These Grilled Chicken Burgers combine chorizo sausage with ground chicken breast to deliver a burger that will wow your crowd. The combination of meat nails it when it comes to flavor and texture. Chorizo adds just enough pizzaz to make this a juicy burger that you’ll want to make over and over.
Why Chorizo Is The Secret To Juicy, Flavor Packed Grilled Chicken Burgers
Many grilled chicken burger recipes rely on egg or breadcrumbs as binders to help retain moisture and prevent dryness. But there’s a better way to build a juicy, flavor-loaded burger—by combining lean ground chicken with rich, spicy Mexican chorizo.
Chicken breast alone can result in a burger that’s dry, crumbly, and lacking flavor. That’s where chorizo comes in. Mexican chorizo not only adds essential fat to keep the burger moist, but it also infuses every bite with bold, tangy flavor and a hint of warm heat. The result? A chicken burger that’s anything but boring.
This chicken and chorizo combination is a winning combination that stands up beautifully on the grill—juicy, flavorful, and perfectly satisfying. And to take things to the next level, we top it with quick cumin-lime pickles that add a bright, zesty crunch.
Grilled Chicken Burgers with Chorizo: juicy, smoky, a little spicy, and guaranteed to impress.
Choosing The Best Ground Chorizo
Please note, we’re making these grilled chicken burgers with bulk Mexican Chorizo, packaged and resembling ground beef. Mexican Chorizo sausage in a tube contains too much oil and would be difficult to form into a burger patty.
And please don’t confuse Spanish Chorizo with Mexican Chorizo. Spanish chorizo is dry cured and smoked. It’s commonly sold in links and simply won’t work to make this burger. Save that product for soups or your next charcuterie board.
Ingredients You’ll Need For The Grilled Chicken Burgers
- Ground Chicken: I’ve made these grilled chicken burgers using ground chicken breast and a package labeled ground chicken, which is a combination of breast and thigh meat. The latter will bring a little more flavor and fat, but both blends work well here.
- Onion: I like using a sweet or yellow onion here. And grated rather than chopped.
- New Mexico Chile Powder: Living so close to New Mexico, I’m very lucky to have a good stash of all kinds of New Mexico Chile Powders. Chimayo Chile Powder is my red chile powder of choice. You can also use Ancho Chile Powder which is readily found on the spice aisle at your local supermarket.
Ingredients To Make Quick Pickles
- Rice Vinegar: I like using Seasoned Rice Vinegar. It’s more flavorful due to the addition of salt and sugar. Check the label is you’re against MSG, some brands do add it.
- Cucumbers: Choose English cucumbers or Baby Cucumbers. Each of those varieties have a more pleasant and edible skin.
- Smoked Sea Salt: Check the spice aisle and look for a smoked salt product. It will enhance the flavor of the pickling solution. If you can’t find any, just substitute with Kosher salt.
Step By Step Instructions – Quick Pickles
These are called quick pickles because they’re not going through the canning process, however they still need to soak in brine to gain flavor. Since the cumin lime pickles need a couple of hours to make, let’s start with them first.
- Step 1: Slice The Cucumbers: Use a mandolin for even slicing which will equal even flavor. Slice them with skin on ⅛ inch thick.
- Step 2: Place them in a colander and sprinkle with a little salt. Set the colander on a plate or in the sink and let them drain for 2 hours. This will help them soak up the flavor of the pickling brine.
- Step 4: In a medium bowl, mix together the pickling brine ingredients. Add the cucumber and stir. Let them soak in the liquid for 1 hour.
Step by Step Instructions – Chicken Chorizo Burgers
- Step 1: Break up the ground chorizo into very small pieces and add it to the ground chicken. Place the meat in a bowl, add the grated onion, garlic and red chile powder. Use your hands to mix together gently, just as you would making meatloaf, being careful not to over mix.
- Step 2: Form patties and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat grill to 450 degrees, then lower to 350 degrees. Cook on each side about 6 minutes. Tent with foil towards the end to insure they are no longer pink inside. Use a digital read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees. No backyard grill? These chicken burgers can easily be made stovetop using a grill pan or cast iron skillet.
As you can see, these chicken burgers on the grill are holding together nicely and sporting some mighty fine grill marks. For just the two of us, I only grilled three patties and froze the rest to use at a later date.
About The Texture Of Raw Chicken Patties
While forming the chicken burger patties, you’ll find the texture to be very different than when making ground beef burgers. The meat will feel sticky and somewhat loose. Not to worry, refrigerating will help them firm up, and once they hit that sizzling grill, they’ll cook up just fine without falling apart.
