8 Ground Chicken Recipes for Quick, Flavorful Meals

From burgers to mozzarella-stuffed meatballs, these tasty dishes prove ground chicken is a delicious and versatile protein.

Ground chicken tacos
Photo:

Julia Gartland

These ground chicken recipes are just the thing for anyone leaning into lighter meals or eating less red meat. Ground chicken is quick to cook and always satisfying. Plus, just like ground turkey, pork, and beef, it's handy to keep in the freezer and defrosts quickly, turning a dinner conundrum into a win in a short time. 

One of the reasons chicken is so popular is that it can be seasoned to suit most palates, and its neutral flavor adapts well to an endless array of spices and cooking methods. So when you cook ground chicken, go ahead and spin the globe—with the many spices and condiments to choose from in the modern pantry, you can take your pick. 

Using Ground Chicken 

  • Ground chicken can be swapped for any recipe that calls for ground turkey; the white meat lends itself well to the bright flavors of Thai and Vietnamese food, and classic American burgers. 
  • If you're searching for a dark meat flavor to make something more robust, you may have a hard time finding ground dark meat chicken— it isn't as easy to find as ground white meat chicken. Use dark meat ground turkey instead, or grind your own chicken: Chop boneless, skinless chicken thighs into one-inch pieces and then grind them with a meat grinder (such as the attachment of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer), or pulse them in a food processor. 
01 of 08

Chicken Bolognese With Tagliatelle

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Sharon Radisch

This lighter take on rich Bolognese sauce uses ground chicken, preferably a combination of white and dark meat. Ground turkey would make a fine substitute.

02 of 08

Green Chile Chicken Burgers

Green-Chile Chicken Burgers
Bryan Gardner

A chicken burger is a canvas for the flavors you crave. In this case, you can paint a desert scene with New Mexican green chiles and cilantro.

03 of 08

Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas

Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas
Justin Walker

The minute you bite into these crispy tortillas rolled around a spiced filling you may question why they're ever deep-fried—baked is so much better. 

04 of 08

Chicken-Parmesan Meatballs

meatballs-chicken-parm-balls-005a-med108875.jpg
Romulo Yanes

Giant mozzarella-filled meatballs on top of spaghetti? Yes please. These ground chicken meatballs are crisp on the outside and gooey within. 

05 of 08

Chicken-and-Broccoli Meatloaf

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Marcus Nilsson

This lighter take on meatloaf is moist and packed with flavor. Parmesan cheese and mustard amp up the delicate ground chicken, while broccoli helps prevent it from being dry. A ketchup glaze finishes the dish in tangy style.

06 of 08

Chicken Burgers

chicken burger

These chicken burgers are just as juicy and flavor-packed as their red meat relatives. Using dark meat ground chicken is key to these tasty patties—so is adding yellow bell pepper and celery, which bring moisture and texture.

07 of 08

Potsticker Dumplings and Soy Vinegar Sauce

Pot Sticker Dumplings

Crisp, browned dumplings are easier to make than you might imagine. Ground chicken or turkey can be used as a filling in place of ground pork in any pot sticker or dumpling. 

08 of 08

Ground Chicken Tacos

Ground chicken tacos

Julia Gartland

Chicken tacos loaded with spices are quick to assemble. Make everyone happy by offering soft and hard shell tortillas and setting all the toppings on the table so they can help themselves. 

Updated by
Victoria Spencer
Victoria Spencer, senior food editor, MarthaStewart.com
Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.
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