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If you’re a Caesar salad lover, these Baked Chicken Caesar Burgers are about to become your new favorite dinner. They combine everything you love about a classic Caesar salad—crisp romaine, creamy dressing, Parmesan cheese, and plenty of garlic—with juicy ground chicken burgers for a meal that’s fresh, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying.
They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner but delicious enough to serve for a weekend get-together with friends. They’re gluten-free, high-protein, and we love serving them on gluten-free buns, but they’re equally delicious wrapped in lettuce for a lighter option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Chicken Caesar Burgers are packed with all the classic flavors of a Caesar salad in a satisfying, protein-rich meal. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, they’re naturally gluten-free, easy to customize for various dietary needs, and come together in about 30 minutes. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week, looking for a family-friendly dinner, or seeking out the perfect burger for the summer months, these flavorful chicken burgers are a delicious option you’ll make again and again.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these flavorful chicken burgers. *Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Ground Chicken: You’ll need one pound of ground chicken to make burger patties.
- Caesar Dressing: I like to use my homemade Caesar salad dressing, but your favorite store-bought variety will also work.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic cloves and scallions add a savory, slightly sweet taste to the burger patties.
- Sriracha: Adds a subtle touch of heat without making the burgers overly spicy.
- Fresh Parsley: For a bright, refreshing taste that pairs well with the rich dressing and spicy Sriracha.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Infuses the burgers with a citrusy flavor that pairs well with the dressing.
- Salt and Pepper: Adjust to taste.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: This is optional but highly recommended. For the best taste and texture, buy a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself!
Ingredient Notes
Ground Chicken: Ground chicken creates a lighter burger while still staying juicy and flavorful. These are my favorite chicken patties.
Caesar Dressing: Homemade Caesar dressing gives the best flavor.
Parmesan Cheese: Adds savory flavor to the burgers and pairs perfectly with the crispy Parmesan topping.
Romaine Lettuce: The crunch of fresh romaine helps bring all the Caesar salad flavors together, and works perfectly as a bun.
How to Make Chicken Caesar Burgers
- Prepare: Before you begin, preheat your oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the dressing: Place all the dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender. Then, pulse for about 5 seconds or just until the dressing is thick and smooth. Overblending will cause the dressing to become watery!
- Shape the burger patties: Mix all the chicken burger ingredients in a large bowl. Once well combined, divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts, and shape them into patties.
- Bake: Place the burgers on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Broil: Set the oven to broil, and broil on high until the tops of the burgers are light golden brown.
- Make the Caesar “slaw”: Add the romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing to a bowl, and toss to coat the greens.
- Assemble: Place the burgers on a toasted bun or crisp lettuce wrap, and add the slaw and any other toppings like tomatoes, red onions, or parmesan crisps.
How to Make Homemade Parmesan Crisps
I love to add Parmesan crisps to give my chicken Caesar burger an even more authentic taste. They’re quick and easy to make and great to keep on hand to add texture and flavor to a variety of recipes like chicken Caesar pasta salad and chopped salad!
Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spoon tablespoons of cheese onto the parchment paper, leaving space in between each heap.
- Bake for 6 minutes. Then, remove the crisps from the oven, and let them cool completely.
- Gently lift them with a spatula, and enjoy!
Tip for Success
- Don’t overmix the burger mixture or the burgers can become tough.
- Wet your hands slightly when shaping the patties to prevent sticking.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the burgers are cooked through.
- If the mixture feels too soft, refrigerate the patties for 15–20 minutes before cooking.
- Make extra Caesar dressing to use for salads and wraps throughout the week.
Serving Suggestions
With protein, fiber, nutrients, and healthy fats, these burgers are filling enough to serve on their own, but you can never go wrong with a side or two! Some of my favorite pairings include:
Variations
- Make It Paleo: Use a Paleo-friendly Caesar dressing and omit the Parmesan cheese.
- Make It Whole30: Use a compliant mayonnaise-based Caesar dressing and skip the Parmesan.
- Add Bacon: Crispy bacon is a delicious addition and pairs perfectly with the Caesar flavors.
FAQs
Yes, store the different components in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The burgers will stay fresh for 2-3 days, and the slaw will last for 1-2 days. In addition, the Caesar dressing will last for up to 1 week and is great for including with other recipes!
I haven’t tested it, but I think it would work! Assemble the burger patties as normal. Then, cook them over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
The most common reason baked chicken burgers turn out dry is that they are overcooked. To avoid this, keep a close eye on the oven, and quit baking as soon as the burgers reach an internal temperature of f 165ºF.
More Burger Recipes You’ll Love
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- Thai Turkey Burgers with Spicy Sriracha Slaw
- Moroccan Chicken Burgers with Special Sauce
- Jalapeño Salmon Burgers
- Paleo Mushroom Burgers
- My Favorite Salmon Burgers
Baked Chicken Caesar Burger Recipe
Ingredients
Burgers
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons caesar dressing see below
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese optional
Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup homemade mayo or store-bought
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
To Garnish
- 3 cups romaine lettuce shredded
- 3 tablespoons caesar dressing from above
- Sliced tomato
- Sliced red onion
- Parmesan Crisps (See below)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a high-speed blender and pulse once (about 5 seconds) just until the dressing is thick and smooth. If you over blend, the dressing will become watery.1/2 cup homemade mayo or store-bought, 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste, Pinch of fine sea salt, Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- In a large bowl, toss all of the chicken burger ingredients and mix until well combined.1 pound ground chicken, 2 tablespoons caesar dressing, 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped scallions, 1 teaspoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Divide the mixture into 4-parts, and shape and place 4 patties on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through at a temperature of 165ºF.
- Broil on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the tops become a light golden brown.
- Make ceasar “slaw”: Toss in a bowl romaine lettuce and caesar Dressing.3 cups romaine lettuce, 3 tablespoons caesar dressing
- While the burgers are baking, make caesar slaw and assemble other desired topping.Sliced tomato, Sliced red onion, Parmesan Crisps
Notes
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spoon cheese by tablespoonfuls two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (1 tablespoon per crisp).
- Bake for 6 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool completely before lifting each crisp up with a spatula.
My husband loves Caesar salads so this was a perfect, healthier option to make! My kids also really enjoy the burgers and helping with some of the process. Definitely putting this on our list of dinners to make.
OMG, these were soooo good! We avoid dairy here so I didn’t make the parm crisps or add parm to the dressing. I was skeptical about baking the burgers, but it kept them moist. I think they would have dried out too much on the grill. I had never used anchovy paste before and was nervous it would be strong like fish sauce. You can’t taste fish at all, just savory! That dressing is like crack! This is a keeper!
I am SO HAPPY.
Can you substitute with ground turkey? My one store never seems to have ground chicken when I want it.
You sure can!
Making these for the first time today. The whole family is excited, they sound so yummy!
I made this the other night and they were awesome! I used Tessemae’s Caesar dressing because I was in a hurry. They were seriously so good and I will be making them again very soon!
So glad they were a hit!
Is Tessamae’s Caesar an OK substitute for those of us that don’t want to make the dressing (I do have your cookbook though!)
That should be fine! The recipe is also in this post!
These look absolutely incredible!
Thank you!!
I love caesar salad, but I also love burgers! These caesar burgers are absolutely genius and the best of both worlds!