Ground chicken is an incredibly versatile protein that can be used in everything from weeknight dinners to meal prep lunches. However, plain ground chicken can be bland and boring. That’s where seasoning comes in! With the right mix of spices, herbs, and other flavor-boosting ingredients, you can take your ground chicken dishes from dull to delicious.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 of the tastiest ways to season ground chicken Whether you’re making chicken burgers, meatballs, tacos, or casseroles, these seasoning ideas will help you pack a flavor punch
Salt and Pepper
Let’s start with the basics: salt and pepper. A pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper enhances the natural flavor of chicken without overpowering it. Sprinkle some over raw chicken before cooking or stir into cooked crumbled chicken. This simple step makes a noticeable difference.
Lemon Pepper
For a tangy twist, try lemon pepper The bright acidity of lemon zest and juice cuts through the richness of the chicken The pepper adds just the right amount of heat. This combo is fantastic mixed into chicken salad or sprinkled over chicken burgers hot off the grill.
Italian Seasoning
Italian seasoning blends like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary add instant depth and aroma to ground chicken This seasoning mix works particularly well in chicken meatballs, meatloaf, pasta sauce, and stuffed peppers.
Cajun Spices
Cajun and Creole seasonings inject major flavor into ground chicken. The spice blends typically contain garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and other lively seasonings. Use Cajun seasoning in jambalaya, gumbo, and Cajun-style chicken pasta.
Jerk Spice
For a Caribbean twist, use jerk seasoning. Jerk spice often contains chili peppers, allspice, thyme, garlic, and onions. The blend imparts a spicy-sweet heat that’s irresistible in dishes like jerk chicken burgers and wraps.
Garlic and Onions
Don’t underestimate the power of garlic and onions to boost ground chicken’s flavor. Sautéing the chicken with fresh minced garlic and onion makes it super savory. Onion and garlic powders also add tasty flavor to rubs and spice blends.
Barbecue Spices
Barbecue chicken is a crowd-pleaser, and it’s easy to replicate with ground chicken. Tomato-based barbecue sauces, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, mustard, and smoked paprika lend fabulous barbecue flair. Stir some barbecue sauce into your chicken or slather it on top.
Ranch Seasoning
Recreate the cool, tangy taste of ranch dressing by spiking ground chicken with ranch seasoning. Mix in dried parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and a bit of lemon juice. Ranch chicken is wonderful in salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more.
Chili Powder
For Southwest inspiration, liberally season ground chicken with chili powder. Make chili powder chicken tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, empanadas, stuffed peppers, or bowls. Cumin, paprika, cayenne, and oregano taste great alongside chili powder too.
Curry Powder
Curry powder is an easy way to give ground chicken an exotic, Indian-style flair. Blooming the curry powder briefly in oil first intensifies its flavor. Curried chicken is fantastic in stews, curry bowls, stir fries, and skewers.
Mediterranean Herbs
Herbs common in Greek and Mediterranean cooking, like oregano, mint, dill, and parsley, lend bright, refreshing notes to chicken. Try mixing chopped fresh herbs into chicken meatballs or kabobs. Dried herbs work too but lack the vibrant aroma of fresh.
Ginger and Soy Sauce
For an Asian twist, season ground chicken with freshly grated ginger, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. These flavors shine in stir fries, lettuce wraps, and chicken bowls with veggies and rice.
Taco Seasoning
No need to buy packaged taco seasoning when you can easily make your own at home. Blend chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and a touch of salt. Tacos, nachos, burritos, and tostadas taste incredible with homemade taco chicken.
Moroccan Spices
Transport your chicken to Morocco with warm, fragrant spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and ginger. Season chicken kebabs, tagines, cous cous bowls, meatballs, or stuffed vegetables.
Parmesan Cheese
Finely grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs make a flavorful coating for chicken patties, nuggets, cutlets, and meatballs. The Parmesan offers a nutty, savory depth while also helping the coating brown. Serve chicken Parmesan over pasta or zucchini noodles.
The possibilities for seasoning ground chicken are truly endless. Experiment with global spice blends, fresh herbs, citrus juices and zests, aromatic vegetables like garlic and onion, cheese, and condiments like mustard, ketchup, and soy sauce. Taste the chicken as you go and adjust the seasonings until you achieve the perfect balance of flavors. With the right mix of seasonings, you can make your ground chicken dishes pop with flavor and dimension.
San Choy Bow – Chinese Lettuce Wraps
One of my favourite starters at Chinese restaurants, also makes a great meal! The secret to this is the sauce. Get that right, and you can literally use anything to make the filling.
Ingredients: chicken or pork mince, cornflour/cornstarch, light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Chinese cooking wine*, fresh garlic and ginger, onion, carrot, canned water chestnuts and baby corn, mushrooms, lettuce leaves, peanuts, green onion
10 Best Chicken Mince Recipes
Chicken burgers can be so bland and boring. Not these! You’ll love how these burger patties are juicy on the inside with crispy golden edges.
Ingredients: chicken mince, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, green onion (or similar), garlic, dried sage (subs available), buns and toppings (avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo or ketchup)
How To Cook Ground Chicken (Step-By-Step)
FAQ
What seasonings go with ground chicken?
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- ½ teaspoon paprika.
- ½ teaspoon onion powder.
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme.
Which seasonings go well with chicken?
- Paprika: 1 tsp.
- Garlic powder: 1 tsp.
- Onion powder: 1 tsp.
- Thyme: 1 tsp.
- Sage: 1 tsp.
- Salt: 1 tsp.
- Black pepper: 1 tsp.
What to season ground chicken tacos with?
… over the years using staple spices I always have on hand—chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of brown sugarSep 26, 2024
What to season ground meat with?
What can you do with seasoned ground chicken?
These are a few examples of using seasoned ground chicken in a meal: Side Salad – Make a vinaigrette by combining olive oil, vinegar, and seasoning mix and lemon juice. You can add the seasoned ground chicken on top for a hearty salad! Potatoes – This seasoning is so delicious on potatoes.
What to eat with Italian ground chicken seasoning?
Recommended dishes for the Italian ground chicken seasoning: Italian-style chicken meatballs: Use the Italian seasoning mix from this recipe to season ground chicken meatballs, and serve them with a tomato-based sauce and pasta.
What can you eat with ground chicken?
You can use ground chicken for comfort food favorites, like meatballs, stuffed peppers, chili, and so much more! Or swap in ground chicken when you want to lighten things up for a healthy dinner idea. Here, you’ll find ground chicken recipes no matter the occasion, including tacos, pasta recipes, and BBQ dinners, like homemade chicken burgers!
How do you season ground chicken?
Cook ground chicken in a skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in stir in 1 tablespoon of ground chicken seasoning per pound of meat and 1-2 tablespoons (total) of water and continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes or until the seasoning evenly coats all of the ground chicken. Now you have seasoned ground chicken!
What is ground chicken seasoning mix?
Barbecue flavors are beloved by many, and ground chicken is no exception. Our barbecue seasoning mix combines smoky paprika, sweet brown sugar, and tangy apple cider vinegar, creating a mouth-watering flavor that will satisfy your cravings.
How do you use seasoned chicken burger seasoning?
How to use seasoning for chicken burgers – Combine 1 tablespoon of seasoning, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, and one egg, per pound of meat, and work the seasoning in with your hands, then form into chicken burger patties. These are a few examples of using seasoned ground chicken in a meal: