If you were ever in doubt that a ground chicken burger could be juicy and flavorful, these Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers will prove that they absolutely can be! Plus, they're super easy to make and a healthy alternative to beef burgers. They're the perfect summer meal!
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🍔 The Best Ground Chicken Burger
Burgers are on everybody's menus in the summer. So when you're tired of having the same old burger over and over again, give these delicious Chicken Burgers with Feta and Spinach a try! Some more of my summer favorites include Pineapple Slushie, Honey Chipotle Shrimp Tacos, and Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice.
The flavor of these homemade chicken burgers lean Greek with crumbled feta cheese and chopped spinach. The spinach becomes slightly wilted while the feta just starts to melt, making for an absolutely divine combo. These additions not only add great taste, but help to make lean ground chicken moist too.
The patties can be cooked on the stovetop, grilled, baked, or air-fried. Plus, they're versatile and great on top of a salad, in a lettuce wrap, or as a chicken patty melt. Easy, quick, and flavorful... these burgers hit all the marks!
Why You'll Love It
- Healthy: Chicken patties have less fat than beef burgers. Plus, fresh spinach adds vibrant color and nutrition. And because these burgers contain no breadcrumbs or flour, they're also gluten-free.
- Juicy: I know ground chicken gets a bad rap but trust me, these burgers will change your mind. There are plenty of ingredient add-ins and tips to guarantee juiciness!
- Easy: These spinach and feta chicken burgers only takes 25 minutes! They're great for a quick weeknight dinner or a large crowd.
🧂 Ingredients
- Ground chicken: I use a 92% blend, meaning there's 8% fat in the chicken. I recommend minimum 94% because we want enough fat in the meat to stay moist.
- Fresh spinach: Adds color, moisture, and nutrients. You can rough chop it or, if you have picky eaters, finely chop it.
- Feta cheese: I recommend using full-fat. Feta can be salt bombs so crumble it finely so it'll disperse throughout the patty better.
- Garlic and onion powder: I prefer the powdered seasoning over fresh. It eliminates the extra step of having to cook raw onion and garlic first.
- Mayonnaise: The secret ingredient! Acts a binder to help the patties stay together, while also adding extra fat (aka flavor) and moisture.
- Cooking oil: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute ground chicken for ground turkey. They have similar flavor profiles and fat content, so either would work great in this easy recipe.
- If using frozen spinach, use half the amount and thaw completely. Squeeze out as much water as you can before adding it to the mixture.
- If you prefer using fresh onion and garlic, mince 2 tablespoon of each finely. Sauté in onion or butter first, then let cool and add to ground chicken.
- Can't find feta cheese? Substitute it with goat or cotija cheese and add a little more salt.
- Use additional seasonings. To enhance the Greek or Mediterranean flavors, try dill, mint, or oregano. Or add ranch seasoning for a twist!
🔪 How To Make Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers
⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.
STEP ONE: In a large bowl, add ground chicken, chopped fresh spinach, feta, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Lightly mix it all together, being careful to not over-mix or else the burgers will end up tough.
STEP TWO: Start making the patties. You can use a kitchen scale or a measuring cup. Here, I line a ½ cup measuring cup with plastic wrap. Add the meat mixture, wrap it in the plastic wrap, and pull it out of the cup.
STEP THREE: While the mixture is still wrapped in plastic, gently flatten the patties and then unwrap onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining meat - you should end up with 5 3.5oz patties, but adjust the size and thickness to your preference.
STEP FOUR: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties, cover with a lid, and cook the first side for 4-5 minutes. Cooking them covered will partially steam the burgers so they'll stay juicy and cook evenly.
STEP FIVE: Then uncover and flip each patty. Continue cooking until both sides are browned and internal temp is 155-160°F, about 4-5 minutes more.
How To Serve Chicken Burgers
- Burgers: I like to keep the toppings simple since the chicken spinach feta patties have a ton of flavor. I spread the grilled buns with mayo and ketchup, then layer the patties with more spinach and salted tomatoes.
- Lettuce wraps: For a low carb meal, wrap the patty in romaine lettuce.
- Pita wraps: Since these burgers have Greek flavors, they'd taste great as a pita sandwich. Add some tzatziki sauce or Lemon Dill Hummus, pickled red onions, and cucumbers.
