How to keep burgers juicy off the grill:

Grill the burgers until they’re fully cooked through, then place them on a cutting board or plate to rest for 5 minutes. That will help the meat relax so the juices don’t run out when you take your first bite.

Can these burgers be made ahead of time?

I wouldn't grill anything ahead of time, but that doesn't mean you can't form the patties ahead of time. You can form and season the patties the day before/earlier in the day and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. Place a square of parchment between each patty so they don't stick. You can make the tzatziki ahead of time as well and store it in a separate airtight container.

Grilled Za'atar Chicken Burgers with Cucumber Mint Tzatziki

Description

Burgers made from ground chicken, seasoned with za’atar and topped with cucumber mint tzatziki, lettuce and tomato! Get those grills fired up my friends! They’re a middle-eastern flavored burger mash-up you won’t want to miss.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground chicken
4 hamburger buns, whole-grain or gluten-free if desired
1 ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons za’atar seasoning
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, preferably whole milk
1 small clove garlic, grated with a rasp-style grater
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped mint plus a few extra leaves for serving
4 small leaves lettuce
4 thin slices ripe tomato
4 rings red onion, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Form chicken into four patties, about 3-inches wide by ¾ inch thick. Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Sprinkle with za’atar seasoning.
Oil grill rack and add the chicken burgers. Grill until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill bun if desired.
Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt, garlic and vinegar and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Grate cucumber with a box grater and set in a fine mesh sieve. Press on cucumber to extra excess liquid. Mix the cucumber and mint into the yogurt mixture.
Serve the chicken burgers on the buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and the tzatziki sauce.

Notes

Grilling Tip:

After your dust your burgers with salt and the spice mix, then you’ll want to oil the grill rack. I should mention that the grill should be hot and brushed clean at this point. To do that, soak a paper towel in oil, then hold it with tongs and run the paper towel over the racks (pull it toward you- to avoid getting burnt by a flare-up.)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: entree
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 burger
Calories: 310 cals
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 28g

Keywords: Chicken burgers,Zaatar chicken burgers,grilled chicken burgers