Friends don’t let friends eat boring burgers, so these juicy chicken chorizo burgers are PACKED with flavor! Lean ground chicken + bold chorizo pair with fresh mix-ins to create a delicious burger that’s perfect any night of the week.
These Protein-Packed Chicken Burgers Are A Delicious, Flavorful Change of Pace
I loooove chicken burgers. They’re typically a little leaner and lighter fare than beef, while still packing in plenty of protein. This version stays nice and juicy, with layers of delicious flavor in every bite.
⏱️ EASE: Some quick mincing & mixing, then you’re off to the races! You can pan fry or air fry these burgers, but I love air frying since it’s even more hands-off. (A bonus perk on a busy weeknight!)
🌶️ FLAVORS: Smoky chorizo, seasoned chicken, a little kick from jalapeño, and fresh herb note from cilantro. The cool, creamy avocado lime mayo is the perfect complement!
🍔 KID-FRIENDLY. Even though chorizo and jalapeño are involved, these burgers are still kid-friendly and not *too* spicy. Try making slider-sized patties for little eaters or cut them up into bite-sized pieces & serve the sauce on the side for dipping. (No judgement if you set out some ketchup!)
💡 TOP TIPS: Make sure to buy ground Mexican chorizo, not cured links of Spanish chorizo for this recipe!
Happy cooking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
How To Make Chicken Chorizo Burgers, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
First Make The Burgers
- Combine. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, chorizo, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork (or your hands!) just until the mixture is evenly blended. Try to be gentle and use a light touch so you don’t overwork the mixture.
- Shape. Divide the mixture and form into 6 patties. (I try to make them just slightly larger than the size of my burger buns, since they’ll shrink slightly when cooked).
- Cook Burgers in a lightly greased pan over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side or until the center of the burgers reach 165 degrees F and the outside is a deep golden brown. You’ll likely need to work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Alternatively, you can work in batches and air fry the burgers for 12-15 minutes at 380 degrees F.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy your chicken chorizo burger on a hamburger bun or in lettuce wrap with avocado mayo and your favorite toppings.
While The Burgers Cook, Make The Mayo
- Combine. In a blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend or pulse until the mixture well combined.
- Taste & Adjust. Then, taste and add additional lime juice, salt, or other seasonings, to taste.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away on burgers or cover well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftover avocado lime mayo will stay fresh 4-5 days in the fridge. The lime juice should help prevent browning, but you can also help this by pressing a layer of plastic wrap down onto the surface of the mayo to avoid extra air exposure.
Make It A Meal! (Serving Suggestions)
Since you probably don’t want to serve *just* burgers for dinner, let’s talk side dishes! Round out the meal with one or two of these yummy faves:
- Cilantro Lime Slaw or Pineapple Slaw. A quick slaw is inexpensive and easy to mix up. Our tangy cilantro lime slaw is a great mayo-free option, while the creamy pineapple slaw pairs nicely with the flavors in these burgers. You do you!
- Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries. I LOVE a burger and fries and these baked sweet potato fries pack a little more nutrition than fast food fries do. The fry seasoning is AMAZING.
- Honey Lime Fruit Salad or Fresh Fruit. Then, I love to serve a yummy fruit salad or whatever fruit is in season–pineapple, watermelon, grapes…you name it! Our honey lime fruit salad is a great option, since the flavors complement the burgers so well.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Chicken Chorizo Burgers
How to Prep Ahead
Want to get ahead on dinner prep? The burger patties can be mixed up and shaped, then covered and chilled up to 1 day in advance before cooking, while the avocado lime mayo can easily be made several hours in advance. Make sure to cover the mayo well with a layer of plastic wrap to help prevent browning!
More Sauces You Can Try!
If you’re not feeling the avocado mayo, try substituting our Creamy Chipotle Ranch, a dollop of Classic Guacamole (or Pineapple Guacamole!), or some peppery Comeback Sauce.
Dietary Adjustments
- Gluten-Free. For gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free chorizo and gluten-free buns. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free!
- Dairy-Free. Just don’t serve with cheese! All other ingredients are naturally dairy-free.
- Lower Carb. Feel free to skip the buns and serve these burgers in lettuce wraps!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Chicken Chorizo Burger recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Chicken Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Lime Mayo
Ingredients
For Chicken Chorizo Burgers
- 1 pound ground chicken breast*
- 1/2 pound ground chorizo casings removed (if necessary)*
- 1 jalapeño (2-3 Tablespoons) seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For Avocado Lime Mayo
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise I use olive oil mayo
- ½ medium ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings, For Serving:
- 6 Hamburger buns (Gluten-Free, as needed!)
- Lettuce leaves
- Tomato slices
- Caramelized, sliced, or pickled onions
- Cheese slices (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, etc.)
Instructions
For Chicken Chorizo Burgers:
- Combine. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken breast, chorizo, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork (or your hands!) just until the mixture is evenly blended. Try to be gentle and use a light touch so you don't overwork the mixture.
- Shape. Divide the mixture and form into 6 patties. (I try to make them just slightly larger than the size of my burger buns, since they'll shrink slightly when cooked).
- Cook Burgers in a lightly greased pan over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side or until the center of the burgers reach 165 degrees F. You'll likely need to work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Alternatively, you can work in batches and air fry the burgers for 12-15 minutes at 380 degrees F.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy burgers on buns or in lettuce wraps with avocado mayo and your favorite toppings.
For Avocado Lime Mayo:
- Combine. While the burgers cook, make the avocado lime mayo. In a blender or food processor, combine mayo, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend or pulse until the mixture well combined.
- Taste & Adjust. Then, taste and add additional lime juice, salt, or other seasonings, to taste.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away on burgers or cover well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftover avocado lime mayo will stay fresh 4-5 days in the fridge. The lime juice should help prevent browning, but you can also help this by pressing a layer of plastic wrap down onto the surface of the mayo to avoid extra air exposure.
Notes
- Chicken Breast. I prefer ground chicken breast to regular ground chicken in this recipe since it’s leaner and has a more neutral flavor, both of which pair better with the chorizo.
- Gluten-Free. For gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free chorizo and gluten-free buns.
- Lower Carb. Feel free to skip the buns and serve these burgers in lettuce wraps!
- Adding Cheese? Add slices on top of the burgers 2-3 minutes before the burgers are done cooking to help it melt!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/chicken-chorizo-burgers/Recipe originally shared August 2009. Fully updated with improved recipe, new photos, and video and republished July 2025.
I LOVED IT! Such amazing flavor and the flavor is even better with the avocado lime mayo! If you have any of the sauce leftover, you can use it as a dip!
These are amazing! So flavorful
Emily–I made these last night for dinner and they were sooooo delicious! I love your recipes…keep ’em coming! Seth likes them too..he happily partakes of anything I tell him is “an Emily Dixon” recipe 🙂