Chicken Spanakopita Burgers
- deborahreinhardt
- May 4
- 4 min read
Ground chicken, spinach and feta cheese combine for a tasty twist for your next burger night.
I have not been up to cooking these last couple of weeks, which explains my pause with recipe posting. A packed volunteering schedule followed by a nasty — and continuing — fight with a spring cold/virus has left me depleted. My daughter and I for a few days lived off canned soups, smoothies and boxed cereal (as well as assorted chips and snacks).
Near the end of this week, I tried to put a meal together and that sapped my low energy. Even with help cleaning up the kitchen, I wanted to go back to bed after dinner. But last night, I felt well enough to make one of our favorite easy suppers, Chicken Spanakopita Burgers. It’s a fun twist for your family’s burger night. Packed with lean protein and good veggies, these tasty burgers also were what my body needed. The recipe isn’t complicated — it’s a lot simpler than traditional spanakopita to make — and dinner is ready in under an hour. But the great flavors of spanakopita — spinach, feta and herbs — are in the chicken patty. I served the burgers with a light tomato, onion and cucumber salad and roasted Greek potatoes that I cooked in my air fryer. (The recipe for that is at the end, too).
You will need the following ingredients to make Chicken Spanakopita Burgers, which yields 4 servings.
1 pound ground chicken
2 garlic cloves
1 red onion
8 ounces fresh spinach
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning blend
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces feta crumbs
4 Tablespoons prepared tzatziki
4 pitas
Salt and pepper to taste
You’ll see there are no breadcrumbs or egg in this recipe. The first time I made these burgers they fell apart when I flipped them, which wasn’t bad; it even fit better in the pita! But when making burgers, the key is to chill the mixture 20–30 minutes before cooking them.
Most of probably buy the feta crumbles conveniently packaged in the small tub. You’ll see the recipe calls for “crumbs,” so if there are larger crumbles in the tub, break them apart so the cheese mixes easily into the ground chicken. If you don’t have chicken substitute with ground turkey.
I like Penzey’s Greek seasoning blend but if you don’t have that, any brand will be fine. And if that’s not in your pantry, mix about ¼ teaspoon each of kosher salt, dried oregano, lemon pepper and granulated garlic.
We like Aldi’s Park Street Deli Spinach and Artichoke Tzatziki, but feel free to use your favorite brand in the recipe. Of course, the dip is easy to make with plain yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt. A little chopped parsley or dill is a nice touch, too.
Follow these directions to make Chicken Spanakopita Burgers
Cut the onion in half. Finely chop the first half. Mince the garlic cloves. Chop about ¾ of the spinach; leave the rest to add to the pita.
In a large skillet, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and bring up to medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the spinach so it wilts. Add the minced garlic and cook until just fragrant. Remove from heat and allow vegetable mixture to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, cooled spinach mixture, feta cheese and Greek seasoning. Use your hands and mix until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and bring skillet up to medium heat.
Divide the chicken mixture into quarters, lightly press into patties and add to the skillet. Cook 6 minutes on each side, turning only once. If it feels like the burger is sticking a bit, let it cook another minute or two before flipping. Allow burgers to rest on a plate for a few minutes and finely slice the remaining half onion.
Finishing your Chicken Spanakopita Burger
To assemble the burger, spread a tablespoon of tzatziki into the pita, add several spinach leaves, some of the sliced onion and the Chicken Spanakopita Burger. Additional “toppings” might include diced kalamata olives or thinly sliced plum tomato.
Skip the pita, not the flavor
For anyone with gluten sensitivities/allergies or don’t want bread for other reasons, a Chicken Spanakopita Burger patty is delicious on its own! Top it with the tzatziki, a little sliced onion and any other of the above optional toppings.
To make Greek potatoes, rinse the small bag of baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes and slice the larger ones in half. Add them to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with green seasoning (about 2 teaspoons), and toss. Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. If you have an air fryer, cook at 400 degrees F for 8–10 minutes or until golden and fork-tender. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter, add a pinch of granulated garlic and pour over potatoes. You’re welcome!
I hope you’ll give these Chicken Spanakopita Burgers a try! They are a nice detour from the traditional Greek burger that uses ground beef or lamb (or a combo of beef, lamb or pork).
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.
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