When Life Gives You Leftover Poultry, Make Chicken Burgers

Chicken is as versatile as proteins come, and there are myriad ways you can eat every part of it with the exception of feathers. If we can find ways to eat the gizzards and feet, imagine all the deliciousness that can be cooked up using the leftover chicken. Now, recipes like chicken fried rice and tacos are all great ways to use the leftover chicken, but have you ever tried making chicken burgers out of it? 

If you're wondering how to transform the chicken into burger material, all you have to do is make it like you would a hamburger but with a shorter cook time. Cut the chicken into small cubes and grind them in a food processor. To keep the meat from turning into a gooey paste, use the pulse mode. Add spices, salt, pepper and garlic in the ground meat and throw in some diced onions there if you like. 

Adding eggs to the mixture will help maintain the structural integrity of your patties as they cook. Using a grill pan or a skillet, cook each side for about five to six minutes. You can also add a slice of cheese on top when they're almost done. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, red onion, harissa mayo, or any other topping of choice. Here are a few other tips on how you can put together the perfect chicken burger. 

Although the recipe is quite simple, it's dangerously easy to mess up chicken patties. When you solely use chicken breasts to make burgers, the ground-up meat can turn out pretty dry when you cook it. To make your patties juicier, add some fat to the lean meat. It doesn't even have to be chicken fat — a little bit of chopped bacon, pork, or beef can work well to amplify the juiciness. You can also add some mayo to ground chicken for added succulence.

Meanwhile, some netizens have their own hacks to make chicken patties more tender. "Chia seeds. seriously. Add 2-3 [tablespoons] of chia seeds to a pound of ground poultry and mix well. If you like, add a Tbs or so of water or broth at the same time. The chia adds tremendous moistness (and good omega 3's) to an otherwise dry as dust meat," a Redditor shared. Meanwhile, another Redditor wrote, "When I make chicken burgers I always marinade the night before and then smash the chicken thin with a rolling pin. Then fry on a really hot pan for a minute or two on each side." Whatever gets the poultry juices flowing, right?