If you’re looking for burgers that are jam-packed with gourmet flavours, these healthy homemade Thai Chicken Burgers are for you! Juicy and moist chicken breast tenderised in an easy Thai inspired marinade made with lime. Paired with a quick pickled coleslaw and a tangy homemade tamarind sweet chilli sauce.
Thai Chicken Burgers
Without tooting my own horn, I’d say this is one of my best ever burger recipes. These homemade Thai Chicken Burgers are a healthy and tasty spin on the famous American dish. The lean chicken breasts are super moist and juicy, from tenderising in a zesty lime marinade. Paired with an easy and quick pickled veggie coleslaw and my Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce made from scratch. You get the ultimate flavourful balance of sweet, sour and tang!
This Thai Chicken Burgers recipe is a great mid-week dinner or weekend barbecue option. Marinade the chicken breast in the morning, and they’ll be ready by lunch or dinner. It’s that simple! Pan fried on the stove or on the grill / BBQ, you’ll still get those amazing gourmet flavours. These Thai Chicken Burgers are so delicious that people will be coming back for more!
Why these are the BEST Thai Chicken Burgers
- They are so fresh and TASTY from the combination of Thai flavours, but also healthy!
- The chicken is super juicy and tender from marinating in lime juice!
- Are quick and easy to throw together after marinading!
- Doesn’t require a lot of cooking equipment.
- Uses everyday ingredients that you’ll easily find at the supermarket.
- Is loaded with protein and fibre – so they will keep you feeling full.
Nutrition
ARE CHICKEN BURGERS HEALTHY?
Chicken burgers can be a healthy choice. It depends on the ingredients and cooking methods. Lean chicken breast, with plenty of veggies and wholegrain burger buns, is a great way to make them healthy. Meanwhile, healthy cooking methods include pan frying, grilling or baking. These Thai Chicken Burgers tick all of those boxes!
BENEFITS OF CHICKEN BREAST
Lean chicken breast can be a great option to use in burgers, as they come with many benefits such as:
- Lean chicken breast has more protein than chicken thighs. Our bodies use protein to maintain our muscles as we age, but also supports immune system function.
- Contain much less saturated fat than other cuts of chicken such as thighs, which is more beneficial to our heart and vascular health.
- Has a good amount of vitamin B3 (niacin), which helps our bodies unlock energy (our fuel) from the foods we eat.
- Contains vitamin B6, which supports immune system function and helps make red blood cells. Vitamin B6 is also used in over 100 enzyme reactions!
- Also has selenium, which helps regulate thyroid function. Selenium also doubles as an antioxidant to help prevent cell damage by neutralising free radicals.
Recipe suitability
On their own, these Thai Chicken Burgers are high in fibre, at 7.6g per serve. This makes them a fantastic choice for supporting gut health. They are also high in protein, with almost 35g per serve. They are low in fat (including saturated fat). These burgers use mostly low GI ingredients and can be made diabetes friendly. They can also be made gluten free, vegetarian and vegan.
Thai Chicken Burgers ingredients
THAI CHICKEN BURGERS
- Chicken breast – Preferably lean with the fat trimmed. Scroll up to read about the benefits of chicken breast.
- Lemon grass – A key ingredient in Thai Cooking. Adds a fresh, citrusy aroma and subtle lemon flavour.
- Garlic – Because everything is better with garlic!
- Fresh cilantro / coriander – Adds a freshness that Thai cuisine is known for.
- Fish sauce – A staple in Thai cooking that adds salt and depth of flavour. Can be EXTREMELY high in sodium. I used a vegan fish sauce from Niulife, which is roughly 30% lower in sodium than regular fish sauce. I picked this up from Woolworths.
- Chinese cooking wine – I used Pandaroo Chinese cooking wine as it is lower in sodium.
- Lime juice – It’s just not Thai without the lime. Adds a zesty freshness, a touch of acidity and helps to tenderise the chicken breasts to make them moist and juicy!
- Extra virgin olive oil – Helps with the caramelisation.
- Maple syrup – Adds a touch of sugar to assist with caramelising the chicken breast.
- Sesame oil – For extra flavour.
- Burger buns – Preferably wholegrain or whole wheat. These burger buns will have much more protein, fibre and other nutrients. Ran out of room, so included in the next photo lol.