Flavor Variations For Chicken Chorizo Burgers
- Healthier: Make these healthier by serving this grilled burger using iceberg lettuce leaves to replace a hamburger bun. Simply make the burger patties smaller.
- Southwestern: Skip the quick pickles and add a topping of smashed avocado or Molcajete Guacamole. Or, top with some Pickled Red Onions.
- Tropical: Top with a scoop of Jalapeno Pineapple Coleslaw instead of the pickles.
- Make it Cheesy: During the last two minutes of cooking, add a slice of cheese. Have fun and think outside the cheddar box. Try slices of Pepper Jack Cheese to compliment the flavor of Chorizo.
- Wanting some barbecue? As the burgers cook, baste each side with your favorite bbq sauce or some Cherry BBQ Sauce. It’s a great flavor for chicken.
Tips For Success
- Since we’re grilling a very lean burger, clean the grill grates well and then oil the grates. Just pour some oil on a bunched up paper towel and use grilling tongs to swipe the oiled paper towel over the grates before adding the burger patties. I like to use Avocado oil.
- Resist the urge to press down on the chicken patties as they cook. When you do that you’re releasing some of the juices. Let’s keep those burgers juicy and tender.
- Be safe and use a digital read thermometer to check the internal temperature before removing from the grill. Chicken burgers are ready to pull from the grill when they reach 165 degrees registered from the center of the burger.
- Grate The Onion: Grating onion is easy using a zester. Grating rather than chopping onion will help the burger hold together better. Chunks of chopped onion may compromise the burger’s ability to stand up on the grill.
What To Serve It With, Sides and Drink Pairings
This chicken chorizo burger would be great with sweet potato fries . Or try this Mexican Corn Salad with Citrus Aioli. Potato salad is always a welcome side dish, take a look at this recipe for Blue Cheese Potato Salad with Bacon.
Mexican Micheladas would make a refreshing beverage for grilled chicken burgers. Or check out my recipe for Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita.
FAQ’s
Everything about these grilled chicken burgers are gluten free aside from the bun. All you’ll need to do is substitute a regular burger bun for a gluten free bun.
Chorizo. We’re adding a bit of chorizo sausage which will bring some fat to the lean ground chicken. That chorizo will help add juicy texture and flavor to these chicken burgers.
Absolutely. This recipe makes 6 burger patties. With the two of us, I make three patties and freeze the remaining. Just wrap the patties individually with plastic wrap. Then place in a freezer safe container, or freezer safe zip-lock style bag. They’ll keep for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then grill.
Related Recipes
And if you’re burger fanatics like us, don’t miss my category for Hamburger Recipes. You’ll find one of the most popular burgers on my site for Bobby Flay’s Texas Burger with Coleslaw.
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Grilled Chicken Burgers with Chorizo and Cumin-Lime Quick Pickles
Ingredients
- For the quick pickles
- 2 ½ cups Persian cucumbers or baby cucumbers, or english cucumbers
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup Seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 limes zest and juice
- ¼ teaspoon smoked salt
- For The Chorizo Burgers
- ½ pound Mexican chorizo sausage bulk chorizo
- 1 pound Ground chicken thighs or chicken breast
- ¼ onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the Quick Pickles: Begin by slicing the cucumbers into a pickle shape by using a mandolin, or the slicing blade on your food processor. ⅛" thick is a good size. You can also use a very sharp knife and a keen eye to accomplish this.
- Place the cucumbers in a colander and add a pinch of salt and toss. Place them on a plate, or in the kitchen sink. The salt will extract some of the moisture which will allow them to absorb more of the pickling flavor. Let them sit for 2 hours.
- In the meantime, prepare the quick pickling liquid. Combine the vinegar, lime zest and juice, cumin, garlic powder, smoked peppercorns and salt. Pour over the cucumbers and let sit for about an hour.
- For The Chorizo Burgers:
- While the pickles are brining, break up the ground chorizo into very small pieces and add it to the ground chicken. Place the meat in a bowl, add the grated onion, garlic and red chile powder.
- Use your hands to mix together gently, being careful not to over mix.
- Form patties and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat grill to 450 degrees, then lower to 350 degrees. Cook on each side about 6 minutes. Tent with foil towards the end to insure they are no longer pink inside. Use a digital read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
- To build the burgers, start with a toasted bun and the chorizo chicken patty. Top with a few of the quick pickles, a slice of tomato and some lettuce.
