Hi everybody! I’m Stacey from Stacey Homemaker – food blog where I share my favorite, easy, healthy and delicious recipes. Today, I’m so excited that I get to share with you my newest creation!
Drum roll please!
Greek Chicken Feta Burgers….ohhh my yummm.
Now, I know what you’re thinking! This is chicken, it’s not a burger!? I know, I know. Except, these “burgers” are so huge that their is no way I could call it a chicken sandwich. It’s a big, chunky, juicy, cheese filled, chicken burger. The only way to eat it is to just attack it with your face. If you have tzatziki sauce all over your cheeks and running down your arms, then your doing it right. It’s so worth the mess, I promise.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Start with four chicken breasts, cut them in half and pound them about 1/4 inch thick. I’ve found it’s easiest when I put a piece of plastic wrap down first, then the chicken, and then another piece of plastic wrap on top. Then, using a meat mallet, pound away! Season the top with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. I used a block of feta but crumbles would work too. Once the chicken is flat, I added a thin layer of feta cheese to each piece of chicken. Roll them as tight as possible and secure the edge with a toothpick.
Drizzle olive oil into a large casserole dish and place all roll-ups into the dish. Now, season the outside of the roll with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake for 30 minutes and check with a meat thermometer. The chicken needs to read 165 degrees to be fully cooked. I usually remove it at 160 degrees because once it’s out of the oven it will continue to cook internally for a few more minutes. Once cooled, remove the toothpicks.
You can make your own tzatziki sauce or use store bought, whatever is easier. I like to make my own and I usually make it the night before so it has enough time in the fridge for the flavors to meld together. If you want to make it yourself, it’s super simple. One medium cucumber, peeled and seeds removed. Slice into chunks, sprinkle with salt and put into a strainer for 30 minutes. All the liquid will drain out and it’s ready to go. Using a food processor, blend the sliced cucumber, lemon juice, minced garlic, fresh dill, and pepper. Stir into plain greek yogurt and pop it into the fridge for at least 2 hours but over night is better. The flavor really develops and puts these burgers over the top!
You can use whatever roll you like, I used toasted garlic ciabatta because I went to an awesome bread baking class yesterday and that’s what I made. I stacked kale, tomato, red onion and a cucumber slice as my base. Next, add the chicken. You can smother it in the tzatziki sauce or you can put it on the side if you want to dip the burger in the sauce. I ended up smothering and dipping!
The sauce really makes these burgers extra delicious. Super creamy, cooling and refreshing. It matched perfect with the little kick from the paprika we seasoned the chicken with.
Each bite has the creamy sauce, crunchy cucumber, bite from the red onion and the tang from the feta cheese stuffed inside the chicken. Lip smackin’ good.
I hope you enjoy this burger as much as I did!
Ingredients
- For the chicken –
- 4 Medium chicken breasts, cut in half (8 roll-ups)
- 8 oz Block feta cheese
- 2 T Olive oil
- 8 Toothpicks
- 1/2 Red onion
- 1 Medium tomato
- 1 Medium cucumber
- 8 Kale leaves, de-stemmed (Or you can use any leafy green)
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/4 t pepper
- 1/4 t paprika (Add more if you like it spicy)
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1 loaf of ciabatta (Or 8 individual rolls)
- If you want to make your own tzatziki sauce –
- 1 Medium cucumber
- 1 1/2 T Lemon juice
- 1 T Fresh dill, chopped
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 Cups plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 t Salt
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle olive oil in a large casserole dish.
- Lay out chicken breasts, remove any fat and cut in half.
- Lay out plastic wrap, add chicken and cover with one more layer of plastic wrap. Pound until 1/4 inch thick.
- Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
- Add a slice of feta cheese to each piece of chicken. Tightly roll up each piece and secure with toothpicks.
- Place chicken roll-ups in casserole dish and sprinkle more salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Drizzle olive oil over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes until fully cooked. (165 degrees)
- Remove from oven. Let it sit and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
- Toast your bread and build your sandwich with lots of toppings and sauce. Enjoy!
- If you want to make your own tzatziki sauce –
- Peel one medium cucumber, slice in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Slice the cucumber into chunks, sprinkle with salt and put into a colander to drain for 30 minutes.
- Once drained, add to the food processor.
- Add fresh chopped dill, lemon juice, minced garlic and pepper. Blend on low until smooth.
- Stir into the greek yogurt and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so flavors will meld.
