food thermometer to make sure they are cooked through.
I made this but instead the only different thing I did was I put in the spicy ranch seasoning but it was by accident and it was really good my family really liked it. We will be making this again.
I would think the spicy one would be yummy as well, I am glad you and your family will still like it.
Can I use something other than the ranch that has less sodium/salt in it
Hi Ray,
You can omit the ranch but it won’t have the ranch flavor or you can make your own ranch seasoning and add as much or little salt as you’d like which would probably be best.
I am late to the air fryer game and not familiar with it so I can’t advise you since I haven’t tried cooking raw meat in the air fryer. If you do try it I would suggest using a meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked through. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Hi there! Do you think these could be made in the Air Fryer? Can’t wait to try them!
These are AMAZING. The whole family loved them. Also very low WW points!
Awesome! I am so glad you liked it!
These burgers so delicious! This recipe is a go-to recipe for my family. Thank you!
Thank you, Brittany! I am so glad you liked them!
I have ground turkey, will this work instead of chicken?
Hi Renee,
You can use ground turkey but it will have a very different texture. Also after mixing the ingredients together you may have to add one or two more tbsp of bread crumbs to it. I hope that helps! Please let me know how they turn out!
I make these and love them. Also make them using Italian dressing mix which are good too.
Hi Jane,
Glad you liked them and that sounds good! Thanks for sharing!
If I don’t have the dry ranch mix pack, can I use ranch dressing?
Sorry, your comment got put in my spam. I wouldn’t use ranch dressing since it’s would add of liquid. You could make your own ranch with 2tbsp of parsley, 1 tbsp of dill weed, a tsp of both onion powder and garlic powder, and one tsp salt and pepper to taste.
I’ve made these multiple times and I absolutely love them, I use seasoned Pablo with mine.
Glad you liked them! 🙂
First time making chicken burgers and I’m sold! Great recipe. Thank you!
Thanks, Kelli!
Made these burgers tonight for dinner. And my family love them! The garlic and the onion added just the right amount of flavor, not overpowering. I used Italian bread crumbs by accident and that made them even more flavorful. Will definitely add these to my dinner recipe rotation l.
Hi, Melinda! I am so glad you liked them! 🙂
How do you know when it’s done? I have never used ground chicken before.
Hi, Kathy! You can check the middle of the burgers with a meat thermometer it needs to be at 165 degrees. Hope you like them!
Trying these tonight! Can’t wait!
Wondering..can they be cooked on the BBQ as well?
Hi, Julie! Sorry I missed your comment till now. You can cook these on the BBQ grill, that would be very tasty!
I made these tonight and they were absolutely delicious! Plus my teenage boys loved them! Will definitely make again.
Hi, Sanay! I am so happy everyone liked them! 🙂
To spice up these chicken burgers even more add a can of RO-TEL 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles. They come in hot, medium and original. Drain juices and add them to your mixture. Fold them in genttley . Cook the same.. I use plain Panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup.
Hi, Don! That sounds good 🙂
My mouth is watering, can’t wait to get ground chicken to make these. I was making tuna burgers before it was popular or heard of. Still enjoy them.
Thanks, PattyJune! Let me know how you like them!
Can they be baked in the oven instead? If so, how long at what temp would you reccomend?
Hi, Mogan! Yes, you could bake these in the oven but I don’t think they will taste as good because they wont have the sear on them from the pan that gives them a lot of flavor. But you can back them on a rimmed baking sheet, at 400 degrees, for about 18-20 minutes. Exact time will depend on the size and thickness of the patties.
I love making burgers with chicken, and these look delicious! Can’t wait to try.
Thanks, Sara! Hope you like them!
Awe thank you so much, G Brian! That made my day!
I haven’t made these recipes yet, but I’d just like to thank you for your recipes & how well they are written out & the pictures that accompany them. You’re a great cook & deserve to know this. Thank you very much. Hope you’re enjoying this very hot summer. Cheers