How do you grind chicken without a grinder?

Grinding chicken without a designated grinder appliance can seem daunting, but with a few basic kitchen tools and some clever techniques, it’s easy to achieve a ground chicken texture for recipes like chicken burgers, meatballs, and more. There are several methods you can use to grind chicken using things you likely already have in your kitchen.

Why Would You Want to Grind Chicken?

There are a few main reasons you may want to grind chicken at home without a specific meat grinding appliance:

• To make homemade chicken burgers, meatballs, or meatloaf
• To incorporate ground chicken into dishes like chili, pasta sauce, casseroles, etc.
• To save money by grinding your own rather than buying pre-ground chicken
• To control the texture – grinding it yourself allows you to achieve a customized coarseness
• To use or freeze fresh chicken you have on hand before it goes bad

Ground chicken can be used as a substitute in any recipe that calls for ground beef or turkey. The mild flavor lends itself well to both savory and a bit sweet applications.

Tools You Can Use to Grind Chicken

You have several kitchen gadgets on hand that can be repurposed to grind chicken into the right texture:

• Food processor – Use the S-blade to grind chicken into a minced texture.
• Stand mixer – Fit it with the paddle attachment to shred chicken into fine pieces.
• Hand-powered meat grinder – Manual crank grinders can grind chicken with some elbow grease.
• Blender or immersion blender – Great for making ground chicken suitable for burgers and the like.
• Box grater – Shreds chicken into small bits quickly with some pressure.
• Mincing knife – Finely and evenly mince chicken by hand.

The right tool will depend on the quantity you need, the texture you want, and what you have available in your kitchen. Let’s look at how to use some of these tools to their maximum chicken grinding potential.

Grinding Chicken in a Food Processor

A food processor is a small appliance found in many home kitchens and one of the easiest ways to grind chicken at home. Here’s how to do it:

1. Cut the chicken into 1-2 inch cubes first to make it easier to grind. Skinless, boneless breasts or thighs work best.
2. Place the cubed chicken in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the S-blade.
3. Pulse the chicken about 10-15 times, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
4. Process until the chicken is finely ground to your desired texture. Be careful not to over-process into a paste.
5. You may need to grind in batches for larger quantities – avoid overloading the bowl.

A food processor yields an evenly ground texture perfect for burgers, meatballs, and more. Just take care not to accidentally puree it!

Using a Stand Mixer to Grind Chicken

A stand mixer is another kitchen staple that can grind chicken when outfitted with the paddle attachment. Here’s the method:

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in the stand mixer bowl.
2. Affix the paddle attachment and lock the bowl in place.
3. Turn on low speed and increase gradually to medium as the chicken shreds.
4. Mix for about 2-3 minutes, stopping to redistribute chicken as needed.
5. For a finer texture, mix further. Be careful not to liquefy the chicken.
6. You may need to grind in batches to avoid straining the motor.

The paddle mimics the grinding motion. Take care not to overmix, as too much friction can turn the chicken to mush.

Manual Meat Grinders

Manual meat grinders offer a more traditional grinding method. They have a hand crank mechanism that forces chicken through perforated metal disks to ground it up. Follow these steps when using one:

1. Cut chicken into strips or chunks to fit the grinder.
2. Assemble grinder as directed, with the disk size of your choice inserted.
3. Feed chicken through the grinder’s hopper slowly while cranking.
4. Use a pusher to apply even pressure and guide chicken through the blades.
5. Collect the freshly ground chicken in a bowl or pan placed under the grinder.
6. Repeat until the desired quantity is processed.

Manual grinders give great results, but require some physical effort. Pick a disk with holes corresponding to your ideal texture.

Using a Blender

For those who don’t have the appliances above, an ordinary blender can also grind chicken to the right consistency for recipes. Here’s how:

1. Cut chicken into 1-2 inch chunks.
2. Place pieces in the blender jar, filling no more than halfway.
3. Lock on lid securely and start blending on low speed.
4. Increase speed gradually, stopping to stir or redistribute as needed.
5. Blend just until chicken is finely ground, taking care not to liquefy it.
6. Work in batches as needed to avoid overloading the blender.

Immersion or “stick” blenders work too. Blend and pulse to your ideal texture, being careful not to overprocess.

Grinding Chicken By Hand

If you don’t have any of the aforementioned appliances, it is possible to grind chicken by hand for smaller quantities. Some methods include:

Minced With a Knife

• Dice the chicken finely and evenly.
• Use a sharp chef’s knife to rock back and forth over the chicken, mincing it further.
• Continue until it’s minced as finely as desired.

Shredded With a Grater

• Use a large sturdy grater, like a box grater.
• Hold pieces with your fingers or tongs and firmly rub chicken against the grater.
• Grate in one direction with the grain to shred into bits.

Chopped With a Cleaver

• Cut chicken into chunks, trimming off skin/fat.
• Use a heavy Chinese-style cleaver or other large knife.
• Raise slightly and bring straight down in a chopping motion.
• Repeat until chicken is minced into very fine pieces.

Hand grinding takes more effort and time but certainly gets the job done!

Tips for Grinding Chicken

Follow these tips for the best results when grinding chicken without a grinder appliance:

• Partially freeze chicken for easier, cleaner grinding.
• Remove all bones, skin, fat, and sinew.
• Cut chicken into smaller pieces before grinding.
• Work in batches to avoid overworking appliances.
• Pulse/mix/chop in short bursts to control texture.
• Spread out ground chicken to allow heat to dissipate.
• Avoid over-processing into a puree.
• Chill finished ground chicken until ready to use.

Storing and Using Ground Chicken

Properly stored, ground chicken keeps for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or 4-6 months in the freezer. Here are some tips for storage and usage:

• Place ground chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag.
• Remove as much air from bags as possible before sealing.
• Use within 2 days for maximum freshness.
• Freeze for longer term storage.
• Thaw frozen ground chicken overnight in the refrigerator before using.
• Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.
• Add to sauces, chili, meatloaf, burgers, meatballs, etc.
• Substitute in equal amounts in recipes calling for ground beef or turkey.

Recipes Using Ground Chicken

Here are just a few delicious recipe ideas that showcase versatile ground chicken:

Chicken Burgers

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Seasonings of choice
• Shape into patties and pan fry until cooked through.

Chicken Meatballs

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 egg
• Seasonings of choice
• Roll into balls and bake until done.

Chicken Chili

• 1 lb ground chicken
• Onion, peppers, spices
• 1 can beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Simmer until thickened.

Chicken Meatloaf

• 1.5 lbs ground chicken
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Ketchup, seasonings
• Bake in a loaf pan until cooked through.

Get creative with homemade ground chicken in your favorite dishes!

Conclusion

With a little ingenuity, you can easily grind chicken to desired textures and consistency without needing a special appliance. Food processors, stand mixers, blenders, manual grinders and even hand tools like knives and graters can be repurposed to achieve great ground chicken. Use fresh for flavorful burgers, meatballs and more, or stock your freezer. Now you know how to DIY it!