Skip to main content

Chicken Zucchini Burgers

4.6

(7)

Chicken zucchini burgers with tomatoes cucumbers and lettuce in pita pockets.

Chicken makes a great alternative for thick, juicy burgers. Add some shredded veggies and a tangy Greek yogurt sauce, and you’ve got a dinner the whole family will get excited about! For more ground chicken recipes, click here.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

For the Greek yogurt sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt

For the burgers:

1 pound ground chicken or turkey breast
1 medium zucchini, shredded, excess water squeezed out with a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth
½ cup corn kernels
½ medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
3 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs or almond flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil

For serving:

2 whole grain pitas, halved into pockets
¼ cup hummus, homemade or store-bought
Romaine lettuce or spinach
Chopped cucumber
Sliced tomatoes

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the Greek yogurt sauce by mixing together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

    Step 2

    Preheat the oven to 425°F.

    Step 3

    In a large bowl, combine all of the burger ingredients except the oil. Use your hands to mix well and form 4 patties.

    Step 4

    Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the patties and sear for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until cooked through.

    Step 5

    While the burgers are baking, smear about a tablespoon of hummus inside each pita pocket. Stuff with the veggies and top with the cooked burgers. Either drizzle the Greek yogurt sauce inside or serve it as a dip.

The Wellness Remodel cookbook cover with photo of two women preparing at a counter.
From The Wellness Remodel: A Guide to Rebooting How You Eat, Move, and Feed Your Soul © 2020 by Christina Anstead and Cara Clark. Reprinted with permission by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
Read More
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
This grandma-inspired soup is equal parts cozy and bright.
Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.
Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
This is one of the best fried chickens ever. From southern Thailand, gai hat yai is known for its crispy skin, great aromatics, and super juicy meat.