There’s a version of tonight where you’re standing at the grill with a cold beer, the whole yard smells incredible, and everyone comes rushing to the table without being asked. You can thank these buffalo chicken burgers for that.
Chicken wings are a personal favorite in this house, but could we make chicken burgers taste that good, too? We decided to give it a go, and after the first bite, the only debate we were having was whether blue cheese or ranch was the perfect topper (I voted for blue cheese, but lost that one). The only thing we recommend for these is not using ground chicken from Costco, as we find it really wet and hard to shape the burgers. We like the ground chicken at our local market so much better. If you’re working through a lot of chicken recipes this summer, sourcing matters more than people think.
These are fast enough for a weeknight and good enough to put chicken burgers on permanent summer rotation.
🔪 Ingredients for Grilled Buffalo Chicken Burgers
For the Buffalo Sauce:
- Unsalted butter
- Frank’s RedHot Original: not Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce, not a generic hot sauce – Frank’s Original is the specific flavor that people swear by for this taste right
- Fresh lemon juice: just a half teaspoon, but it lifts the whole sauce and keeps it from tasting flat
For the Buffalo Chicken Patties:
- Ground chicken: look for 93/7 or similar – leaner than beef but you want a little fat or the patties will be mealy; avoid anything labeled extra lean
- Breadcrumbs: plain, not seasoned – they hold moisture through the high-heat cook and help the patties stay together on the grates. We use pork panko to keep things low-carb in the GC Meat Labs.
- Buffalo sauce: from your batch above, it goes directly into the mix
- Celery & Green onion
- Salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper
To Serve:
- Brioche burger buns: the slight sweetness plays well against the heat; toast them cut-side down on the grill for 30-60 seconds
- Ranch sauce
- Lettuce, tomato slices, red onion slices, pickles
Equipment
- Outdoor grill: gas or charcoal, both work; target 400–450°F
- Small saucepan: for the buffalo sauce — two minutes, low heat
- Instant-read thermometer: non-negotiable with ground chicken; 165°F is your target temp. If you’re still building out your grilling kit, this is the tool that earns its spot first.
📝 How to Make Grilled Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- Make the buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt ⅓ cup unsalted butter. Stir in ⅓ cup Frank’s RedHot and ½ tsp lemon juice until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside – it will hold at room temp while you prep the patties.
- Build the patty mix. In a bowl, combine 1 lb ground chicken, ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp of the buffalo sauce, 2 tbsp finely diced celery, 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix just until combined; overmixing makes dense, tough patties.
- Form and chill. Divide into 4 equal patties, about ¾ inch thick. Chill for at least 10 minutes – this step firms the mix so the patties release cleanly from the grates instead of tearing.
- Heat and oil the grill. Preheat to medium-high (400–450°F). Clean the grates and oil them right before the patties go on; ground chicken is lean and will stick to dirty or dry grates.
- Grill. Place patties on the oiled grates. Grill 5–6 minutes per side, flipping once, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Resist the urge to press them down… that pushes moisture out.
- Brush with sauce. Right when the patties come off the grill, brush the remaining buffalo sauce generously over the top.
- Toast the buns. During the last minute of cooking, place the brioche buns, cut-side down, on the grill for 30–60 seconds, until lightly golden. Watch them – brioche goes from toasted to charred faster than regular buns.
- Build and serve. Spread ranch sauce on both bun halves. Layer lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles. Set the sauced patty on top and serve immediately – these lose their edge fast once they sit.
🔄 Substitutions
- Ground chicken → ground turkey: works nearly identically in texture and cook time; flavor is milder but the sauce carries it
- Frank’s RedHot → other Louisiana-style hot sauces: Tabasco or Crystal will work but the flavor shifts — Frank’s has a specific vinegar-pepper balance that defines buffalo; avoid thicker sauces or anything labeled “wing sauce” (already has butter added)
- Breadcrumbs → panko: works fine, same ratio; finely crush it first if your panko is coarse. We use pork panko in our kitchen to keep these low-carb.
- Brioche buns → potato rolls: solid substitute, slightly less sweet; a standard hamburger bun works but won’t hold up as well to the sauce
- Ranch → blue cheese dressing: the classic buffalo pairing; punchier flavor, doesn’t cool the heat as neutrally
- Outdoor grill → cast iron skillet: cook over medium heat 5–6 minutes per side; you’ll lose the char marks but the patty itself is just as good
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- The chill is not optional. Ground chicken is wetter than ground beef. Without 10 minutes in the fridge after forming, the patties are too soft to handle the grill without tearing. If you have 30 minutes, even better.
- Oil the grates right before the patties go on, not in advance. Oil applied too early burns off by the time you’re ready. Use a folded paper towel dipped in neutral oil, and tongs to wipe the grates quickly right before cooking.
- Pull at 165°F and rest 2–3 minutes. Carryover cooking will coast the temp to 167–168°F. Ground chicken pulled even slightly past 165°F gets noticeably dry – this is a recipe where the thermometer earns its spot in the drawer.
- The Buffalo sauce goes on hot, off the grill. If you brush while still on the grates, the sauce can flare or char. Pull the patty, sauce immediately, let it set for 60 seconds to get tacky on the chicken patties.
🍽️ What to Serve with Grilled Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- Celery sticks and ranch on the side: you’re basically eating a buffalo wing in burger form at that point
- Cold, crispy coleslaw: cuts through the heat without competing with it
- Grilled Fajita Burgers: completely different flavor direction on the same grill, same cook time, so both finish together without any juggling
🧊 Leftovers and Storage
- Store cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days
- Store separately from the buns and toppings – assembled burgers don’t reheat well
- Reheat in a 325°F oven for 8–10 minutes, covered loosely with foil, to keep moisture in; microwave works but softens the exterior
- Raw patty mix (uncooked) can be refrigerated up to 24 hours; do not freeze raw ground chicken that has already been mixed and formed
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Craving all the flavor of buffalo chicken wings but in burger form? Yeah, we went there — and after the first bite, we’re never going back.
Prevent your screen from going to sleep
Make the Buffalo Sauce
-
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the Frank’s RedHot and lemon juice until smooth, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Mix the Patties
-
Combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp buffalo sauce, celery, green onion, and seasonings. Mix just until combined – do not overmix or the burgers will get dense
Grill
-
Preheat your grill to grill to 400–450°F. Oil the grates. Grill patties 5–6 minutes per side, flipping once, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
Sauce and Serve
-
Brush the remaining buffalo sauce over hot patties and let it set.
-
Toast buns cut-side down 30–60 seconds. Spread the ranch dressing on the buns, add your favorite toppings, and serve immediately, with a little more ranch on top before adding the bun.
- Ground chicken dries out fast – pull the burgers from the grill at exactly at 165°F and rest 2–3 minutes
- The 10-minute chill for the ground chicken patties is not optional; it’s what keeps the patties from tearing on the grates
- Oil the grates right before cooking, not in advance – this helps the chicken from sticking
- The buffalo sauce goes on after the patties come off the grill to avoid flare-ups
- For a Charcoal grill: Set up the grill for direct heat with lit charcoal. Cover, adjust the air vents, and let the grill preheat to around 400–450°F. The char you get from charcoal is the best version of this burger. We use Cowboy Charcoal briquets and a classic Weber grill for burgers like these.
- For a Gas grill: Turn all the burners to medium-high and preheat the grill to 400-450°. When you’re ready to cook, make a two-zone fire by turning off 2 of the 4 or 1 of the 3 burners to reduce flare-ups from the butter in the sauce.
- For a Griddle/flat top: Allow the griddle to preheat to around 400°F. Cook the chicken burgers over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes per side. You lose the char marks, but the crust that develops on a hot flat top is genuinely good — press them slightly on contact for better surface contact, then leave them alone and don’t pull or tug at them, or the burger will tear.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 766kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1999mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1265IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
Quick Summary
Grilled buffalo chicken burgers are ground chicken patties mixed with homemade Frank’s butter sauce, celery, and seasonings, grilled to 165°F, and brushed with more sauce right off the heat. The 10-minute chill before grilling is the move that keeps them from falling apart. Ready in 30 minutes, built for the grill — and a solid addition to your burger night rotation.
❓ FAQs
Two reasons: the mix is too wet, or the patties weren’t chilled before cooking. Make sure you’re using breadcrumbs (they absorb moisture), avoid overmixing, and chill the formed patties for at least 10 minutes before they go on the grates. Oiled grates are also essential — dry grates will tear lean patties on contact.
Yes — a cast-iron skillet over medium heat works well. Cook 5–6 minutes per side until the internal temp reaches 165°F. You lose the char and the smoke, but the patty itself holds up the same way. A hot skillet and a quick sear get you close.
Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce already has butter added, which changes the flavor and makes it thicker. For this recipe, you want Frank’s RedHot Original — you’re making your own butter sauce from scratch, so adding the wing sauce would double up on butter and throw off the balance. Original only.
