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Poultry · Chicken

Ground chicken

Minced chicken, lean and mild; for meatballs, burgers, keema, larb, dumplings and lettuce cups.

Also called: minced chicken, chicken mince, chicken keema

A kind of chicken

6 recipes with it

What it is

Ground chicken is chicken meat, often a mix of breast and thigh, put through a mincer. It is paler, softer and leaner than minced beef or pork and stickier to handle. Mince made with more thigh is juicier.

How it’s used

  • Chicken keema
  • Meatballs, kofta and burgers
  • Larb and stir-fried lettuce cups
  • Dumpling and wonton fillings
  • Tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs)

Characteristics

Taste
Mild; takes on seasonings readily.
Texture
Soft and sticky raw; tender and fine-crumbed cooked.
When cooked
Can be dry in burgers; add moisture (grated onion, breadcrumbs soaked in milk). Wet hands make shaping easier.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for grilling

Storage

Refrigerated. Mince spoils faster than whole cuts: keep cold, use within a day or so of buying, or freeze.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Mincing spreads surface bacteria through the meat, so cook minced poultry right through to 74 °C (165 °F), with no pink remaining.
  • Keep raw mince away from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, boards and knives after handling.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
143 kcal
Protein
17.44 g
Carbohydrate
0.04 g
Fat
8.1 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Chicken, ground, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with ground chicken

More chicken