Chicken Patties
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When dinner needs to be on the table fast and you want leftovers that actually get eaten, these chicken patties are the answer. Made with simple ingredients in under 20 minutes, they’re a meal prep dream that the whole family will love.
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Why This Recipe is a Favorite
This chicken patty recipe has earned a permanent spot in my meal prep rotation. They come together in about 20 minutes, which is huge when you’re homeschooling and running a full household and somehow also supposed to make dinner.
The ingredients are basic pantry staples like ground chicken, garlic, lemon, olive oil – nothing fancy, so there’s no need for a special trip to the store.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I am always looking for egg-free breakfast ideas. I would have never thought of this! Thanks for the inspiration.
–Rylie
This is also one of those rare recipes that genuinely works for any meal. Serve them over rice with cucumbers and avocado for a fresh dinner bowl, pack a couple for lunch, or set them out as an appetizer next time you have people over.
My kids eat them on their own with the yogurt dipping sauce, which is a win in my house!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my most important, mom-tested cooking tips for making the chicken patties. I’ve made this countless times, so let me save you from a failed attempt!
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. It sounds like a small thing, but it’s where most of the lemon flavor lives. The zest is more potent than the juice, and it’s what makes these taste fresh instead of bland.
- Use a meat thermometer. Ground chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. A quick check takes the guesswork out and means you’ll never end up with an undercooked patty.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your skillet is on the smaller side, cook in two batches. Crowding drops the pan temperature and you’ll end up steaming them instead of searing them.
- Make them ahead. These reheat beautifully. Cook a full batch on Sunday and you have an easy protein ready to go all week.
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Ground turkey works as a 1:1 swap for the ground chicken if that’s what you have on hand.
For the dipping sauce, Greek yogurt gives it a lighter, tangier taste while mayo makes it a little richer and creamier, but both work great.
If you want to try a totally different sauce with this chicken patty recipe, my avocado mayo tastes fantastic with them!
Want another easy ground chicken recipe? My whole family (especially the kids!) really like my ground chicken meatballs Parmesan.
How to Make the Chicken Patties
This is only a summary of the steps. For the full instructions, see the recipe card! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Start with the dipping sauce so it has time to chill while you cook. Just stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne (if you’re using it), and pop it in the fridge.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Mix the chicken patty ingredients until everything is just combined. I like to use my hands to make sure everything is evenly mixed without overworking the meat, but a spoon will work just as well.
- Shape the mixture into 3-inch patties. You should get 8 to 10 from one pound of ground chicken. Try to make them as even as you can so they cook at the same rate, but they don’t have to be perfect.
Helpful Tip
The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and move fluidly around the pan. If you add them too early, they'll stick and fall apart, so give it a minute or two before you start cooking to be sure you get a good sear.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add them with a little space between each one. Let them cook undisturbed on the first side, then flip once. You'll know they're done when they're cooked through and golden on both sides.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm with the dipping sauce.
Serving Ideas
These chicken patties are great served over rice with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and avocado.
They're also delicious tucked into a pita or lettuce wrap with a drizzle of yogurt sauce or something zingy, like spicy hummus.
You can even set out on a platter of them as an appetizer, or serve them for breakfast with scrambled eggs and some fresh fruit.
Chicken Patty Recipe FAQs
Store cooled patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes per side, or in the air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through.
Yes! Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. They'll keep for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer or in a covered skillet.
Absolutely. It actually tastes better after it's had time to sit in the fridge! Make it up to 3 days ahead and store it in a covered container until you're ready to serve. You can also keep the leftovers for serving with other dishes like my air fryer sweet potato fries!
After you make it, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it went!
Chicken Patties
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Patties
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt or mayo
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne optional, for a spicy dip
Instructions
- Make the dip by adding all dip ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator you're ready to use it.¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoons salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- For the chicken patties, add all ingredients except the olive oil to a mixing bowl. Use your clean hands or a spoon to combine the ingredients together.1 lb ground chicken, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoons black pepper, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Form the chicken mixture into 3-inch patties (there should be enough chicken mixture to make 8-10 patties).
- Add the oil to a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat.
- When oil begins to shimmer, carefully add chicken patties to the hot oil, leaving a little space between each. *Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the patties in batches.
- Fry for 4 minutes on the first side, then use a spatula to flip each patty over. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, or until patties cook through and reach an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Use the spatula to carefully transfer them from the pan to a serving platter. *If they seem greasy, you can drain them on paper towels first.
- Drizzle with dip (if desired) and serve while warm.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for 2 patties plus 2 tablespoons of dipping sauce.
- Store leftover patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, let them cool completely and freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
2026 Update: This recipe is still a favorite of ours! It's been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and include extra cooking tips. We hope you love it as much as we do!
I am always looking for egg-free breakfast ideas. I would have never thought of this! Thanks for the inspiration.
You’re so welcome! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