My Chicken Patty Recipe Is Not Just Another Burger

So many of you have asked me if you can make my chicken fritters with ground chicken. I had to find out! These chicken patties use very similar ingredients (with a few tweaks), but they actually turn out completely different due to the ground chicken. The method is also different with a whole new set of tips. Here’s what’s great about it in its own way:

Flavorful and super juicy – These chicken patties don’t have the gooey texture or cheese pulls of my chicken fritters, but they make up for it by being super juicy — juicier than any chicken burger I’ve ever had. And unlike burgers, they taste more cheesy, garlicky, and a little herby, and have the best crispy outside.
Simple, clean ingredients – Most chicken patty recipes have wheat flour or breadcrumbs, but mine are bound by lighter (cleaner, tastier!) almond flour and two kinds of cheese. And they’re gluten free.
Great for meal prep – These are quick to make, reheat well, and work for lunch, dinner, or even a protein-packed snack. My kids love them, too!

So, I decided that this chicken patty recipe deserves its own post. It’s not quite a fritter, it’s not quite a burger, it’s something in between – and it’s absolutely delicious. Make it with me, and make the fritters too, so you can let me know which you like better!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken patties recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Ground Chicken – I use and recommend 93% lean ground chicken. I tried 99% fat free because I knew one of you would ask, and it was okay but noticeably more dry.
Cheeses – Mozzarella makes them melty, grated parmesan makes them crispy, and both help with binding. You can swap the mozz with Cheddar or Gruyere if you want a bolder flavor.
Almond Flour – I highly recommend my Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour here, because it has a finer texture than most brands — most are too course. Other flours might work but can change the texture, so I can’t guarantee good results with others.
Eggs – To hold everything together. Flax eggs should work fine as a substitute.
Seasonings – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Feel free to add any other spices you like, or swap the tablespoon of dried herbs with 3 tablespoons of fresh herbs.
Olive Oil – For frying the chicken patties, plus a little mixed in. Avocado oil works, too.

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Labeled recipe ingredients: Ground chicken, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, almond flour, eggs, olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

How To Make Chicken Patties

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Mix the base. In a large bowl, stir together the cheeses, almond flour, eggs, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Add ground chicken. Mix it in until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.

Base of recipe mixed together in a bowl.

Ground chicken folded into the other ingredients in the bowl.

Form the chicken patties. Divide the chicken mixture into 16 small patties, about 3/8 inch thick.
Cook. Heat some of the oil in a nonstick skillet until it’s hot and shimmering. Add the patties in a single layer — I find it helps to flip each onto the pan from a piece of parchment paper. Cook on both sides until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining patties, adding more oil if you need to, and rest a few minutes before serving.

Chicken mixture made into patties on squares of parchment paper on a cutting board.

Finished chicken patties recipe dunked in marinara sauce.

My Recipe Tips

Fry the patties while the meat is still cold. They stay together better that way. If it’s too warm or you find the patties are falling apart, you can chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
My parchment paper trick makes these easy to transfer to the skillet. I form the patties right on parchment, then cut it into squares so I can flip each one onto the pan and peel the paper off. If you’d rather skip that, just refrigerate the patties for 30–60 minutes to help them firm up before cooking.
A nonstick skillet works best. I love cast iron, but these stick pretty easily (due to the cheese in them), so I find nonstick works best for this chicken patty recipe. I use this skillet and can cook the patties in 2 batches. If yours is smaller, you may need more batches – add an extra tablespoon of oil for each batch as needed.
Coat the pan generously in oil. 2 tablespoons is usually perfect for the first batch in my 12-inch skillet. I don’t usually need to add much for the following batches, but add as much as you need to keep it well-oiled. Otherwise, the chicken patties can stick.
Make sure your pan and the oil are hot before adding the patties. Again, they will stick if you don’t preheat well enough.
Cook time will depend on thickness, your pan, and your stove. It usually takes 3-4 minutes per side when I form them 3/8 inch thick, but even just a little thicker adds minutes. This is totally fine, just make sure they’re cooked through. Which brings me to my next tip…
For the juiciest chicken patties, cook them to an internal temperature of 163 degrees F. The safe temp is 165 degrees F, but the internal temp will rise a few degrees as they rest. I use this instant-read thermometer to check.
This recipe makes small patties, not large ones. They start out about 2.5 inches across and shrink to 2 inches during cooking. If you want larger patties to eat like a burger, divide the same mixture into 8 patties instead of 16. They’ll take a few minutes longer to cook.
Want to cook this recipe faster? Use 2 skillets. The tradeoff is more dishes to wash, but let’s be real, sometimes (often 😉) I need this when my family is impatiently waiting for dinner.
If your chicken patties come out a little oily, drain them on paper towels. I only need to do this if I accidentally have too much oil in the pan.
Can you air fry them? Yep, it’s similar to air frying turkey burgers! Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F and air fry chicken patties for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway.
These are really good smashed, too! You can form the chicken mixture into balls instead of patties, then smash when cooking, exactly like my smash burger recipe.

Chicken Patties

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Make Ahead Options

These chicken patties work well to prep ahead in many different ways! I’ve done it in these ways and they wall work well:

Cook and store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. To reheat, you can use a skillet over medium-low heat, the oven at 350 degrees F, or the air fryer. They crisp back up nicely!
Meal prep: Mix the ingredients and form the patties, then keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking. I usually do this on a tray and cover in plastic wrap.
Freeze before cooking: Form the patties, stack them with layers of parchment paper in between, and freeze for up to 3 months. I do recommend thawing them before cooking.
Freeze after cooking: You can freeze already fried chicken patties for the same amount of time. Again, thawing before heating works best, but you can reheat from frozen if the heat is low enough to not burn them.

Crispy chicken patty split open to show the juicy inside.

Serving Ideas

Once your chicken patties are cooked and resting, all that’s left is to pick a side:

Dipping Sauce – I love these as a snack or appetizer dunked in marinara, but ranch, aioli, or even tzatziki are great, too.
Sandwiches – Like I mentioned in my tips above, you could totally make these into a chicken patty sandwich or slider if you double the size. Add ketchup and/or mayo, lettuce, and tomato, and pile it all on your favorite bun (or lettuce wrap).
Sides – You could also pair these like you would a chicken breast, with a side of roasted broccoli or sautéed green beans. For something heartier, try my simple air fryer potatoes or garlic parmesan fries.
Salad – Sometimes I serve these right over my spring salad or Caesar salad, or just whip up my cucumber tomato salad on the side.

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88 Comments

Susan Gandara
0 May 3, 2025Reply

Can I bake these instead of frying them? Thank you
- Ashley
  0 May 13, 2025Reply
  
  How long should you bake them for?
  - Violet
    0 Sep 13, 2025Reply
    
    Hi I used ground turkey because I prefer it to chicken. I love the fact it has lots of cheese love it. Also I baked mine as I can’t have to much fat turned out ok, I enjoyed them anyway. Thanks!
    - Wholesome Yum D
      0 Sep 19, 2025Reply
      
      Violet, I love that you tried it with ground turkey! Great call on baking, too. I’m so happy you enjoyed them. 🙂
  - Maya | Wholesome Yum
    0 May 20, 2025Reply
    
    I don’t have a specific time as I think they are much better with a crispy/golden outside of frying them, or at least air frying (I have timing for the air fryer in my tips above). If you want to bake them, you’d have to check on them. I’d start checking after 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 May 3, 2025Reply
  
  Hi Susan, Yes, you can, they just won’t have a crispy outside.