These Dill Pickle Chicken Smash Burgers are juicy, crispy, tangy, and packed with irresistible pickle flavor. Instead of using thick chicken patties, this recipe uses seasoned ground chicken that is smashed directly onto a hot skillet. The result is beautifully browned edges, a tender center, melted cheese, crunchy dill pickles, and a creamy pickle sauce tucked inside a toasted bun.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Smash Patties

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickles
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil

For the Pickle Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• Black pepper, to taste

For Assembly

• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 slices cheddar or American cheese
• ½ cup dill pickle chips or slices
• 2 tablespoons butter, for toasting buns
• Thinly sliced lettuce, optional
• Thinly sliced onion, optional
• Extra pickles for serving

Preparing the Pickle Sauce

Start by making the sauce so the flavors have a few minutes to blend. Add mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, pickle juice, mustard, garlic powder, dried dill, and a little black pepper to a small bowl.

Stir everything together until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the pickle juice or seasoning according to your preference. If you love a strong pickle flavor, add another teaspoon of pickle juice or a few extra finely chopped pickles.

Cover the sauce and refrigerate it while preparing the burgers.

Preparing the Chicken Mixture

Place the ground chicken in a bowl. Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, chopped dill pickles, and pickle juice.

Gently mix everything together with your hands or a fork. Avoid overmixing because working the chicken too much can make the burgers dense instead of tender.

Divide the mixture into four portions. Rather than shaping them into thick traditional patties, loosely form each portion into a ball. Keeping the meat loosely packed helps create those thin, crispy smash-burger edges.

Because ground chicken is softer and stickier than ground beef, you may want to lightly oil your hands before shaping the portions.

Cooking the Smash Burgers

Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat. Allow the pan to become very hot before adding the chicken. A hot cooking surface is essential for developing golden-brown edges.

Add the cooking oil and place the chicken portions into the pan, leaving enough space between them. Working one at a time or using a sturdy spatula, firmly press each chicken ball down into a thin patty.

For easier smashing, place a small piece of parchment paper over the chicken before pressing down with the spatula. Aim for patties about ¼ inch thick.

Let the chicken cook without moving it for approximately 3–4 minutes. The bottom should become deeply browned and slightly crispy.

Carefully flip each patty and continue cooking for another 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness. Add a slice of cheese to each burger during the final minute of cooking. Cover the skillet briefly with a lid to help the cheese melt.

Chicken should be cooked thoroughly, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Toasting the Buns

While the burgers finish cooking, heat another skillet or use the same pan after removing the chicken.

Spread butter over the cut sides of the hamburger buns. Place them cut-side down in the hot skillet and toast for 1–2 minutes, until golden and lightly crisp.

Don’t skip this step. Toasting the buns gives the burgers better texture and prevents the sauce and pickle juices from making the bread soggy.

Assembling the Burgers

Spread a generous layer of pickle sauce over the bottom half of each toasted bun.

Add lettuce or thinly sliced onion if desired. Place the hot cheesy chicken smash patty on top.

Add plenty of dill pickle slices. For an especially bold pickle flavor, use a combination of thin pickle chips and finely chopped pickles.

Spread more pickle sauce over the top bun and place it over the burger.

Serve immediately while the chicken is hot, the cheese is melted, and the edges are crisp.

Tips for the Best Dill Pickle Chicken Smash Burgers

Use a very hot skillet. The high heat helps create caramelized, crispy edges before the chicken has a chance to release too much moisture.

Don’t overwork the meat. Ground chicken becomes firmer when heavily mixed. Gently combine the ingredients and shape loose portions.

Don’t make the patties too thick. Smash burgers are best when thin, allowing more surface area to brown.

Choose flavorful pickles. Kosher dill or garlic dill pickles work particularly well. Avoid overly sweet bread-and-butter pickles unless you want a sweet-and-tangy burger.

Add cheese while the patty is hot. American cheese melts beautifully, while cheddar provides a stronger flavor.

Adjust the pickle intensity. For pickle lovers, add extra pickle juice to the sauce and additional chopped pickles to the chicken mixture.

Serving Suggestions

These burgers pair wonderfully with crispy French fries, seasoned potato wedges, onion rings, or a simple green salad. For an extra pickle-heavy meal, serve them alongside fried pickles with the same creamy pickle dipping sauce.

You can also turn this recipe into sliders by dividing the chicken into eight smaller portions and smashing them into small patties. Use soft dinner rolls or slider buns and add a pickle slice to each.

For a spicy version, mix hot sauce or crushed red pepper into the pickle sauce. Sliced jalapeños also make an excellent topping.

Storage and Reheating

For the best texture, assemble and eat the burgers immediately. If you have leftover cooked chicken patties, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.

Reheat the patties in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly hot. Avoid microwaving when possible because it can make the crispy edges soft.

Keep the sauce refrigerated separately and add fresh pickles when assembling leftovers.

These Dill Pickle Chicken Smash Burgers are an easy way to turn everyday ground chicken into something exciting. The combination of crispy browned chicken, melted cheese, crunchy dill pickles, toasted buns, and creamy pickle sauce creates a burger that’s tangy, savory, and incredibly satisfying.