These healthy ground chicken recipes are perfect for those who want to enjoy all the flavors of their favorite comfort foods without all the guilt. From savory to sweet, there’s something here to satisfy everyone’s appetite.
Keto diets are all the rage these days, and for a good reason. They’re an excellent way to lose weight, and they’re also pretty darn delicious. But if you’re not used to cooking with keto ingredients, it can be a challenge to come up with new and exciting recipes.
We’ve put together this list of our favorite ground chicken recipes. These are all perfect for anyone on a keto diet, and they’re all super tasty too. Trust us, you’ll be making these again and again.
Ground Chicken and Keto Recipes – Why They’re Perfect
The idea of keto dieting revolves around low-carb, high-fat eating. This means that you’ll be cutting out many carbs from your diet, like bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice. In their place, you’ll be eating more healthy fats and proteins.
Ground chicken is the perfect protein for keto diets because it’s low in carbs and high in healthy fats, depending on which part of the chicken we’re talking about.
However, what makes the chicken so special is that it’s incredibly versatile and can be used in different recipes, regardless of whether you’re thinking of using chicken breast or wings or if you want to go for thighs or drumsticks.
This means that you can get creative with your keto recipes and develop some truly delicious and healthy meals. So, here are our favorite healthy ground chicken recipes without further ado.
20 Easy Ground Chicken Recipes with Few Ingredients
Creating this list of recipes was pretty tough because we wanted to make sure that every recipe was not only healthy but also delicious, easy to follow, and relatively quick to make.
We think we succeeded and have ended up with a list of 20 recipes that fit all of those criteria. You’ll find everything from chicken enchiladas to meatballs to burgers, so there’s something for everyone here.
1. Buffalo Chicken Chili – Best Ground Chicken Recipes
We’re sure you’ve never considered chili as diet food. Still, if you’re going with a keto diet and follow this delicious recipe from Lemons for Lulu, you can enjoy a big bowl of chili without worrying about your waistline.
The best part is that it’s pretty healthy, too, thanks to the ground chicken, which is high in protein and low in fat.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Chili powder
- Blue Cheese
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth
- Chopped celery
- Chopped onions
- Crushed tomatoes
- Buffalo wing sauce
- Canned pinto beans
- Chopped green pepper
Ground meat is usually found in different leanness percentages, and in the case of this chili recipe, we recommend that you get the fattest ground chicken you can get your hand on.
Similarly, we recommend that you serve this chili together with the fattest cheese you can find since you’ll need to supplement the calories with as much fat as possible.
2. Ground Chicken Fajita Spaghetti Squash – Pasta with Ground Chicken Recipes
Normally speaking, pasta and keto diets are two things that don’t go together. However, if you make this delicious and healthy ground chicken fajita spaghetti squash from Nutmeg Nanny, you’ll be using a low-carb workaround.
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti squash
- Ground chicken
- Limes
- Cumin
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Kosher salt
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- Red bell pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Chunky salsa
- Sour cream
- Chopped cilantro
- Green bell pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Chopped tomatoes
- Mexican blend cheese
As for the low-carb workaround we mentioned earlier, the secret to this spaghetti dish is that it doesn’t use any spaghetti.
It uses spaghetti squash, a type of squash that’s been baked and then shredded into very long spaghetti-like strips.
This is just one of many keto-friendly spaghetti alternatives you could try, but we think it’s the best one.
3. Bacon Chicken Casserole – Cheesy Ground Chicken Recipes
Many people find chicken meat to be quite tasteless, and that’s why the key to cooking it is to know your way around seasonings.
Thankfully enough, the keto diet allows us to eat lots of fat, and as you probably know, some of the tastiest foods out there are also high in fat, such as cheese and bacon.
We chose this delicious casserole from My Keto Kitchen as one of our favorite ground chicken recipes. It’s loaded with cheese and bacon, so you can be sure that it’s packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Cooked bacon
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Diced onion
- Sour cream
- Heavy cream
- Fresh oregano
- Crushed garlic
- Ground pepper
Read the full article to see the exact ingredient amounts and what steps you’ll need to take to make this delicious recipe, but trust us when we say that it’s probably one of the tastiest and most filling keto dishes you’ll ever try.
