Air Fryer Mini Chicken Burgers
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Crispy perfection meets juicy, fresh flavor with these mini Air Fryer Chicken Burgers! Quick, easy, freezer-friendly and irresistibly tasty, these air-fried chicken burgers are a must-try for any busy family.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Similar to Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, our mini chicken burgers are a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional beef burgers.
- Using an air fryer to cook chicken burgers allows for a crispy exterior and juicy interior.
- Chicken burgers are freezer-friendly. You can save time and money by doubling the recipe and freezing a batch for later.
- They can be cooked straight from frozen! Another great reason to double and freeze a batch.
- You can also cook them on the stovetop. Just use this Mini Chicken Burger recipe.
You might also enjoy our Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs or Air Fryer Italian Chicken Thighs!
Ingredients
Gather these few healthy ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand.
Ingredient Notes:
- Fresh parsley – Flat or curly leaf will work fine. I’ve also tested these with fresh basil and thyme and it’s delicious, too.
- Dried oregano – Crush this in your hand before adding to the mixture for extra flavor.
- Dried breadcrumbs – Make your own breadcrumbs if you’d like to avoid store-bought ones that often contain additives and preservatives. You can also make gluten free breadcrumbs at home easily.
- Optional toppings: Provolone cheese, lettuce or arugula, tomato slices, mayo, thinly sliced red onion, Avocado Aioli
What kind of air fryer do you use?
We both use the 6 quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer and highly recommend it.
Here’s what we love about it:
- America’s Test Kitchen said it’s #1 in their tests.
- Extra-large capacity. (I fit 12+ meatballs in it.)
- Wide drawer-style basket that is easy to remove and insert.
- The drawer and cooking rack are dish washer safe.
- Super easy to use digital controls.
- It cooks food to perfection!
How to Assemble the Chicken Burgers
In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the chicken burger ingredients with your hands. Then, divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portions and form each portion into a small patty (slider size).
How to Air Fry Chicken Burgers
Cooking your burger patties in the air fryer is the easy part! Here’s how…
- Preheat to 350°F. (Mine takes about 3 minutes.)
- Spray the air fryer insert with cooking spray. Place as many burgers in the air fryer as will fit in a single layer without touching (leave room for air to circulate) and cook for 6 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook another 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
- Place on a plate, cover each patty with 2 small pieces of cheese (optional), and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Repeat with any remaining burgers.
Air Fryer Tips
Try these tips to get the best results when using an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer: Preheating your air fryer can help ensure that your food cooks evenly and becomes crispy.
- Use the right amount of oil: While air fryers require less oil than traditional frying methods, it is still important to use some oil to achieve a crispy texture. Use a small amount of oil (1-2 teaspoons) or cooking spray to coat your food before cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: It is important to leave some space between the food in the air fryer basket to ensure that the hot air can circulate around the food and cook it evenly.
- Shake the basket: Shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time can help ensure that your food cooks evenly on all sides.
- Use a meat thermometer: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your food to ensure that it is cooked through and safe to eat.
- Experiment with cooking times and temperatures: Every air fryer is different, so it may take some trial and error to find the best cooking time and temperature for your favorite foods.
- Clean your air fryer regularly: Regular cleaning can help ensure that your air fryer operates at its best and that your food doesn’t pick up any off flavors or odors from previous cooking sessions.
Side Dish Ideas
Here are some side dish ideas that would go well with Air Fryer Chicken Burgers.
Freezing Instructions
Chicken burgers are a great meal to prep ahead and freeze. Here’s how:
Freeze For Later: Form the patties and freeze uncooked burgers in single layers between parchment paper either in a gallon-sized freezer bag or freezer container. Seal well and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours and cook according to instructions. Or, preheat air fryer to 350°F and air fry frozen patties for 13-15 minutes (until 165°F internally or no more pink inside), flipping halfway.
Picture below is of our turkey burgers, but it gives you the right idea…
Be sure to check out our 100+ Healthy Freezer Meals.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I tested this with this recipe. Cook these mini chicken burgers straight from frozen at 350 for 13-15 minutes. For larger burgers, it will take longer. Because every air fryer is different, use a meat thermometer to make sure they are at least 165 degrees.
Yes. These burgers taste great when cooked on the stove. We have a delicious Mini Chicken Burger recipe that will walk you through how to do this.
Chicken burgers are often considered to be healthier than beef burgers because they are generally lower in fat and calories.
Yes! Use almond flour in place of the bread crumbs or make your own gluten-free breadcrumbs using toasted, gluten-free bread. I have found that store-bought gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs (made with rice flour) stick to the pan and don’t yield good results, so I don’t recommend those.
Yep! Use breadcrumbs or almond flour in place of the Parmesan cheese and add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the mixture. I’ve also found that nutritional yeast can add some cheesy flavor, so feel free to sub in a few tablespoons to your dry mix.
We get our meat from ButcherBox. The poultry is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest ButcherBox review.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
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Air Fryer Mini Chicken Burgers
Crispy perfection meets juicy flavor with these mini Air Fryer Chicken Burgers! Quick, easy, freezer-friendly and irresistibly tasty, these air-fried chicken burgers are a must-try for any busy family.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (sub: ground turkey)
- 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs (or try gluten-free bread crumbs)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (sub: 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in hand
- Cooking spray (recommend: non-propellent avocado oil spray)
- 8 slider buns or mini ciabatta rolls*
- Optional burger toppings: Provolone cheese slices, Avocado Aioli, lettuce, tomato, mayo
*Toast the insides under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, if desired.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Combine Chicken Mixture: In a large bowl, use clean hands to combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Form Patties: Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form into small patties (2 1/2 – 3 inches across). (Freezer meal instructions begin here.)
- Air Fry: Preheat air fryer to 350°F. Spray the air fryer insert with cooking spray. Place as many chicken burgers in the air fryer as will fit in a single layer without touching (leave room for air to circulate) and air fry for 6 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook another 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked through*. Place on a plate, cover each patty with cheese (if desired), and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with any remaining burgers.
- Serve: Place the patties on the buns and add desired burger toppings.
*Burgers are done when they have no more pink inside or register 165°F internally.
Freeze For Later: Form the patties and freeze uncooked burgers in single layers between parchment paper either in a gallon-sized freezer bag or freezer container. Seal well and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours and cook according to instructions. Or, preheat air fryer to 350°F and air fry frozen patties for 13-15 minutes (until 165°F internally or no more pink inside), flipping halfway.
Notes/Tips
- If you have leftover cooked patties, you can wrap them tightly and freeze. Warm at 50% in the microwave until heated through.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use almond flour in place of the bread crumbs or make your own gluten-free breadcrumbs using toasted, gluten-free bread. I have found that store-bought gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs (made with rice flour) stick to the pan and don’t yield good results, so I don’t recommend those.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use breadcrumbs or almond flour in place of the Parmesan cheese and add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the mixture. I’ve also found that nutritional yeast can add in some cheesy flavor, so feel free to sub in a few tablespoons to your dry mix.
- Where We Get Our Ground Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The poultry is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest review here.
Does the parmesan cheese go into the burger mixture? It’s in the ingredient list, but not in the instructions. Thanks.
Hi BJ. YES! All the ingredients, including the Parmesan cheese go into the burger. I have updated the recipe card to reflect that. Thank you for pointing out the error.
Loved these. Such a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional beef burgers.
The air fryer makes them extra delicious. I double the batch and freeze some for later every time I make them.
So smart to make some for the freezer. Glad you found a recipe that works well for you.