Studded with shredded carrots and flecks of spinach, these healthy veggie chicken burgers are a great way to add extra vegetables, nutrients, and color to a meal! They’re really flavorful and seasoned with things you likely already have in your pantry. Plus, they freeze well and are suitable for kids and toddlers. This easy main dish recipe is sure to become part of your regular dinner rotation!
Burgers and summertime go hand in hand, especially if you like to grill! So, as the weather gets warmer, I’ve been experimenting with a recipe for veggie chicken burgers for all of you fellow vegetable lovers.
Since this is the Veg World (after all), I obviously had to use veggies in some way. My mind quickly went to using chicken as a base, since I figured it would pair well with most vegetables. Once I settled on chicken, I chose carrots and spinach as the other main ingredients, since they tend to be staples for a lot of people. Plus, spinach is always one of those veggies that’s hard to use up before it goes bad!
Next, I came up with a seasoning blend that would provide the right kind of savory tastes you’d expect from a classic chicken patty. The end result is really, really tasty! My whole family LOVED these, especially my 1-year-old daughter. They’re a great option for older kids, toddlers, and even baby led weaning with a few modifications.
If you love these burgers as much as we did, I highly recommend checking out the Spinach Chicken Meatballs. And remember to report back and leave a comment if you make this recipe!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground chicken: Use a pound of ground chicken to yield 4 to 6 patties. You can easily double the recipe if you need more burgers.
- Shredded carrots: I grated a large carrot with a cheese grater, but you can absolutely use pre-shredded carrots.
- Spinach: Substitute arugula or kale if desired. You could use frozen spinach if you don’t have fresh, but you will want to thaw it first and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Onion powder: Substitute 2 tablespoons of minced onion (fresh or dried) if you don’t have powder.
- Garlic powder: Use a clove of minced garlic in place of powder if you want.
- Dried parsley: Substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh if you don’t have dried.
- Worcestershire sauce: You can substitute soy sauce if you don’t have Worcestershire. Omit this ingredient for babies under 1 if desired (it can be high in salt and usually has added sugar).
- Egg: Omit this if you don’t have one on hand or can’t eat eggs. They should still stick together well without it.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use Panko breadcrumbs when making veggie chicken burgers, but you can substitute other kinds.
- Buns and toppings, as desired
Variations
If you want to substitute or add other vegetables to the patties, I recommend chopped bell peppers or shredded zucchini. If you decide to use shredded zucchini, squeeze it between paper towels to remove as much water as possible before adding it to the chicken mixture. You can also add cheese, such as crumbled feta. To ensure that the patties still stick together, don’t exceed 2 and ½ cups total of added veggies or other fix-ins.
Instructions
The full recipe card for veggie chicken burgers is at the bottom of the post. Here is a preview of the easy steps with photos to guide you.
Prepare the vegetables. Grate the carrots and chop the spinach into tiny pieces.
Add the ground chicken, vegetables, seasonings, breadcrumbs, and egg to a mixing bowl.
Beat the egg, then mix everything together. I like to use a large silicone fork to mash the ingredients into the chicken.
Using your hands, form the chicken mixture into 4 to 6 patties. Place the patties on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 23 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F measured by a thermometer inserted into the center of a patty.
Other Cooking Methods
Instead of baking veggie chicken burgers, you can pan fry or grill them. Follow these instructions.
- Pan Fry: Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Place the patties in the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F measured by a thermometer inserted into the center of a patty.
- Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high for about 5 to 10 minutes. Spray a large wad of paper towels with nonstick cooking spray. Using grill tongs, brush the oiled towels over the grates of the grill to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can use mesh grill mats over the grates instead of oiling. I personally prefer mats. Place the burgers on the grates or grill mat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F measured by a thermometer inserted into the center of a patty. If you plan to grill your burgers, I recommend making 4 patties instead of 6 so that they are thicker and hold up better on the grill.
Storage and Reheating
Veggie chicken burgers keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, warm some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the desired number of patties in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until warmed through.
To freeze these burgers, cook them completely and let cool. Wrap each one in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Seal tightly, label, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw the burgers in the fridge overnight before reheating in a skillet (using the method mentioned above). You can also reheat them from frozen in a skillet, but you will need to add a few more minutes of cooking time.
Serving
You can enjoy your homemade burgers however you prefer! I like to serve them with lettuce and mustard on seeded brioche buns that I toast in a cast iron skillet. Here are some other toppings that would taste delicious on veggie chicken burgers:
- Lettuce, tomato, and/or onion
- Pickled Red Onions or Shallots
- Garlic Avocado Spread
- Caramelized onions
- Caramelized mushrooms
- Pickles
- Coleslaw
- Pesto
- Ketchup or mustard
- Boursin, cheddar, or American cheese
More Burger Recipes
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Veggie Chicken Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg - beaten
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs - can sub any breadcrumbs
- Buns and toppings - as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside. Alternatively, you can grill or pan fry the burgers. See the Notes section for instructions.
- Prepare the ingredients. Grate the carrots using a cheese grater if you are not using pre-shredded carrots. Chop the spinach. Gather the seasonings and other ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, carrots, spinach, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well-combined.
- Using your hands, form the mixture into 4 to 6 patties. Place the patties on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through. They are finished cooking when a thermometer inserted into the center of one of the burger registers 165℉ for the internal temperature.
- Serve the burgers with toppings of your choice. I like to serve mine on seeded brioche buns that I toast with lettuce and mustard. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- How to pan fry: Warm a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
- How to grill: Preheat the grill to medium high for 5 to 10 minutes. Lay down mesh grill mats OR spray a wad of paper towels with nonstick spray and glide that over the grates (using grill tongs) to prevent sticking. Place the patties on the mats or greased grates. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
- Storage and freezing: These burgers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. You can also wrap each one in plastic wrap (after cooking and cooling), then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, seal, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet until warmed through.
- Other topping ideas: Pickled vegetables or pickles, pesto or avocado spread, slaw, cheese (American, boursin, or cheddar), caramelized onions
- Note for babies and kids: If you are preparing these for babies under 1 year of age or younger kids, you may want to omit the Worcestershire sauce and/or salt. Serve the patties cut into the shape and size appropriate for your child’s age and feeding ability.
Nutrition
Happy cooking! – Lizzie
Chris
How can these be veggie when they’ve got ground chicken in them? Guess your dietician certificate is from the net :O
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
It’s quite clear in the description that these are veggie-loaded chicken burgers. If they were vegetarian or vegan, they wouldn’t have veggie in the title and instead would be clearly indicated as vegan “chicken” burgers.