Notes
- Since we’re grilling a very lean burger, clean the grill grates well and then oil the grates. Just pour some oil on a bunched up paper towel and use grilling tongs to swipe the oiled paper towel over the grates before adding the burger patties. I like to use Avocado oil.
- Resist the urge to press down on the chicken patties as they cook. When you do that you’re releasing some of the juices. Let’s keep those burgers juicy and tender.
- Be safe and use a digital read thermometer to check the internal temperature before removing from the grill. Chicken burgers are ready to pull from the grill when they reach 165 degrees registered from the center of the burger.
- Grate The Onion: Grating onion is easy using a zester. Grating rather than chopping onion will help the burger hold together better. Chunks of chopped onion may compromise the burger’s ability to stand up on the grill.
Nutrition
Grilled Chicken Burgers …. It’s whats for dinner
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
I love quick pickles and cannot WAIT to try these. What a great thing to pull out for a nosh plate. Thanks!
I’m definitely excited about and going to try those pickles!! How long do you think they’ll keep in the fridge?
I had no idea Denny’s had a chorizo burger. I must try. 🙂
Danny’s has a chorizo burger on its menu, we tried it and it is fabulous! Of course they made it with beef. Opened up a whole new world.
I made these just this past week and they were delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 I’ll be featuring this recipe on my Try It Out Thursday: this week!
hey lady! just wanted to let you know the burger got featured on buzzfeed food! thanks again for speaking so highly of it!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/badass-burgers-to-grill-this-weekend
Very Cool! Thanks for such a great recipe, and thanks for letting me know.
Thanks so much for letting me know… and for a great recipe.
Dropping by to let you know that your Chicken Chorizo Burgers with Cumin-Lime Quick Pickles were Tuesday’s featured recipe on the Secret Recipe Club! Thanks for sharing and being a member of the club.
Thanks April. Love seeing my name in lights … and these burgers were very deserved. Delicious.
I usually shy away from ground chicken, but that burger looks delicious, Lea Ann. I saw Persian cukes at Costco last week and was trying to think of something to do with them. Love your photos. They make my stomach growl.
I do too Cathy, but I did find this to be good burger. I’ve never heard of Persian cucumbers. I’ll have to check Costco next time I’m over there.
Lea Ann, thank you for linking this in to Food on Friday. We have got a super collection of burgers together. I hope you have stopped by some of the other links to check them out!
Ps I have just signed up to follow your blog. A follow back to Carole’s Chatter would be wonderful – or have you already followed? Cheers
Ps If you would like email reminders of future Food on Fridays, just pop by and comment and include your email – I won’t publish it – and the reminder will be by bcc so it will remain private
Thanks Carole. I most certainly will follow Carole’s Chatter.
This is definitely a creative burger! Love it.
Thanks Velva.
Love the pickle recipe, Lea Ann. I don’t make burgers of any kind very often…but was recently watching a show with Ina Garten and she went on and on about overmixing hamburger meat and how it makes it tough all scrunched up like that. Do it lightly so air is left in, she said. I cringed when I remembered doing that very thing for my family. Never too late to learn!
Yummy burger!
I learned not to overmix years ago. And yes, what a difference it makes. Thanks for stopping by Barbara, always good to hear from you.
I have a pack of pickling cukes in the fridge right now, I might do a version of these pickles for tonight.
Let me know how you like it Chris.
I’m a big fan of pickles, and these sound delightful! Perfect for a chicken burger too. Now, I want to look for smoked pepper!
I found that smoked pepper at Whole Foods. I was really surprised they didn’t have smoked salt. I remember my son buying it there a couple years ago. Those pickles are really good Lisa. We had friends over and I ended up sending a few home with my begging friend Dan. He went crazy over them.
Hi Lea Ann,
I can’t wait to try these awesome burgers and pickles.
Happy Valentine Day!
Miz Helen
SRC Group B
Thanks Miz Helen. So nice of you to stop by and comment.
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole’s Chatter is about burgers. I do hope you link this lovely one in. This is the link . Please do pop back to check out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Have a great week.
These sound awesome! Already pinned because I’ll totally be trying these. 🙂
Please let me know how you like them. Thanks for stopping by Colleen and the comment.
Looks great and why have I never thought of mixing chorizo with another meat… I’m thinking it would be great mixed in with some ground venison… will have to try that next time.
I’m loving that ground venison idea Karen. Wish I had a freezer full.
It’s noon, here, and I think it’s a mistake to watch this page … I’M HUNGRY AND I WANT THIS BURGER !! 🙂
Unfortunately, I don’t have to be hungry to want this burger. 🙂