• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Natural Nurturer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Home
  • Info
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Type
      • Breakfast
        • Muffins
        • Oatmeal
        • Pancakes & Waffles
      • Desserts
      • Dinner
      • Dips, Sauces & Spreads
      • How To
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies & Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Soups
    • Recipes by Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Grain Free
      • Nut-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Recipes by Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Meal Prep
      • No Cook
      • Roasted
      • Slow Cooker
    • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Stories
  • Shop
    • Ebooks and Meal Plans
    • Recommended Products
  • Blog
    • Food For Thought
Home » Recipes » Dinner » Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers

Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers

By Taesha Butler May 4, 2018 (Updated January 1, 2023) 9 Comments

Servings8 burgers
Jump to Recipe
No ratings yet

These Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers are a serious punch of flavor, protein and veggies! Quick and simple to make on a busy weeknight, they keep the fun of the classic burger while serving up a healthy dose of nutrition in every bite! Whole30, Paleo and kid-approved

Jump to Recipe
veggie-loaded chicken burgers in a lettuce wrap in someone's hand

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” – Michael Pollan

You guys have probably noticed I reference this quote from time to time. You might have even heard others make mention of it, as it is a bit of a classic on the real food eating scene. And it speaks so much truth.

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

So simple. Because that is what eating should be. Straightforward. Simple. Real. And full of plant goodness. It was the quote the invoked so much change in how I eat, cook and feed my family. It made me look at food in a whole new way. In fact, it is this quote that first inspired me to start “veggie-loading” so many of my recipes. 

bowl of veggie-loaded chicken burgers ingredients before being mixed

I think we can all agree that veggies are kind of a big deal when it comes to health. It is the one thing that all doctors, nutritionist and health gurus (no matter what their philosophy, beliefs or eating style) preach as something we all need oodles of in our diets. However, it is also the one food group many of us struggle with getting enough of. Especially when there are kids involved.

So, I started adding veggies to all the recipes I could. Oatmeal. Tomato sauce. Muffins. If I could add a veggie to a recipe in a delicious way, I was going to do it.

And at first, my goal was to get veggies into my young daughter, but then I discovered how much I loved all the of veggie-loaded recipes I was creating as a tool to get more veggies into my own diet. Veggie-loaded meals have now become a way of cooking in our home and is almost an expectation at every meal I make. When I share my food with friends, neighbors and extended family, they often chuckle and ask what veggie I am sneaking into their diet today. 

And now I have veggie-loaded a classic dinner that many of us grew up eating on the regular….the chicken burger.

veggie-loaded chicken burgers on a platter with lettuce

These chicken burgers are quick to throw-together, making them the perfect veggie-loaded meal for weeknights. They bring lots of flavor to the table as well as 3 different kinds of green veggies! The added veggies not only add a power punch of nutrients to this easy-peasy recipe, but they also help to stretch your meat further to feed more people on a budget!

Want to make sure you always have spinach on hand for these Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!

Suggested adaptations for veggie-loaded chicken burgers

  • For extra “veggie-resistant” eaters, but sure the chop up the veggies extra fine! I love to use my food processor with the “S” blade for this task! 
  • New to loving veggies? Maybe just start by making this recipe with one of the suggested veggies and ease your way up to all three in future batches. If green veggies make you nervous, also try subbing one of the green veggies with grated carrot!
  • Not a fan of chicken? Turkey or ground beef will work beautifully in this recipe as well. 

Other veggie-loaded dinner recipes you are going to love

  • Sweet Potato Apple Sausage Skillet
  • Instant Pot Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
  • Veggie-Loaded Chicken Bites
  • Slow Cooker Chicken & Butternut Squash Stew
veggie-loaded chicken burgers in a pan with a serving on a platter next to it

Did you make this recipe? And did you love it? Awesome! I’d love for you give it your review below! 👇 And make sure to share your creations on by tagging me on Instagram!

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers

These Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers are a serious punch of flavor, protein and veggies! Quick and simple to make on a busy weeknight, they keep the fun of the classic burger while serving up a healthy dose of nutrition in every bite! Whole30, Paleo and kid-approved
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free, egg-free burger, gluten free, healthy burgers, healthy family dinner, paleo burger, whole30, whole30 burger
Servings: 8 burgers
Calories: 89kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground chicken (I used dark meat)
  • 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped broccoli florets
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped spinach, loosely packed
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • oil for cooking

Instructions 

  • Take shredded zucchini and put it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large piece of paper towel. Wrap up the zucchini with towel squeeze a few times to help drain out some of the zucchini’s moisture.
  • In a large bowl, combine drained zucchini and remaining ingredients except oil. Using clean hands or a spoon, mix until well combined.
  • Form mixture into patties and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Cook patties until a golden-brown crust starts to form and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side
  • Enjoy immediately with a lettuce wrap or your favorite bun.

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 348IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

Sharing is caring!

316 shares
  • Share95
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Paleo, Whole30 Tagged With: broccoli, spinach, zucchini

Previous Post: « Easy Veggie Pasta Sauce
Next Post: Whole30 Lemon Chicken & Broccoli »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Laura

    May 20, 2018 at 7:42 pm

    Do you think these cld be made into meatballs and baked rather than cooked stovetop? If so, do you have a guess on temp and time for baking? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      May 21, 2018 at 11:51 pm

      Yes! I’d bake them at 400F for about 20ish minutes or until they are cooked through!

      Reply
  2. Taylor

    June 10, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    My family loves these! Would you recommend freezing a few to defrost on a bus week night?

    Reply
  3. Em

    July 16, 2019 at 12:19 am

    These were absolutely filling, delicious, and so easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 16, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Kat

    September 18, 2019 at 12:53 am

    These are amazing!! So juicy, flavorful, and easy! We used shredded carrot instead of broccoli. 10/10!!!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      September 18, 2019 at 12:56 am

      Im so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  5. jea

    September 19, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    what is the nutrition info

    Reply
    • Taesha

      September 19, 2019 at 9:32 pm

      Hello! I have just recently added nutritional information on my recipes. My new recipes have them and I am slowly going back and updating my older ones. Hopefully I will get to this one soon. 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Categories

Newsletter

Subscribe to our email list.

Never miss a new veggie-loaded recipe or natural living rambling.

Once you have subscribed, you will receive an email asking you to confirm. Please click "yes" and you'll be added to my list. And just my list. Your privacy is important and I totally respect it. I won't be sharing your email with anyone else....no matter how nicely they ask.

Footer

As seen in…

As seen in brand wall collage

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2023 The Natural Nurturer - Privacy Policy - Accessibility Policy - Support by Foodie Digital

  • 95