This Seasoned Ground Chicken is a meal prep staple! It’s quick to make, stores beautifully, and is seasoned to perfection. This ground chicken is packed with flavor, but versatile enough to be enjoyed by itself over potatoes or can quick start any dinner using ground chicken.
I love any easy recipe that I can keep in my back pocket for any meal! And this Seasoned Ground Chicken is one of them. It’s insanely simple to make and can really be used for any recipe…or served on its own!
What’s not to love?
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- So simple – All you need is chicken, onion, and a few spices. .
- As quick as it gets – Seriously. This chicken is ready to serve in a quick 15 minutes.
- Versatile – While the flavor of this chicken is amazing, it’s still versatile enough that you can use it for a number of different meals.
- Makes a LOT – Starting with a 2 full pounds of chicken creates plenty of delicious ground chicken to go around.
Recipe Notes
This seasoned ground chicken recipe is as simple as promised! Just 15 minutes for a family friendly meal and a meal prep dream-come-true.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make seasoned ground chicken to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken – You’ll need 2 pounds of ground chicken—fresh or frozen/thawed.
- Onion – I recommend yellow, white, or sweet to create the perfect flavor base.
- Spices – We’re using a combination of salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, dried thyme. You can make a big batch of my ground chicken seasoning if you prefer to keep this on hand to save time.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Mexican Ground Chicken – Sub the spice blend out for my chicken taco seasoning to give this recipe a Mexican-inspired twist.
- Italian Ground Chicken – Add a few more dried herbs to give this chicken all the Italian flavor!
- Spicy Ground Chicken – Kick the heat up a notch with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make seasoned ground chicken.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the seasonings for the chicken.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, then drain any excess fat or liquid. Add in the seasonings.
3. Continue to cook on low, stirring, until the meat is evenly coated.
4. Remove the chicken from the heat, then serve as desired.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the chicken before seasoning – If there’ s excess fat or liquid while cooking the chicken, make sure you drain that off before you add the seasonings; otherwise you’ll drain out all that flavor.
- Make sure the chicken is evenly coated – Once you add the spices, be sure to give the chicken a good mix to distribute those seasonings evenly. You want delicious flavor in every bite.
- Check the temp – To be sure your chicken is ready to serve, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should be 165ºF.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use fresh chicken – Fresh chicken doesn’t require any thawing. It can just go straight into the pan.
- If using frozen, thaw it in advance – If all you do have is frozen chicken, make sure you let it thaw thoroughly in the fridge well in advance. That way it’s ready to go when you are ready to cook.
- Prep it ahead of time – You can cook this chicken as instructed, let it cool completely, then store the leftovers in the fridge or freezer to be served later.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this seasoned ground chicken recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Freeze Ground Chicken After Cooking:
- Let the chicken cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight/freezer-safe container.
- Store it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve your chicken, let it thaw in the fridge, then reheat and serve as desired.
How to Serve with Seasoned Ground Chicken
Meal Prep Ideas
My favorite way to use the seasoned ground chicken is meal prep! It can serve as individual meal prep, or is great for family meal prep as a starter for many other dishes.
- Pair with sweet potatoes and BBQ sauce.
- Add a scoop over rice and shredded cabbage and drizzle with teriyaki sauce.
- Mix with corn, black beans, salsa and a sprinkle of cheese.
- Toss with pasta and marinara sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Mix with cottage cheese or ricotta cheese and stuff in pasta shells.
Side Dish Ideas
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious and versatile flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite classic side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
- Herb Roasted Potatoes – These herb roasted potatoes are a household favorite and one of my go-to sides with any meal. They’re golden and crispy, perfectly fluffy inside, and come together in just a few minutes.
- Garlic Cheese Bread – You can never go wrong with a cheesy garlic bread. And this recipe is as good as it gets. It’s made with soft, chewy French bread topped with butter, garlic, herbs, and cheese then toasted in the oven until crispy, melty, and delicious.
- Green Bean Casserole – Green bean casserole is the perfect pairing for so many meals! This recipe requires just 5 minutes of hands-on time and comes out of the oven bubbly, creamy, and gooey with the perfect crispy topping.
Ground Chicken Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to 3 months
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta – Try it in place of chicken cutlets in my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta. This pasta is rich, creamy, flavorful, cheesy, and delicious.
- Cheddar Bay Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie – This chicken pot pie is a classic with a twist! It’s made with a creamy chicken and veggie filling topped with fluffy cheddar bay biscuits—and it’s the perfect way to use leftover ground chicken!
- Chicken Burrito Casserole– This Chicken Burrito Casserole recipe calls for chopped or shredded chicken, but can absolutely be made with this seasoned ground chicken too! It features corn, beans, and chicken smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with cheese.
Recipe FAQ’s
What seasoning goes well with ground chicken?
While there are plenty of delicious ways you can season ground chicken, I like to keep the spice blend for this recipe nice and versatile! All you need is salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and thyme.
When should you season ground chicken?
When the chicken is mostly cooked! As the chicken cooks, you may need to drain of excess fat/grease. If you season the chicken before draining that grease out, then you’ll end up having to drain out the seasonings too. To avoid losing any flavor, it’s best to season later in the cooking process.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Ranch Chicken Bites
- Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders
- Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
Seasoned Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 large onion, finely diced
For the ground chicken seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
To make the chicken seasoning
- Combine all ingredients for the turkey seasoning mix and stir well.
To make the seasoned ground chicken
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken and onion to the skillet and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, stirring regularly. Break apart the ground chicken with the spatula or spoon as it cooks.
- Drain any excess fat or liquid, then return the ground chicken to the skillet and reduce heat to low. Add the seasoning mix and stir in until all of the meat is evenly coated, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from. heat.
Recipe Notes
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- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
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- in the freezer for 3-4 months
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- Follow the recipe as instructed, then let it cool completely.
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- Divide it out into meal-sized portions, place into freezer-safe containers, then store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
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- When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw overnight in the fridge, then use as desired.
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