4. Keto Burgers – Ground Chicken Recipes Healthy
While beef and pork are the stars of any burger recipe, there’s no reason why chicken can’t be used as well.
These delicious and healthy keto chicken burgers from Fit to Serve Group are not only healthier but also tastier than any beef or pork burger you’ve ever had.
Besides, how many times do you have the chance (and are allowed) to eat burgers while on a diet?
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- White onion
- Garlic cloves
- Almond flour
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Unsalted butter
- Chipotle powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Chopped parsley
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ground black pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Grated Parmesan cheese
We liked this original recipe because they swapped the regular wheat flour with almond flour, which is a very popular keto-friendly flour alternative.
However, keep in mind that only the actual patties will be keto if you follow this recipe, so be mindful of what kind of hamburger buns you’ll be using; otherwise, it’ll defeat the purpose.
For example, you can easily swap out the typical wheat buns with some homemade keto cheese buns instead.
5. Keto Meatballs – Simple Ground Chicken Recipes
There aren’t many ways you can cook ground meat, regardless of whether it’s beef or poultry, and one go-to idea is to take the meat and roll it up into small delicious meatballs.
That’s exactly what we have here with these delicious and simple ground chicken meatballs from A Wicked Whisk.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Large egg
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne powder
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese
We like this recipe because it only takes a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen, yet the final result is delicious and healthy.
Besides, typical meatball recipes usually ask for ingredients that aren’t exactly keto-friendly, such as flour or breadcrumbs, to act as a binder. Still, this recipe uses Parmesan cheese instead, which is keto and delicious.
Sure enough, meatballs go well with fries, but since fries are tabu in keto diets, the next best thing is to pair your fries with some keto zucchini fries instead.
6. Meatballs – Asian Ground Chicken Recipes
Asian cuisine has always been a great inspiration for chicken dishes, and these delicious Asian-inspired chicken meatballs from Step Away from the Carbs are no exception.
All of the original ingredients are keto-approved, so there’s no need to try finding alternatives that may or may not change the taste of this dish.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Eggs
- Garlic paste
- Black pepper
- Ginger paste
- Soy sauce or tamari
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Low-carb breadcrumbs or pork rind crumbs
Not all meatballs are created equal, and these Asian-inspired chicken meatballs are a cut above the rest. Besides, they’re also very easy to make, and you can even make a big batch and freeze them for later.
7. Healthy Spaghetti Sauce – Ground Chicken Recipes Crockpot
Sometimes you can use ground meat for something other than the main dish, and this delicious and healthy spaghetti sauce from Easy Low Carb is a great example.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic
- Tomato paste
- Diced zucchini
- Diced tomatoes
- Italian seasoning
- Sliced mushrooms
- Diced green bell pepper
- Low-carb pasta sauce such as Rao’s
This recipe is not only delicious but also very versatile, as you can use it as a pasta sauce, pizza sauce, or even as a dipping sauce. Plus, it’s very easy to make, and it can even be made in a Crockpot.
Suppose you want to make this recipe even healthier. You can even swap the tomato paste (which is usually loaded with added sugar) and the low-carb pasta sauce with some homemade keto tomato sauce.
It’s healthier and tastier, and you don’t have to worry about hidden ingredients either.
8. Low-Carb Chicken Biryani – Ground Chicken Recipes Indian
If you’ve ever had regular chicken biryani before, you probably know that it’s a dish loaded with rice and, therefore, loaded with carbs.
The folks over at Two Sleevers have come up with a delicious and low-carb alternative that’s just as good as the real thing.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Water
- Ghee
- Turmeric
- Kosher salt
- Ground cumin
- Garam Masala
- Riced cauliflower
- Chopped cilantro
- Ground coriander
- Ginger garlic paste
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped mint leaves
- Diced jalapeño peppers
Many of you may be wondering what exactly is riced cauliflower, and the answer is simple: it’s just cauliflower that’s been grated into small pieces, so it resembles rice.
Besides being low in carbs, this ingredient is also very healthy, as it’s a great source of fiber and vitamins, and we’ve written a step-by-step guide on how to make riced cauliflower to make things even easier for you.