QUICK PICKLED COLESLAW
- Red cabbage – Finely shredded. For a pop of colour and crunch in the coleslaw! Red cabbage is rich in vitamins C and K. Vitamin C doubles as an antioxidant and helps strengthen our immune systems to protect us from infections. Whereas vitamin K I used to make proteins for blood clotting and maintaining healthy bones.
- Carrot – Shaved. Carrots have a decent amount of dietary fibre and beta-carotene. Our bodies can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is important for eye health and vision. Some beta-carotene can also act as an antioxidant, which may help protect the body against disease.
- Cucumber – The main micronutrient you’ll find in cucumber is potassium, which our bodies need for just about everything! Potassium is used for kidney and heart function and helps maintain our fluid balance.
- Fresh cilantro / coriander – Adds a freshness to the coleslaw.
- Fish sauce – Adds a pinch of salt to help pickle the coleslaw.
- Rice wine vinegar – Has a mild and slightly sweet flavour, which helps to balance the fish sauce. Rice wine vinegar is sweeter than other types of vinegar, so it won’t overpower the flavour of the veggies.
TAMARIND SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
- Garlic – Some studies suggest that regularly eating garlic may help to reduce total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Which can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Ginger – Is loaded with antioxidants, which may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
- Rice wine vinegar – Is mildly sweet, which helps balance the fish sauce and tamarind paste.
- Water – Forms the base of the sauce.
- Maple syrup – To help balance the tang of the tamarind paste and fish sauce.
- Fish sauce – As above.
- Red chilli – I used long red cayenne chillies, which are milder than other varieties. Leave the seeds and membranes in if you like it spicy!
- Tamarind paste – Adds a tart but slightly sweet, fruity flavour to the sweet chilli sauce. It is traditionally used in Thai cooking to balance sourness and adds depth. I used Jeeny’s Tamarind Puree, which is available at Woolworths.
- Corn starch / flour – To thicken the sweet chilli sauce.
How to cut chicken breast for burgers?
Lay your chicken breast flat on a chopping board and place your hand on it to keep it steady. Using a sharp knife, cut along the long side of the chicken until the knife comes through the other side.
The trick with chicken breast is to make sure your cut is slightly bigger than your burger buns. This accounts for shrinkage (~20%) when cooked. After you’ve flattened out your chicken breast, cut away any large overhanging pieces. You will then have the perfect sized pieces for your burgers!
Or you can cheat by grabbing pre-cut chicken breast schnitzels (non-crumbed). I’ve used the chicken breast schnitzels from Woolworths for this recipe and found them to be a good size for burgers.
How do you flatten chicken breast for burgers?
If your chicken breast is thicker than 1cm / 0.4”, you will need to make it thinner so it cooks evenly.
Cover the chicken with either some plastic wrap or freezer plastic sheets. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breast until it is roughly 1cm / 0.4” thick. Alternatively, you can also use a rolling pin to pound the chicken (my nonna would be proud of this lol).
How to make Chicken Burgers
MARINADE THE CHICKEN BREAST
- Place the chicken breast pieces into a zip lock bag. Add the diced coriander, lemon grass, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice and Chinese cooking wine to the bag. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken breast.
- Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours to marinade. The longer you leave the chicken in the lime marinade, the more tender it becomes.
HOW TO COOK CHICKEN BURGERS IN A PAN
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat.
- Add the chicken breast to the frying pan and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken breast over and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast from the frying pan and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Other ways to cook Thai Chicken Burgers
ON THE GRILL / BBQ
- Heat a grill / bbq over medium heat.
- Add the chicken breast to the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken breast over and cook for a further 3-3 1/2 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Internal temp of Chicken Burgers
The FDA recommends that all cuts of chicken be cooked to an internal temperature of 64°C / 165°F. If you plan to check the internal temperatures of your chicken breast, make sure your thermometer is clean, and the tip is in the centre of the meat.
Your cooked chicken should have a firm texture with white flesh. And clear juices. If your chicken is pink or the juices are red, it is undercooked.
Thai Chicken Burger Toppings
I think my Quick Pickled Coleslaw and Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce are the perfect toppings for these Thai Chicken Burgers. They are sweet, tangy, and a little bit spicy, and compliment the flavours of the chicken breast.
