Baked Zucchini Chicken Burgers with Parmesan

Name: Baked Zucchini Chicken Burgers with Parmesan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) zucchini, trimmed and coarsely grated on a box grater; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt, for drawing water out of the zucchini; 1 lb (454 g) ground chicken, cold, from the fridge (thigh or a dark/white blend works best); ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 2 scallions (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, for the meat mixture; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the pan and patties; ½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic, grated or very finely minced; 4 buns (240 g) hamburger buns, split; 1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices; 4 leaves (40 g) lettuce leaves, washed and dried

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy, tender chicken burgers made with grated zucchini, nutty Parmesan and crisp panko, baked on a sheet pan instead of fried. Served on toasted buns with a bright lemon-garlic yogurt sauce, they're lean, easy to portion and hard to overcook.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 12 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the burgers
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) zucchini, trimmed and coarsely grated on a box grater
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt, for drawing water out of the zucchini
1 lb (454 g) ground chicken, cold, from the fridge (thigh or a dark/white blend works best)
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
2 scallions (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, for the meat mixture
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the pan and patties
For the lemon-garlic sauce
½ cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 small clove (3 g) garlic, grated or very finely minced
To serve
4 buns (240 g) hamburger buns, split
1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices
4 leaves (40 g) lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Equipment (9)

Large rimmed baking sheet, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Box grater
Clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth
Large mixing bowl
Small bowl for the sauce
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer
Spatula

Steps

Before you start

Keep the ground chicken in the fridge until you need it; cold meat is easier to shape and stays juicier.
Plan on about 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes for the zucchini to drain and 15 minutes for the patties to chill are built in.
Ground chicken is soft and sticky. Have a small bowl of cold water ready to dip your hands in while shaping.
Use a digital instant-read thermometer. The burgers are done at 165°F (74°C), and guessing risks dry or undercooked patties.

1
Salt the zucchini
- Toss the grated zucchini with ¼ tsp kosher salt in a bowl or colander.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes so the salt draws out excess water.
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Ready when: Beads of moisture are visible and the zucchini looks slightly wilted
Tip: Grate the zucchini on the large holes. Fine shreds turn mushy.
2
Make the sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and grated garlic until smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth and evenly pale
3
Squeeze the zucchini dry
- Wrap the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and twist over the sink, squeezing hard, until almost no liquid drips out.
- You should have about 1 cup (150 g) of damp, compact shreds.
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Ready when: The zucchini clumps together and feels damp, not wet; no more liquid runs out when squeezed
Tip: Don't skip this. Wet zucchini is the main reason veggie burgers fall apart.
4
Mix the burger mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the squeezed zucchini, Parmesan, panko, beaten egg, scallions, garlic, oregano, ½ tsp salt and pepper.
- Add the cold ground chicken.
- Mix gently with your hands for about 30 seconds, just until everything is evenly combined and the mixture looks tacky.
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Ready when: No streaks of plain chicken or dry panko remain; the mixture is soft and sticky
Tip: Overmixing makes the burgers dense and rubbery. Stop as soon as it comes together.
5
Shape the patties
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and brush it with ½ tbsp of the olive oil.
- With wet hands, divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (about 6 oz/170 g each).
- Shape each into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, pressing a shallow dimple in the center with your thumb.
- Place them on the sheet with 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each.
- Brush the tops with the remaining ½ tbsp olive oil.
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Ready when: Patties are uniform, smooth-edged and hold their shape when lifted
Tip: The dimple stops the centers from puffing up into domes as they bake.
6
Chill and preheatOven 425°F / 220°C
- Refrigerate the patties, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
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Ready when: Patties feel firm to a light touch and the oven has reached 425°F (220°C)
Tip: Chilling can be extended up to 4 hours; cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap.
7
Bake the first sideOven 425°F / 220°C
- Bake the patties at 425°F (220°C) for 11 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the undersides release easily from the parchment.
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Ready when: Tops are pale golden and the edges are set
8
Flip and finishOven 425°F / 220°C
- Carefully flip each patty with a spatula.
- Bake 8–10 minutes more.
- Check the thickest part of each burger with an instant-read thermometer; it should read 165°F (74°C).
- If any are under temperature, return them for 2 minutes and check again.
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Ready when: Both sides are golden brown, the juices run clear and the center reads 165°F (74°C)
Tip: Chicken can look done before it is. Always confirm with a thermometer.
9
Rest and warm bunsOven 425°F / 220°C
- Remove the burgers from the oven and let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes so the juices settle.
- While they rest, toast the split buns, cut-side up, on a second tray in the hot oven for 2–3 minutes (or in a dry skillet over medium heat), until the edges are lightly golden.
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Ready when: Bun cut surfaces are lightly golden and slightly crisp
Tip: Watch the buns closely; they go from toasted to burnt in under a minute.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread the lemon-garlic sauce on both cut sides of the buns.
- Layer a lettuce leaf, a burger, and a tomato slice on each bottom bun, then cap with the top bun.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Put the lettuce directly against the bottom bun to keep it from getting soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Squeezing the zucchini thoroughly is the single most important step for burgers that hold together.
Wet your hands when shaping; ground chicken is very sticky and cold water prevents it from clinging to your skin.
For deeper browning, broil the burgers on high for the last 1–2 minutes, watching constantly.
Use freshly grated Parmesan rather than pre-shredded; it melts into the patty and adds more flavor.

Make ahead

"Shape the patties up to 1 day ahead, arrange on the parchment-lined tray, cover loosely and refrigerate; brush with oil just before baking and add 1–2 minutes to the first-side bake. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Raw patties can also be frozen (see storage)."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked patties (without buns) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze cooked patties, separated by parchment, for up to 3 months, or freeze raw shaped patties for up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding about 8–10 minutes and confirming 165°F (74°C). Reheat cooked patties, covered with foil, in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or microwave for 1–2 minutes until hot throughout."

Substitutions

ground chicken → ground turkey. Same weight; also cook to 165°F (74°C). Lean turkey can be a little drier, so choose 93% lean rather than 99%.
panko breadcrumbs → gluten-free breadcrumbs or old-fashioned rolled oats. Use the same volume. Oats give a slightly softer, chewier texture.
plain Greek yogurt → mayonnaise. Gives a richer sauce; use the same amount.
hamburger buns → lettuce wraps or whole-wheat buns. Lettuce wraps make the meal low-carb; use 2 large leaves per burger.