9. Keto Ground Chicken Tacos – Ground Chicken Recipes Low Carb
We love Mexican dishes, but most are not keto-friendly because they’re usually loaded with carbs from the tortillas.
This delicious and low-carb chicken taco recipe from Keto in Pearls teaches you how to make the delicious filling, and then you can use plenty of keto-friendly ways to serve it.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Cumin
- Pepper
- Coriander
- Avocado oil
- Minced garlic
- Diced red onion
- Chopped bell pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Chicken broth
- Xanthan gum
- Chili powder
- Coriander
- Cilantro
If you follow the recipe and now have your keto-friendly taco filling, the biggest challenge will be figuring out a keto-friendly way of serving it, right?
Well, there are plenty of options for you to try, such as:
- Nacho style together with some homemade keto cheese chips
- Salad style together with a lot of keto-approved vegetables
- Bowl style with some keto-friendly queso
Your imagination is the limit as to how you’ll be serving the taco filling, and we’re sure that it’ll be just as delicious no matter what.
10. Keto White Chicken Chili – Ground Chicken Recipes Easy
We started off our list with a recipe for ground chicken chili, and this next entry is something that may sound similar, but the taste is completely different.
This delicious and hearty keto white chicken chili from Whole Lotta Yum is perfect for those cold winter nights, and it’s very easy to make as well.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic
- Green salsa
- Green chilis
- Chicken broth
- Taco seasoning
- Heavy whipping cream
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
We’re pretty sure that most of you are probably new to the idea of white chili or any other kind of chili that doesn’t have any beans, but trust us that it’s a great alternative (some may even call it an improvement).
It’s filled with protein (e.g., the ground chicken) and loaded with fat (e.g., heavy whipping cream and Monterey Jack cheese), so it’s perfect for rounding up your daily keto-specific macros.
11. Chicken Nuggets – Ground Chicken Recipes Keto
One of the biggest mistakes that many of us make during any kind of diet is to try having a cheat meal, which eventually turns into a cheat day or even a cheat week.
One way to counter these temptations is to identify your guilty pleasures and simply find a diet-friendly version. For example, if you’re a chicken nugget lover, this recipe from Hey Keto Mama is perfect.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken thigh
- Eggs
- Almond flour
- Ground pork rinds
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
Remember that since you’ll be making nuggets and not just regular meatballs, your chicken mean will have to be very finely ground, almost to the point of being like a paste.
Besides that, there’s nothing else that you need to worry about concerning this recipe, especially since all the ingredients are already keto-friendly.
Sure enough, you’ll have to serve the nuggets alongside something. Still, since many of the typical side dishes for nuggets are carbs, you should look for some keto-friendly alternatives, such as cauliflower mash as a substitute for mashed potatoes.
12. Soft Chicken Meatballs – Ground Chicken Recipes for Baby
People love chicken because the meat is very tender, and ground chicken meat is even more so, making it perfect for babies who are just starting to eat semi-solid foods.
This recipe from Thriving Nest is the perfect example since it uses ground chicken to create some delicious and healthy meatballs that your baby will love.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Garlic cloves
- Tomato paste
- Black pepper
- Sage or basil
- Avocado
- Sea salt
- Carrot
- Onion
- Egg
The great thing about these meatballs is that they’re loaded with veggies, making them an even healthier option for your baby.
Plus, they’re extremely easy to make since you have to mix everything and then shape them into balls.
Either cook them in the oven or fry them, but we recommend the former since it’s a healthier option overall.
If you don’t want to add eggs to your baby’s diet just yet, but you like the sound of this recipe, you could always replace the egg with Parmesan cheese or even almond flour to act as a binder.
13. Keto Chicken Egg Rolls – Ground Chicken Recipes (Weight Watchers)
We love it when we manage to get our hands on a very familiar recipe, and we love it, even more, when we manage to find a keto-version of it.
Take a look at this keto version of the classic egg roll in a bowl from Gimme Delicious, and you’ll see what we’re talking about.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Coleslaw
- Sesame oil
- Minced garlic
- Ground ginger
- Sriracha sauce
- Gluten-free soy sauce
- Green onions or shallots
As you can imagine, this is one of those easy recipes where you pretty much throw everything inside a bowl, mix them, and then cook them just for a bit.
