These Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers are going to be your new go-to for a quick, flavorful, and healthy meal! Easy to make and bursting with bold Middle Eastern spices, they’re the perfect alternative to traditional beef burgers.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Flavor Explosion: The combination of parsley, garlic, and curry powder infuses the chicken patties with irresistible Middle Eastern-inspired flavors. Want another Middle Eastern inspired recipe? Try this Middle Eastern Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner!
- Healthier Alternative: Made with lean ground chicken and a yogurt-based sauce, this burger is lighter but still satisfies your comfort food cravings. I love these Turkey Zucchini Burgers and Salmon Burgers for the same reason.
- Simple Ingredients: Everything you need for this recipe is easy to find and likely already in your pantry or fridge.
The Ingredients
- Ground Chicken Breast: The perfect lean protein base for tender, juicy patties.
- Onion & Parsley: Adds freshness and a touch of sweetness to the patties.
- Curry Powder: A warm, earthy spice that elevates the flavor (swap for cumin if needed).
- Greek Yogurt, Mint & Cucumber: These ingredients make the ultimate refreshing sauce that balances the burger’s bold flavors.
Substitutions and Variations
- Switch the Protein: Use ground turkey or even lamb if you prefer a different flavor or need to use what’s in your fridge.
- Spice it Up: If you’re out of curry powder, cumin, paprika, or a touch of turmeric can deliver a similar earthy warmth. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes.
- Herbal Swap: No parsley or mint? Fresh cilantro, dill, or even basil can add their unique flair to the mix.
- Low-Carb Option: Skip the bun and serve your burger on a lettuce wrap or over a vibrant salad.
- Add Veggies: Get in extra nutrition by mixing in grated zucchini, carrots, or spinach to the burger mixture.
How to Make Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes until tender and set aside to cool.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled sautéed onions, ground chicken, salt, parsley, garlic and curry powders.
Step 3: Evenly divide mixture and shape into four patties. *Wet your hands if your having trouble with the mixture sticking to you.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, mint, cucumber and salt to make the sauce.
Step 5: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan and cook patties for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Step 6: Place burgers on buns and top with yogurt sauce and desired accompaniments.
Tips and Tricks
- Use Wet Hands: To prevent the chicken mixture from sticking to your hands while shaping the patties, wet your hands with a little water before handling the mixture.
- Don’t Skip the Onion: Sautéing the onions beforehand ensures they blend seamlessly into the patties without adding extra moisture.
- Strain the Cucumber: Removing excess water from the cucumber keeps the yogurt sauce thick and creamy. If you don’t want to grate the cucumber, you can also finely dice it and add it to the sauce.
- Customize the Toppings: While the yogurt sauce is a star, you can also add pickled veggies or a drizzle of tahini for extra flair.
FAQs
Try crispy Air Fryer French Fries for a classic pairing. You could also opt for a cold Summer Pasta Salad or fresh vegetable like Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette.
If your chicken burger patties are falling apart, try refrigerating them for 30 minutes or so before cooking to help them stay together.
Yes! Shape the raw patties, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed. Cooked patties can also be frozen and reheated in a skillet, oven, or microwave.
More Non-Beef Burger Recipes
Even the “picky about burgers” people in your family will love these Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers. They’re a great, healthier alternative to beef burgers while still packing all the flavor. Let me know what you think of this recipe — leave a comment and rating below!
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Middle Eastern Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 pound ground chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (cumin can be substituted if needed)
- 4 burger buns
For The Sauce:
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
- 2 persian cucumbers, peeled, grated & strained (you can also finely dice them if preferred)
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes until tender and set aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled sautéed onions, ground chicken, salt, parsley, garlic and curry powders. Evenly divide mixture and shape into four patties. *Wet your hands if your having trouble with the mixture sticking to you.
- In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, mint, cucumber and salt to make the sauce.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan and cook patties for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Place burgers on buns and top with yogurt sauce and desired accompaniments.
Notes
- Use Wet Hands: To prevent the chicken mixture from sticking to your hands while shaping the patties, wet your hands with a little water before handling the mixture.
- Don’t Skip the Onion: Sautéing the onions beforehand ensures they blend seamlessly into the patties without adding extra moisture.
- Strain the Cucumber: Removing excess water from the cucumber keeps the yogurt sauce thick and creamy. If you don’t want to grate the cucumber, you can also finely dice it and add it to the sauce.
- Customize the Toppings: While the yogurt sauce is a star, you can also add pickled veggies or a drizzle of tahini for extra flair.
Family approved… I didn’t have parsley so threw in a little oregano and smoked paprika with the other seasonings. I doubles it so I could freeze the leftovers too.
Yay! Happy to hear you all approve 🙂
So yummy! I made a double batch and grilled them instead of sautéing. Made a few regular sized burgers for Daddy and me and a bunch of little ones for my little guy. Super tasty!
Yum! I will try these with the trader joes buns – thanks! I love your site!
Could you make pre-make the patties the night before, or would the onions become too soggy?
Thanks! We loved this!
these were terrific! just made them tonight. i did not put the parsley or the cucumber in the yogurt sauce- just the fresh mint and a bit of salt with the greek yogurt. just trying to simplify a bit further. it was still delicious with the burgers. they were so flavorful, yet so simple. i love recipes like this – please keep them coming! usually so-called simple recipes are neither simple nor flavorful. we will definitely be having thee again!
These were delicious. I used veganaise to make the sauce since we have a dairy allergy in the house. Thanks for this recipe!
I made these this evening for dinner and they turned out delicious! I made them with ground turkey instead of chicken (what I had), and they were super flavorful. Easy, fast and tasty!
Made these tonight for my 19-month old… Just the patties and sauce and she loved it! So happy to have her trying new flavors
burgers look great – is there a dairy free option to the yogurt???
Store bought. Trader Joe’s!