11 Ground Chicken Recipes For Affordable, High-Protein Lunches & Dinners
Ground chicken gets a bad rap, but it can be so good in the right dish.
Yeah yeah, we’re all trying to eat one trillion grams of protein in a day now (not literally, but it sure feels like it some days). Chicken is known for being the most protein-heavy meat option out there, and ground chicken is its most affordable form in many cases. You can substitute ground chicken into pretty much any of your favorite ground beef recipes, but sometimes when I use ground turkey or chicken this way, I can taste the difference and it’s just not as satisfying. These ground chicken recipes are meant for the leaner, meaner protein, and they definitely don’t taste like something’s missing. With dinners like white chicken lasagna and copycat P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps on the menu, who needs beef anyway?
Admittedly, ground chicken (and especially ground turkey) can get dry very easily when cooking. It’s important that you know this upfront so you can use it in dishes where you know it’ll stay moist, like in a soup or chili, or get doused in sauce somewhere along the way, like inside an enchilada. You can’t expect ground chicken to make the juiciest meatloaf of your life, but you can count on it to be a high-protein, lean filling in your new favorite white chicken and spinach lasagna (more on that in a minute).
01Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)
Tsukune are Japanese chicken meatballs, typically grilled on a skewer and covered in tare sauce (similar to teriyaki). A Cookie Named Desire’s recipe blends mushrooms into the meatballs for added depth of flavor, then serves them up with kale and coconut rice.
02White Chicken & Spinach Lasagna
Lasagna doesn’t have to mean red sauce and ground beef. This white chicken and spinach lasagna from Dude That Cookz turns some humble ground chicken into a decadent, cheesy dinner that will satisfy the whole family. This is one your kids (and the adults in the fam) will ask for again and again.
03The Best Chicken Burgers
This recipe from All The Healthy Things will help you turn ground chicken — not known for being incredibly flavorful to start with — into juicy, delicious burgers right in your own kitchen. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the toppings. A little marinara and mozzarella would transform them into chicken parm burgers, or you could add buffalo sauce and blue cheese for a wings-inspired sandwich.
04P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Perhaps the most famous usage of ground chicken is in P.F. Chang’s famous lettuce wraps, which you can recreate using Damn Delicious’ recipe. They’re an excellent weeknight dinner you can whip up in 20 minutes, and the filling is easy to double and freeze for later.
05Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
Chicken and buffalo sauce just go together, you know? Fit Slow Cooker Queen’s chili recipe is a great way to get the classic flavor combo without having to order in wings. It can be ready in about three and a half hours, or you can cook it low and slow all day. I’d top mine with bleu cheese crumbles and lots of green onion.
06Orange Ground Chicken
If you’re craving takeout but don’t want to cave, you could try and get a similar flavor profile out of your dinner with this orange ground chicken recipe from Family Fresh Meals. You’ll need a few special ingredients to pull it off, like orange marmalade and ginger paste, but in 30 minutes you’ll have a really nutritious version of your fave takeout meal without the Uber Eats upcharges.
07Italian Wedding Soup
Foodie Crush’s Italian wedding soup recipe calls for ground beef, but specifies that turkey or chicken would sub in nicely to make your meatballs. There’s so much good flavor in this recipe from fresh herbs, veggies, and spices that you won’t really even notice what protein is bobbing around in your bowl.
08Enchilada Casserole
Much like the Italian wedding soup, this cheesy, saucy enchilada casserole (courtesy of Princess Pinky Girl) has so much deliciousness happening, you’ll never taste the difference between ground beef or ground chicken in the filling. Personally, I love enchiladas but hate the labor-intensive part of rolling them up individually, so this casserole-style recipe where you just layer everything up a couple of times really speaks to me.
09Chicken Dumplings
If you’re not intimidated by the idea of making your own dough, What Jew Wanna Eat’s chicken dumpling recipe looks seriously delicious. Boil, steam, or fry them as you wish (and if the dough is what’s stopping you from trying them, remember that you can buy pre-made dumpling wrappers at your local Asian grocery market).
10Ground Chicken Green Thai Curry
If you’re trying to fit more veggies into your diet, you need to try Averie Cooks’ Thai green curry with ground chicken, broccoli, zucchini, and spinach. You can adjust the spice level to your liking, sub in other proteins or tofu crumbles depending on your preference, and have a delicious, nutritious meal ready in about half an hour.
11Ground Chicken Tacos
Making easy, tasty tacos at home is really all about good seasonings and a great selection of toppings. This recipe from All The Healthy Things uses a homemade spice blend and a little arrowroot starch to make it all really coat the chicken well. It’s also loaded with inspo on what to include in your toppings spread, from pickled onions to quick homemade salsas.
