These Air Fryer Chicken Patties are homemade breaded chicken burgers made with lean ground chicken, a crispy panko crumb coating and minimal oil. You don't need to pan fry or deep fry them in oil to get a crispy breading. You only need to toast the panko crumbs for 5 minutes and use a light spritz of oil to achieve a crunchy coating. They're quick and easy to make and so much better than store-bought varieties. In my opinion, they're less greasy and way more flavorful!
If you love this recipe, you'll also want to try my air fryer breaded chicken bites. They're also coated in crispy panko crumbs but use chunks of chicken breast instead of ground chicken.
Table of contents
Ingredients and substitutions
Below is just an overview of the ingredients. Refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities used.
- Ground chicken - You'll need 1 pound of fresh, lean ground chicken to make these patties. You can get dark or white meat ground chicken. I normally use white for this recipe. If you only have frozen ground chicken, defrost it in the fridge first. It will make the chicken patties a little wet and less firm, but it will still work for this recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil - Since ground chicken is lean, I like to add a tablespoon of oil to keep the patties moist and juicy. You can use another type of oil if you prefer. Chicken burgers tend to dry out quickly. By adding a small amount of oil to the ground chicken mixture they stay moist and juicy.
- Egg - 1 large egg helps bind the ground chicken patties and keep them moist.
- Panko breadcrumbs - Panko crumbs are used in the chicken mixture to help bind the patties and it's also used to create the crispy breading. Panko crumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs that are larger than regular breadcrumbs with a flaky, coarse texture. I don't recommend substituting with regular breadcrumbs.
- Seasonings - Both the ground chicken and panko coating are seasoned with a mix of salt, dried herbs and spices. Feel free to change up the mix of seasonings to make the chicken burgers more savoury or spicy.
How to cook breaded chicken patties in the air fryer
Toast the panko crumbs for the coating. (This makes them extra crispy). Just spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray them with oil.
Bake for 5 minutes on 400F, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Once cooled, toss the toasted panko crumbs with the seasonings. Set aside in a shallow dish.
In a large bowl, add all of the chicken patty ingredients. Use a fork or your hands to mix together. Be careful not to over mix as the patties will turn out tough.
Form into 4 equal sized patties about ½-inch thick.
Coat each patty in the seasoned panko crumb mixture.
Place the patties in the air fryer basket in a single layer and lightly spray the tops with oil.
Air fry on 400F for 8 minutes. Flip the patties over and air fry for another 6-8 minutes. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to air fry the chicken patties in two batches).
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: I think these breaded chicken patties are best enjoyed hot and crispy, so I suggest serving them right away. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just note that the breading will get soft in the fridge.
Freeze: You can also freeze the cooked patties. Just place them in a single layer or in between sheets of parchment paper, either in a freezer safe container or resealable bag. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheating: You can microwave the patties but the breading will remain soft. I suggest using the oven or air fryer, which will get the breading crispy again. Just warm them on 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the breading is crispy. Be careful not to reheat them for too long as the chicken burgers will get dry.
Recipe FAQs
Cooked ground chicken should have an internal temperature of 165F. I like to use a meat thermometer to be sure.
It's not essential, but toasting them will help make the breading extra crispy.
Absolutely! Or try these air fryer turkey burgers!
Yes, just add another 3-5 minutes to the air frying time.
Key recipe tips
- Don't over mix. Be careful not to overwork the ground chicken mixture as the patties will end up tough.
- No breading. If you want to enjoy these patties as more traditional burgers, feel free to leave off the panko crumb coating.
- Air fry in batches. I used a Cosori 5.8 quart basket air fryer for this recipe and could fit all four patties in my air fryer basket. If your air fryer is smaller, you may need to air fry the patties two at a time.
- Non-stick air fryer basket. If your basket doesn't have a non-stick coating, you might want to spray it so the burgers don't stick.
- Flip the patties. Make sure you flip the chicken patties over after 8 minutes so they brown evenly on both sides.
More crispy air fryer recipes using panko crumbs
- Air Fryer Pork Schnitzel
- Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel
- Air Fryer Cod
- Air Fryer Breaded Shrimp
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Homemade Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Patties
Ingredients
For the breadcrumb coating:
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Spray oil
For the patties:
- 1 pound (454 g) lean ground chicken
- 1 large egg, whisked
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Spray oil
Instructions
Make the breadcrumb coating:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the panko crumbs out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray them with oil.
- Bake for 5 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Stir them around to brown evenly. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once cooled, mix the toasted panko crumbs with oregano, basil, parsley, smoked paprika and salt in shallow dish. Set aside.
Make the patties:
- In a large bowl, add all of the chicken patty ingredients. Use a fork or your hands to mix together. Be careful not to over mix as the patties will turn out tough.
- Form into 4 equal sized patties about ½-inch thick.
- Coat each patty in the seasoned panko crumb mixture.
- Place the patties in the air fryer basket in a single layer and lightly spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry on 400F for 8 minutes. Flip the patties over and air fry for another 6-8 minutes. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to air fry the chicken patties in two batches).
Notes
- I used a Cosori 5.8 quart basket air fryer for this recipe. If you have a different brand, model or size, you may need to adjust the air frying temperature and time slightly.
- If your air fryer basket isn't non-stick, you might want to spray it with oil so the patties don't stick.
- I didn't preheat my air fryer, but if your model requires it, you should preheat it before adding the chicken patties.
- Ground chicken is safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165F. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
Did you make this recipe or have any questions?
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