Burgers with a twist.

These Lebanese-inspired chicken burgers from Elly Says Opa are fantastic. Tender and full of flavor, they will certainly become a staple in our menu! I served the burgers open-faced on the whole wheat pita I baked yesterday with a large salad and some baklava for dessert.

I did make a few changes and the recipe reflects that. The original recipe can be found in the link above.

Lebanese-Inspired Chicken Burgers


1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 heaping Tbsp. fat free plain yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2  heaping tsp. allspice
salt and pepper
4 whole wheat pitas, warmed

Yogurt Sauce
1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt (Greek is best because you don’t sacrifice creaminess)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced/pressed
salt and a just a little pepper

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients. Allow the sauce to sit as you prepare and cook the burgers, so the flavors can marry.

To make the burgers, combine all ingredients and mix–but don’t overmix. Form into 4 patties. Spray your grill or grill pan with some olive oil and grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, or until done.

Place the cooked patties on the pita, along with any garnishes you’d like and top with the yogurt sauce.