Chicken Burgers in Pita Pockets with Easy Tzatziki Sauce
Grill your chicken burgers right inside the pita pockets in this recipe. Your pitas get crisp, and your burgers stay juicy. Top them with tzatziki, spinach, tomatoes, feta, olives, and cucumbers. This is the ultimate Greek burger.
Equipment
- 1 Box Grater
- 1 Tea Towel
Ingredients
Tzatziki Ingredients
- 2 cups Plain Greek Yogurt such as Fage 2%
- 1 Cucumber preferably English Cucumber or home grown
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Dill or 1 tsp dried
- 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp Salt
Chicken Burgers
- 2 lbs Ground Chicken
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil + additional for brushing on pitas extra virgin
- 1 Egg whisked - see note
- 2 tsp Greek Seasoning OR 2 tbsp fresh Oregano, Dill, Basil
- 1/4 cup Shallot minced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Salt (if Greek seasoning is salt free) + additional for pitas
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 cup Feta Cheese crumbles
- 4 whole Whole Wheat Pita Pocket Bread or 8 pita pocket halves -see note
Topping Options
- Olives sliced
- Cherry Tomatoes halved
- Fresh Spinach
- Feta Cheese Crumbles
- Red Onion thinly sliced
- Cucumbers thinly sliced
Instructions
Make Tzatziki
- Peel waxy skin off cucumber, if not using an English Cucumber or home grown. Slice cucumber in half long ways. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds.
- Using a box grater, shred the cucumber. Place cucumber shreds in a tea towel, twist the ends of the tea towel together. Over a bowl, squeeze out excess water from cucumber. (See video above). Discard cucumber water (or make a drink with it).
- In a bowl, mix together cucumber shreds and the rest of the tzatziki ingredients. Place in refrigerator.
Make the Burgers
- Start the Grill. In a large bowl, put all the ingredients for the chicken burgers. Using wet hands (so the meat doesn’t stick to your hands) mix the ingredients together. Be careful not to over mix.
Stuff the Pita Pockets
- Using a brush, spray, or your hands: oil each side of the pitas and sprinkle with salt. When grill is ready, stuff the pitas with 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. An ice cream scoop works well for this. Don’t over stuff, as they will take longer to grill & may char.
Grill the Stuffed Pitas
- Using a brush, spray, or your hands: oil each side of the pitas and sprinkle with salt. When grill is ready, stuff the pitas with 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. An ice cream scoop works well for this. Don’t over stuff, as they will take longer to grill & may char.
Enjoy
- Once your chicken burgers are done, time to get a plate and gussy them up. Either pile the tzatziki on top of the pita, or carefully pry the pita pocket open with a knife and stuff them. Add on your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Video
Notes
If using previously frozen ground chicken, sometimes it can be very watery. If the meat is pretty wet, don't add the egg.
I have made the mistake several times of buying "Pita". There are no pockets if it's labeled as just "pita". My grocer carries "Smart Pockets" they are already cut and ready to go. Plus I don't have to guess if they have a pocket.
Ground lamb, turkey, bison, or beef all work in this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 8gCalories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 27gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 779mgPotassium: 772mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 77IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 1mg
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