The recipe is low carb, and the only sources of fat are the egg yolks, the sesame oil, and possibly the coleslaw, so this dish is great for regular diets, not just the keto one.
Besides, ginger has been proven to help burn away fat, so this is a great way of getting your ginger fix while also trying to lose weight.
14. Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Instant Pot Ground Chicken Recipes
So far, we’ve only showcased ground chicken recipes that involved baking or stir-frying the chicken, but there are plenty of other options.
For example, you could pressure cook the chicken, as with this recipe from Crunchy Creamy Sweet.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Sesame oil
- Black pepper
- Hoisin sauce
- Vegetable oil
- Minced garlic
- Chicken stock
- Ground ginger
- Water chestnuts
- Sweet chili sauce
- Butter lettuce leaves
- Chopped yellow onion
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
They make for excellent finger food because of how they are served, so if you’re having a party and you want to make something that everyone can enjoy, these lettuce wraps are the way to go.
Besides, the great thing about using an Instant Pot is that it significantly cuts down on the cooking time, so you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen.
15. Italian-Style Baked Chicken Meatballs – Italian Ground Chicken Recipes
We’ve already showcased several meatball recipes so far, but each of them had something that made them unique in their own right.
This recipe from The Healthy Consultant is no different as it gives the classic meatball a bit of an Italian twist.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Eggs
- Parsley
- Sea salt
- Almond flour
- Black pepper
- Tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
When they thought up this recipe, they wanted to create something that’s keto-friendly and something that someone on a Paleo or a Whole30 diet could eat.
Because of that, they ditched the use of breadcrumbs in the meatballs and instead relied on the eggs and almond flour to hold everything together.
Meatballs need side dishes, and since these are oven-baked, we thought some oven-baked veggies would work pretty well, such as oven-baked cauliflower.
16. Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Sauce – Low-Calorie Ground Chicken Recipes
Meatballs can be served dry or together with a sauce, and since all of the meatball recipes showcased so far are of the dry variety, we thought it was about time we shared a recipe for some chicken meatballs that are swimming in a creamy sauce.
We looked at a lot of recipes, but in the end, we decided to go with this one from Wholesome Yum as it’s not only keto-friendly but also low-calorie.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Eggs
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Heavy cream
- Minced garlic
- Ground thyme
- Sunflower seeds
- Chopped fresh rosemary
While the meatballs are pretty standard in terms of the texture or taste, the white sauce is the star attraction of this dish. The heavy cream is seasoned with delicious herbs, resulting in a sauce that’s truly to die for.
Speaking of the sauce, those on a Paleo or a Whole30 diet can swap the heavy cream with some coconut cream instead.
17. Cheesy Chicken Fritters – Low-Carb Ground Chicken Recipes
Many of us have to admit that we have a soft spot for deep-fried food loaded with cheese, but when you’re on a keto diet, that doesn’t matter, as long as you’re mindful of the breading.
Take a look at this recipe from All Day I Dream About Food for some cheesy chicken fritters.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Egg
- Salt
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Parsley
- Almond flour
- Red pepper flakes
- Oil and butter for the pan
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
These chicken fritters are about as indulgent as they get, but you can feel good about eating them since they’re keto-friendly. And because they’re fried in vegetable oil, they’re not nearly as greasy as you might think.
Besides, the almond flour and the cheddar cheese that’s fried to a crisp act as a keto-breading, so you won’t miss the real thing.
18. Chipotle Chicken Skillet – Paleo Ground Chicken Recipes
Overcoming one’s craving for fast food is probably the biggest challenge when you’re on a keto diet.
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t find keto-friendly recipes for your favorite fast food dishes, such as this recipe for a Chipotle chicken skillet from Whole Kitchen Sink.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Salt
- Cumin
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Olive oil
- Cayenne
- Chili powder
- Minced garlic
- Cauliflower rice
- Sliced red pepper
- Diced white onion
- Sliced green pepper
- Chipotle chili powder
- Southwest ranch
This dish is compatible with the three major diets: keto, Paleo, and Whole30.
It’s also pretty easy to make, and it only requires one skillet. Plus, it’s loaded with healthy ingredients, such as cauliflower rice, red peppers, onions, and green peppers.
