20 Easy Ground Chicken Recipes

August 14, 2013
Scott Rounds
Get out of the ground beef grind and use easy, economical ground chicken for a variety of recipes from burgers and chili to tostadas and calzones. Whether you're in the mood for an easy stew (this one fits the bill) or classic comfort food (who doesn't love chicken pot pie?), you'll love this collection of ground chicken recipes. 
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Thai Chicken Curry Stew

Photo: Julie Bidwell; Styling: Stephanie Hanes 
Thai Chicken Curry Stew Recipe
Ground chicken works perfectly in this hearty soup recipe to bring out the best of the delicate spices.
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Chicken-Chile Tostadas

Randy Mayor
Chicken-Chile Tostadas Recipe
Top baked corn tortillas with a mixture of spicy ground chicken, shredded lettuce, cheese and salsa for an easy weeknight dinner. Because the tortillas are baked instead of fried, this recipe is lower in fat than a traditional tostada.

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Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Chicken Parmesan Burgers Recipe
Get out of your burger rut with these grilled ground chicken burgers. Serve on ciabatta rolls and top with marianara sauce and mozzarella.
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Thai Chicken in Cabbage Leaves

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Thai Chicken in Cabbage Leaves Recipe
The ground chicken filling in this main dish ground chicken recipe has seasonings similar to those in larb, a popular Thai appetizer.

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Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs with Edamame and Snow Peas

Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs with Edamame and Snow Peas Recipe
Make Asian-style meatballs by adding ginger and scallions to ground chicken and serving the meatballs over a mixture of rice, edamame, and snow peas.

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Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers

Photo: Beau Gustafson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers Recipe
These ground chicken burgers get their Indian flavor from garam masala, ginger, and a topping of mango chutney and yogurt.
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Chicken Lettuce Cups

Photo: John Autry and Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Chicken Lettuce Cups Recipe
Add Mediterranean flavor to lettuce cups by combining ground chicken with chopped artichoke hearts, oregano, green olives, and fresh mozzarella.

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Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Blue Cheese

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kevin Crafts
Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Shallots and Blue Cheese Recipe
All-American Cheeseburgers get a makeover with ground chicken and gourmet toppings.

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Chicken and Basil Calzones

Photo: Beau Gustafson; Styling: Cindy Barr
Chicken and Basil Calzones Recipe
Use ground chicken in these super-easy calzones featuring convenience products such as refrigerated pizza dough and prepared pizza sauce.
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BLT Chicken Burgers

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Basil Friedman
BLT Chicken Burgers Recipe
Poultry burgers have a reputation for being dry and bland, but jazzed up with sharp cheddar, parmesan, and garlic—and then topped with crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce—they're boldness in a bun.

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(Low-Fat) Chicken Chili

(Low-Fat) Chicken Chili Recipe
Chili can be cheaper when you make it with ground chicken instead of ground beef. And this chili is great for a last-minute supper because all the ingredients are items that you can keep on hand in either the freezer or pantry.

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Chicken Empanadas

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Chicken Empanadas Recipe
This recipe is a favorite because it can be made ahead of time and chilled until you're ready to bake. That means if your family enjoys dinner in waves, everyone can have a warm, tasty dinner.
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Green Curry Chicken Fritters

Photo: Raymond Hom; Styling: Pamela Duncan Silver
Green Curry Chicken Fritters Recipe
Green curry paste (found in the Asian-foods section) and chile paste impart tons of savory-spicy-fragrant hits to ground chicken. Serve this recipe with a spicy slaw on the side.

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Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup

Photo: Melina Hammer; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe
Skip the ho-hum chicken noodle soup and make a soul-satisfying soup that's sure to please everyone at the dinner table. A hint of lemon brightens the entire dish.

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Baked Chicken Moussaka

Greg DuPree
Baked Chicken Moussaka Recipe

This Greek dish is similar to lasagna, but it's traditionally layered with eggplant, tomatoes, ground beef or lamb, and a béchamel sauce. Our lightened version for the Cooking Light Diet calls for ground chicken, using a mix of light and dark meat for added richness, and a yogurt-based sauce. Brown the chicken well; most of the rich, meaty flavor comes from that step. Serve the casserole with a Greek salad and toasted whole-wheat pita.

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Chicken Chili Pot Pie

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Chicken Chili Pot Pie Recipe

This hearty and comforting chicken chili is made with poblano chiles and butternut squash. You can make individual servings in 10-ounce ramekins or one large pot pie using a 3-quart baking dish. Either way, everyone will love the puffed, cheesy cilantro-grits crust.

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Chicken-and-Mushroom Dumplings with Bok Choy

Photography: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen.
Chicken-and-Mushroom Dumplings with Bok Choy Recipe

We keep these dumplings weeknight-doable by using easy-to-find wonton wrappers (look for them near the tofu) and the simplest folding method. To make this a communal meal, set out the steamer baskets on a towel so your family can help themselves. If your bok choy is larger than what we call for, cut it into quarters so it will fit in the baskets.

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Cornbread-Stuffed Zucchini

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Cornbread-Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Choose squash that are uniform in shape so they will cook evenly. The best kind for this recipe are long, straight, and not too skinny.

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Chicken and Chile Hash

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken and Chile Hash Recipe

Ground chicken has a touch more fat than ground chicken breast, key for a more flavorful hash. Let cooked potatoes dry out so they'll be extra crisp in the hash. Leftover potatoes would be even better. While the potatoes cook, make sure to cook the chicken mixture. As the hash crisps, start poaching the eggs to save on time while cooking. The dish is perfect for dinner, lunch or a weekend savory brunch option. You can easily make this a vegetarian hash but omitting the chicken and adding other vegetables such as zucchini or sweet potatoes. 

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Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers

Scott Rounds
Gingery Chicken Pot Stickers Recipe

No tricky dance moves. These come together with mostly supermarket ingredients. You may have to go to an Asian market to get gyoza wrappers, but the trip is worth it. For extra-crispy dumplings, dip the bottoms in 2 teaspoons cornstarch before panfrying. The filling may be made up to two days ahead. Assembled dumplings can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for two hours. Cook them straight from the fridge. Or, freeze dumplings on the baking sheet, and after they’re rock hard, transfer to a plastic freezer bag to store up to three months; partially thaw for about 15 minutes on a baking sheet dusted with flour before panfrying as instructed.

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