Juicy Buffalo Chicken Burgers made with ground chicken and a homemade buffalo sauce. Topped with a healthy blue cheese dressing to make the perfect grilled chicken burger. Gluten-free, low carb, and paleo and Whole30 compliant without the blue cheese dressing.
Last updated on July 14, 2020.
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When two of your favorite things collide, you get buffalo chicken burgers!!
I mean let’s be honest, buffalo anything is really my jam. I absolutely love buffalo sauce and put it on anything and everything. Michael sometimes tells me to chill and just enjoy the flavor of the actual food haha. But why when it’s so good?!
I couldn’t do a burger month and not include buffalo chicken!
I grew up eating chicken wings and it’s one of my favorite memories with my dad. And I’ve taken my obsession for buffalo and put it into just about anything – from air fryer boneless buffalo wings, buffalo Brussels sprouts, buffalo cauliflower, buffalo chicken tenders, and more.
I just can’t get enough and my love for buffalo runs deep. I decided to take that combo and make it into a flavor-packed chicken burger. The chicken is mixed with homemade buffalo sauce, brushed with buffalo sauce, and then grilled until nice and juicy.
It’s then topped with a healthy homemade blue cheese sauce because you can’t have buffalo chicken without blue cheese right?! Oh, and more buffalo sauce because buffalo sauce is life!
I served them in a lettuce bun (my favorite way to eat a burger – I love the crunch!) with a few classic toppings like tomato and onion, but you could totally use your favorite bun and toppings.
It is the perfect summertime meal!
Easy buffalo chicken burgers
All you need is less than 10 ingredients and 25 minutes to whip up these grilled chicken burgers. Made with a quick homemade buffalo sauce and topped with a healthy blue cheese dressing, they are full of flavor and make a quick and easy summertime meal.
Here is what you need:
- ground chicken
- chopped onion
- minced garlic
- hot sauce – I love Frank’s for anything buffalo related
- ghee
- lemon juice
- garlic powder
- paprika
- cayenne
- salt and pepper
First, start off my lighting your grill and let it come up to temperature. I used a charcoal grill for this as I love the flavor, but any kind of grill will work.
Second, make the homemade buffalo sauce. Add your melted/softened ghee to a jar along with the hot sauce, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and adjust according to taste.
Next, in a medium-large bowl, add ground chicken, onions, minced garlic, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the buffalo sauce, and some salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal patties. Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper (this just lets them come off easier) and place them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
Once they firm up, brush one side with buffalo sauce and place it face down on the grill. Be careful not to keep dipping whatever utensil you are using in the buffalo sauce after you touch the raw chicken as you will need the rest of it to top off the burgers.
Then, before you flip the burgers, cover the other side with buffalo sauce. This helps infuse the burgers while giving them a good char. While the burgers cook, you just need to make the blue cheese dressing (if you are using it) and prepare the rest of your toppings!
How long to cook chicken burgers
The time it takes to cook your chicken burgers will depend on how thick your burgers are and the temperature you are cooking at. I suggest cooking them on medium-high over direct heat.
They should take about 8-12 minutes, maybe even a little less if your burgers are thinner. I make mine at least an inch thick.
One of the best and easiest ways to tell if they are done is to use a meat thermometer. Once they reach an internal temperate of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (or close to it – the temperature will rise some after you remove them from heat), you can take them off the heat source. Then just let them rest for a few minutes!
If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or pan fry them on your stove!
Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing
I am 100% team blue cheese! While I have grown to like ranch more, blue cheese is where it’s at when it comes to anything buffalo. I love the strong and salty taste it has.
I decided to make a lightened up healthy blue cheese dressing to top the burger. It’s super easy and only made with a few ingredients. Here is what you need:
- blue cheese crumbles
- greek yogurt – I used 0% fat
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
All you have to do is add the ingredients to a bowl and mix it up! It has the taste of blue cheese, with some tang and creaminess from the yogurt, and it goes so well with the spiciness of the burger. It’s not too overpowering so if you really want that kick from the blue cheese, add more!
If you don’t like blue cheese, you can totally skip this and just use the extra buffalo sauce on top of the burger.
If you want to keep the burger paleo and Whole30 approved, you can use a compliant ranch dressing! I love either Tessemae’s or Primal Kitchen or you can make your own. You can also substitute avocado to get that creamy texture the blue cheese gives.
What to serve with buffalo chicken burgers
Well obviously, French fries! How do you have a burger without fries?! Here are some of my favorite sides to go with these buffalo chicken burgers:
- french fries or roasted potatoes – we grilled sweet potato fries (you can make them while your burgers cook), air fryer sweet potato fries, or air fryer roasted potatoes
- carrot and celery sticks – great for dipping in the blue cheese dressing too!
- on top of a salad
- with some grilled veggies – I love grilled cabbage steaks or grilled corn
- with any kind of summer side dish – roasted potato salad, broccoli salad, and chipotle Mexican coleslaw are great
More burger recipes
Burger Salad with Special Sauce Dressing
Mahi Mahi Burgers with Chipotle Mayo & Cabbage Slaw
Classic Burger Sliders on Sweet Potato Buns
Harissa Salmon Burgers with Harissa Aoili
Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing
ingredients
Buffalo Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ghee (melted/softened)
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (I like Franks)
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- salt, to taste
Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- 1 pound ground chicken breast (I used 97/3)
- 1/2 cup diced onions (65 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for serving: lettuce buns, lettuce, tomato, onion...
Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing
- 2 1/2 tablespoons greek yogurt (I used 0%)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (1 ounce)
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high heat.
- Make the buffalo sauce by combining the hot sauce, ghee, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper is a small bowl or jar. Set aside.
- Add the ground chicken, diced onion, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of the buffalo sauce to a medium bowl. Mix to combine and form into 4 equal sized patties. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet or plate and freeze for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
- While the burgers rest, make the blue cheese dressing by mixing yogurt, blue cheese, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Once the grill is hot and the burgers are chilled, removed the freezer. Brush one side with a little more buffalo sauce and place face down on grill over direct heat. Grill for 5 minutes, brush exposed side with more buffalo sauce, flip, and cook for another 4-5 more minutes or until cooked through and reach 165 degrees internally. Make sure the utensil touching the raw chicken doesn't go into the buffalo sauce as the extra is used to top the burger.
- Top burgers with remaining buffalo sauce and blue cheese sauce and serve in lettuce wraps or buns with additional toppings. Enjoy!
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So good! Thanks for sharing!
Of course! Thanks for trying Elizabeth!
Another great recipe! Kelly’s recipes have saved me during quarantine. I love buffalo chicken wings and these burgers are a great and healthy substitute. Easy to make and the blue cheese dressing just adds that something extra to the burgers.
Thanks again Kelly for easy to follow recipes for us folks who can’t cook!
So glad you enjoyed them Nicole. I love buffalo chicken too and figured this would be a fun way to change it up. Thank you so much!
Love chicken have to make them
I think you would really like them!
I substituted ground turkey for the chicken and it was just delicious! I look forward to making this recipe again soon!
Yay, love that idea! So glad you liked them Nicole and thanks for trying!
I made these burgers this week and they were so flavorful! Super easy too! You will not be disappointed. Get the ingredients and make them tonight!
So glad to hear it Shelli! Thanks for trying them!
These are so amazing. I love buffalo so much! I made these for the first time today and they did not disappoint. I doubled the recipe and my boyfriend and I only have 2 burgers left to spare. Thanks for sharing!!
Aw yeah, I love hearing that! Glad y’all both loved them and thank you for trying them Amber!
They look delish
They remind me of you and all the wings we used to eat!