QUICK PICKLED COLESLAW
- Add the shredded red cabbage, carrot and cucumber ribbons to a bowl. Tear the cilantro / coriander and add it to the bowl.
- Pour the fish sauce and rice wine vinegar over the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Set aside the pickled coleslaw until ready to assemble
TAMARIND SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
- Pour the water and rice wine vinegar into a small pot. Add the garlic, ginger, maple syrup, fish sauce, chilli and tamarind paste. Stir to mix.
- Heat the pot over high heat. Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with an additional tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sweet chilli sauce and stir to mix.
- Return the sweet chilli sauce to the heat and cook until the sauce has thickened and turned a deep red.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside to cool before storing it in the fridge.
Assembling the Thai Chicken Burgers
- Cut your burger buns in half (if needed) and toast the insides of the burger buns (optional).
- On the base of the bun, add 1 cup of the quick pickled coleslaw, followed by a piece of chicken. Top the chicken the Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce (or other sauce) and the other half of the burger bun.
- Serve the Thai Chicken Burgers immediately with your favourite sides!
Serve with
Here are some side options I think would go great with these Thai Chicken Burgers:
Storage
The cooked chicken breast and quick pickled coleslaw will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Whereas the Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge.
To reheat, place the chicken breast in a microwave safe container. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot.
Thai Chicken Burgers FAQ
Absolutely! Just cook the chicken breast according to the recipe. Store them in the fridge and heat in the microwave before serving!
Absolutely! The sauce will keep for twice as long as the Thai Chicken Burgers. So you can even make it a few days in advance.
They can, but you won’t get the same caramelisation from pan frying them on the stove or on the grill / BBQ.
You can! However, I don’t think cheese would suit these burgers, but each to their own.
These Thai Chicken Burgers can easily be adjusted for diabetics. Swap the maple syrup for a sugar free variety and use low carb burger rolls or a lettuce wrap.
Ground chicken patties often require a binder. More often than not, the binder is breadcrumbs, which contain gluten. Using chicken breast removes the need for a binder, making them gluten free.
If your chicken breast is dry and chewy, then it is likely overcooked.
No, if your chicken is still pink, it is undercooked and should not be eaten.
I think my Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce is the best choice for these Thai Chicken Burgers. This sauce is full of punchy sweet and sour Thai flavour. Which pairs perfectly with the marinated chicken breast and quick pickled coleslaw. Otherwise you can use regular sweet chilli sauce, or even satay sauce would work.
You sure can! If you’re not feeling the burger bun, just leave it out.
Substitutes & variations
THAI CHICKEN BURGERS
- Chicken thighs – Trim all the visible fat and pound to 1cm thickness. Note: Using chicken thighs will increase the amount of fat in the dish.
- Other marinade ingredients – Kafir lime leaf (very thinly sliced), ginger (1-2 tsp grated), diced red chili or red chili flakes.
- Fish sauce – You can use regular fish sauce but note that it will greatly increase the amount of sodium.
QUICK PICKLED COLESLAW
- Vinegar – You can use white wine vinegar if you cannot find rice wine vinegar. Do not use regular white vinegar for the coleslaw, as it will overpower the flavours of the burger.
- Spring / green onions – For a mild onion flavour.
- Nuts – Crushed peanuts would suit.
- Other salad – You can also use plain lettuce, tomato and onion.
TAMARIND SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
- Red chilli – Can be substituted for 1/4 cup of crushed red chilli or (has seeds, so it will be much spicier!) I don’t recommend using Sambal Oelek, as it can be extremely high in sodium. Plus, the sweet chilli sauce already contains plenty of sodium from the fish sauce.
- Vinegar – You can use white wine vinegar if you cannot find rice wine vinegar. Do not use regular white vinegar; the flavour will be too strong.
- Other sauces – I highly recommend using this sauce as the flavour combination is out of this world! However, you can substitute it for other sauces like regular sweet chilli, just choose one that is the lowest in sugar and sodium.
Other dietary
Diabetes friendly – Use sugar free maple syrup and swap the burger buns for a low carb variety or have your burger in a lettuce wrap.
Gluten free – Swap the burger buns for a gluten free variety.