- Sides: My favorite side dishes to pair with these healthy chicken burgers are Air Fryer Parmesan Potato Wedges, Hawaiian Mac Salad, and Watermelon Beet Salad.
💭 Top Tips
- Make sure to not over-mix or over-handle the patty mixture. Just like meatballs, overworking the meat will make them dense and tough.
- Lightly flatten the chicken patties until they're slightly larger than your burger buns. They'll shrink when they're cooked so this will help prevent bun overhang.
- Whether you're grilling or cooking them on the stovetop, use a flat cooking surface like a pan or griddle. This allows the patties to cook in some of the fat that is extruded, which results in extra juicy and tasty burgers.
- Use an internal thermometer. The cooking time will depend on how thick your burgers are. And since we're dealing with poultry, it's especially important to make sure the burgers are fully cooked before serving. You can pull the patties once they reach 155-160°F and let them rest for a couple minutes. The residual heat will carry them to 165°F.
Choose Your Cooking Method
Instead of cooking the homemade chicken burgers on the stovetop (as directed in the recipe), feel free to change up the cooking method.
- Grill: Pre-heat your grill to medium-high and oil the grates or use an oiled cast-iron griddle. Add the patties and close the lid. Cook each side for 4-6 minutes or until internal temperature is 155°F.
- Baked: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155°F. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Air fryer: Preheat to 400°F and spray basket with oil. Cook burgers for 10-15 minutes and check internal temperature.
🥡 Storing & Freezing
Storing: Store any remaining cooked Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Freezing: You can freeze uncooked or cooked chicken burgers. If uncooked, alternate parchment paper between each patty. If cooked, place on a baking sheet with space between each patty and par-freeze for 30 minutes first. Both uncooked or cooked patties should be placed in a zipper-top bag with as much air removed as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 5 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to use.
Reheating: Warm for about a minute in the microwave or over medium heat in a skillet on the stovetop.
Make Ahead: Make the patties the day before and place each one on top of a square of parchment paper. Store in the fridge, covered, and let come to room temperature before cooking.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Instead of using eggs or breadcrumbs, this recipe uses mayonnaise as a binder to prevent the burgers from falling apart. Also, when cooking the patties, try to only flip them once and don't press down with your spatula - this squeezes out all the moisture, resulting in dry and crumbly burgers.
First, make sure your grill grates are clean. Then you can either lightly oil the grates or brush the patties with oil before grilling them. Don't try to flip them until they're browned - they should then lift easily.
Ground chicken has less cholesterol, saturated fat, and calories than beef. But both have similar levels of protein. So it ultimately depends on your preference but both can work in a balance diet.
🍽 Looking For More Chicken?
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📋 Recipe
Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken I used 92%
- ½ cup fresh spinach chopped
- ⅓ cup feta crumbled
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Cooking oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add ground chicken, chopped spinach, feta cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and mayonnaise. Lightly mix, making sure to not over-mix or else the burgers will be tough.
- Divide the meat mixture into 5 patties (about 3.5oz each). I recommend using either a kitchen scale or a plastic-lined ½ cup measuring cup to evenly divide the meat. Then use your thumb to place a slight indent in the middle.
- Lightly oil a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add patties and cover with a lid or mixing bowl to dome, cooking the first side for 4-5 minutes. Then flip and cook the second side, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes more or until internal temperature is 155-160°F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- To cleanly and evenly divide the meat into 5 patties, line a ½ cup measuring cup with plastic wrap. Add the meat mixture, wrap it in the plastic wrap, and pull it out of the cup. Then gently flatten the patties and unwrap onto a plate.
- If using frozen spinach, use half the amount and thaw completely. Squeeze out as much water as you can before adding it to the mixture.
- To Grill: Pre-heat your grill to medium-high and oil the grates or use an oiled cast-iron griddle. Add the patties and close the lid. Cook each side for 4-6 minutes or until internal temperature is 155°F.
- To Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155°F. Let rest 5 minutes.
- To Air Fry: Preheat to 400°F and spray basket with oil. Cook patties for 10-15 minutes and check internal temperature.
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 Products I Used
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Michele
I loved these! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Jessica
Thank you Michele!