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
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“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.
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.
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!
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
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!
Veggie-Loaded Chicken Burgers
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.
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!
Yes! I’d bake them at 400F for about 20ish minutes or until they are cooked through!
My family loves these! Would you recommend freezing a few to defrost on a bus week night?
These were absolutely filling, delicious, and so easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are amazing!! So juicy, flavorful, and easy! We used shredded carrot instead of broccoli. 10/10!!!
Im so glad you enjoyed them!
what is the nutrition info
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. 🙂