No onion / garlic – Substitute the garlic in the Thai marinade for 1-2 tsp of grated ginger, and leave out the garlic in the Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce.
Vegetarian / vegan – Swap the chicken breast for a thin piece of firm tofu or a meat free chicken substitute (e.g. Quorn). For vegan, use vegan friendly fish sauce and burger buns or have your burger in a lettuce wrap.
Tips for Thai Chicken Burgers
I do not recommend marinating the chicken breast for longer than 24 hours. The lime juice will cook the chicken breast and make it go mushy.
If pounding the chicken breast, try to make sure they are as close to 1cm / 0.4” as possible. If your chicken breast is uneven, the thinner side will likely be overcooked and dry.
Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking, as it will help it to cook more evenly. Just pull the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for ~20 minutes.
Make sure to rest the chicken for at least 5 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to settle.
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Ingredients
THAI CHICKEN BURGERS
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in half (~125g each)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro / coriander, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp fish sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp chinese cooking wine
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 4 burger buns, preferably wholegrain / whole wheat
QUICK PICKLED COLESLAW
- 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot, peeled into ribbons
- 1 cup cucumber, peeled into ribbons
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp fish sauce (Note 3)
TAMARIND SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp fish sauce (Note 3)
- 4 large red cayenne chillies
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tsp corn flour / starch
Instructions
MARINADE THE CHICKEN BREAST
- Place the chicken breast pieces into a zip lock bag. Add the diced coriander, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice and Chinese cooking wine to the bag. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken breast.
- Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours to marinade. The longer you leave the chicken in the lime marinade, the more tender it becomes.
COOKING THE THAI CHICKEN BURGERS
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat.
- Add the chicken breast to the frying pan and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken breast over and cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breast from the frying pan and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
QUICK PICKLED COLESLAW
- Add the shredded red cabbage, carrot and cucumber ribbons to a bowl. Tear the cilantro / coriander and add it to the bowl.
- Pour the fish sauce and rice wine vinegar over the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Set aside the pickled coleslaw until ready to assemble.
TAMARIND SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
- Pour the water and rice wine vinegar into a small pot. Add the garlic, ginger, maple syrup, fish sauce, chilli and tamarind paste. Stir to mix.
- Heat the pot over high heat. Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with an additional tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sweet chilli sauce and stir to mix.
- Return the sweet chilli sauce to the heat and cook until the sauce has thickened and turned a deep red.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside to cool before storing it in the fridge.
ASSEMBLING THE THAI CHICKEN BURGERS
- Cut your burger buns in half (if needed) and toast the insides of the burger buns (optional).
- On the base of the bun, add 1 cup of the quick pickled coleslaw, followed by apiece of chicken. Top the chicken the Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce (or other sauce) and the other half of the burger bun.
- Serve the Thai Chicken Burgers immediately with your favourite sides!
Notes
- Health benefits - Details regarding the benefits of chicken breast and other ingredients in this recipe are in the post above.
- Other cooking methods & instructions with photos - Detailed in the post above.
- Fish sauce - Can be EXTREMELY high in sodium. I used a vegan fish sauce from Niulife, which is roughly 30% lower in sodium than regular fish sauce. I picked this up from Woolworths. However, this recipe would also work with regular fish sauce.
- Tamarind sweet chilli sauce - I highly recommend using this sauce as the flavour combination is out of this world! However, you can substitute it for other sauces like regular sweet chilli, just choose one that is the lowest in sugar and sodium.
- Diabetes friendly – Use sugar free maple syrup. Swap the burger buns for a low carb variety or have your burger in a lettuce wrap.
- Gluten free – Swap the burger buns for a gluten free variety.
- No onion / garlic – Substitute the garlic in the Thai marinade for 1-2 tsp of grated ginger. Leave out the garlic in the Tamarind Sweet Chilli Sauce.
- Vegetarian / vegan – Swap the chicken breast for a thin piece of firm tofu or a meat free chicken substitute (e.g. Quorn). For vegan, use vegan friendly fish sauce and burger buns or have your burger in a lettuce wrap.
- Serve with - See post above for suggested sides and other toppings.
- Nutrition - Calculated per serve, assuming 4 serves with no sides.