Besides, if you don’t have any Southwest ranch sauce, you could always substitute it with one of the many keto sauces you can make yourself at home.
19. Keto Chicken Crust Pizza – Easy Ground Chicken Recipe
Ask a dietician what foods you should remove from your diet if you want to lose weight, and they’ll probably say “pizza.” But what if we told you that there’s a way to make pizza that’s delicious and keto-friendly?
The folks at Keto Focus have come up with a recipe for a chicken crust pizza that’s healthy and a textbook example of how delicious food can be if you put your imagination to the test.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Egg
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
The secret to what makes this pizza keto-friendly is that the crust is made with a mixture of ground chicken, cheese, and egg, and it turns incredibly crunchy and crispy.
As for the toppings, you can add anything you’d usually add on top of a pizza (except for corn or pineapple since they’re not keto).
You’ll end up with a pizza with zero carbs but all teh flavor in the world, so as far as keto diets are concerned, this recipe is a winner.
20. Thai Ground Chicken Recipe
The last recipe on our list originated from a country that has a long history in the art of cooking chicken: Thailand.
This Thai basil chicken recipe (Pad Krapow Gai) from I Heart Umami is not only keto-friendly but also packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
- Ground chicken
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Thai basil
- Fish sauce
- Avocado oil
- Coarse sea salt
- Coconut aminos
- Monk Fruit brown sugar
- Red serrano or Fresno chili peppers
- Homemade vegetarian oyster sauce
We loved how the original recipe was tweaked and adapted to have keto-friendly ingredients, such as how they use monk fruit brown sugar instead of typical white sugar.
For texture, we recommend a coarse grind for your chicken, as it will make the dish more enjoyable to eat.
In terms of heat, the recipe calls for red serrano or Fresno chili peppers, but you could always use a different type of chili pepper if you want to dial down (or up) the spice level.
As a general rule of thumb, we think that this dish is best served with steamed white rice and a fried egg on top. But if you’re looking for a keto-friendly option, then cauliflower rice would be your best bet.
FAQ
Discover more helpful information about ground chicken recipes:
Is chicken meat keto-friendly?
Chicken meat is keto-friendly, but it’s also actually one of the best types of foods that you could eat during a keto diet.
Besides containing no carbs at all, poultry is rich in B vitamins, and it’s an excellent source of protein, both of which help preserve muscle mass during a low-carb diet.
Is ground chicken good for weight loss?
Even if you’re not following a keto diet per se, chicken meat, in general, is a great food source since it has a very light taste, it digests pretty easily, and it can easily substitute beef or pork in most dishes.
Besides, you can adjust the amount of fat in the meat by sticking to certain chicken parts, such as eating only chicken breasts if you want the leanest meat.
How do you make chicken balls without flour?
Most dishes where ground meat is shaped into bite-sized pieces (e.g., meatballs, burger patties, or fritters) will usually require flour or breadcrumbs to hold everything together.
However, a keto-friendly alternative would be to use eggs or almond flour.
What can be made from ground chicken?
There are a lot of things that you can make out of ground chicken meat, including chili, burgers, meatballs, casseroles, taco fillings, pasta sauces, and keto pizza crusts.
What is lazy keto?
A lazy keto diet is a more relaxed (and far less efficient) version of the regular keto diet. You don’t need to watch your daily caloric intake, and you don’t have to keep track of how much protein or fat you’ve consumed either.
The only thing you must monitor is your daily carb intake, and make sure that you keep it at under 50 grams a day.
Which is better, ground turkey or ground chicken?
Ground chicken and ground turkey are somewhat similar in macronutrients, although turkey is indeed the better choice. For example, turkey is much leaner than chicken and has fewer calories.
Besides, it’s more packed with protein and iron and contains less sodium, so it’s perfect for those with high blood pressure. The only thing that makes chicken a lot more popular is it’s a lot more affordable.
Closing Thoughts
These are only some of the best ground chicken recipes we could find, but trust us when we say that there are many more.
The great thing about chicken meat is that it’s very versatile and can be used in various dishes, so you’ll never get bored of eating it.
Whether you want to keep things simple or go all out with an elaborate casserole, know that there’s a ground chicken recipe for you.
So what are you waiting for? Start cooking!
