My High Protein Low Calorie Chicken Burger

My high protein low calorie chicken burger will satiate all your fast food cravings without compromising your calorie budget if you follow these easy instructions for adapting healthier tweaks accurately!

Yes, you are reading it right! This is a chicken burger recipe which can be enjoyed even when you are working hard to lose some extra kilos, but of course occasionally!

My low calorie chicken burger is an absolute winner and you will know why as you patiently read this longest blog I have written till date!

One thing you can trust me with and that is I will never sell or share a popular recipe which does not fit into my own fitness journey just for the sake of its popularity!

The same is true for a regular chicken burger which is undoubtedly the most popular fast food worldwide across all age groups but unfortunately comes loaded with unhealthy saturated fat.

At the same time the quality of satiation that a juicy chicken burger brings to our taste buds with its perfect ratio of meat to bread pairing complemented with crunchy salad & melty mayo is simply incredible!

You cannot kill your desire every time you see someone enjoying a delicious chicken burger while you are even prohibited from touching them!

Well, not any more! You can absolutely enjoy a deliciously juicy chicken burger during your weight loss journey by just adapting to a few healthier alternatives!

I can assure you that once you follow these easy instructions, the end result of this low calorie chicken burger will be unfailingly mind-blowing!

What are the healthier tweaks in my low calorie chicken burger?

Let me break down why I am calling my low calorie chicken burger a healthier alternative than your store-bought ones!

The very first, and to some extent obvious, alteration that I did in my low calorie chicken burger was to substitute the regular burger buns with 100 percent wholewheat burger buns!

Zero-maida breads/buns are easily available in the Indian market these days and you must leverage them. I use the Health Factory breads/buns which are high quality and taste amazing!

Next we need to tackle the high calorie yet delicious mayo which is one of the key reasons that this popular fast food is so addictive to kids & adults alike!

We will substitute the highly fattening mayonnaise with a quick Greek yogurt spread that’s just a quick mix of Greek yogurt with salt & pepper!

You should trust me on this that it tastes really good and also enhances the protein content of your low calorie chicken burger while also cutting down the saturated fat significantly!

Now let’s talk about the core of a chicken burger! The burger patty! Typically, the burger patty in the chicken burger from your favorite takeaways are deep-fried and that too in industrial fryers.

So you can imagine even with closed eyes how many calories that one burger patty sucks in while getting fried dipped in a huge amount of oil at a very high temperature.

We will cut down that amount significantly by slowly shallow-frying our homemade burger patties in a non-stick frying pan using almost negligible amount of oil. This is the real game-changer!

Now last but not the least – how do you generally enjoy your chicken burgers? With a side of large fries? And a huge glass of carbonated drink?

Well, as you can see in the pictures of my low calorie chicken burger, there is no sign of those primary culprits that make your burger meal a super-high-calorie one!

So you will have to get rid of those unnecessary pairings which will magically cut down the calorie by more than half!

Instead, pair your low calorie chicken burger with as much salads as you can. You can load up your burger with a generous amount of fresh lettuce as well.

A nice side of fresh salad will not only make you feel full, but also will create a balanced plate of fiber and protein along with the carb from your burger bun.

All these above tweaks will make your homemade burger experience a worthy one and you won’t feel that intense craving of junk foods every once in a while during your weight loss journey that leaves you feeling deprived!

Ingredients for my low calorie chicken burger

Burger bun: To make a low calorie chicken burger which you can enjoy guilt-free in your fitness journey, without any exception, use 100 percent wholewheat burger buns!

This is absolutely non-negotiable! You have to make sure your burger buns are totally zero-maida (maida=all-purpose flour)!

Chicken mince: I believe I had mentioned this before and with the risk of repeating myself, let me tell you that I always make my chicken mince at home.

Based on the recipe, I decide whether to use chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

For my low calorie chicken burger, I used boneless & skinless chicken thighs which I simply processed in my food processor using the chopping blade.

Aromatics: I admit that I am guilty of using too much garlic in my recipes and this low calorie chicken burger is also not an exception!

I used about 15 cloves of garlic which were finely minced before adding to the chicken. Please feel free to tone it down according to your liking!

Also a medium sized onion, chopped finely, will add a subtle sweetness complementing the pungent flavor of garlic.

Egg: We will be using one egg in the burger patty mixture as a tenderizer. Use a fresh one.

Seasoning: Nicely season your burger mixture with salt & pepper to bring out the best flavors of your low calorie chicken burger!

Spices: I have kept the spices minimal as I had added a very generous amount of aromatics which would flavor the chicken beautifully.

For spices, I had added a dash of paprika and my holy grail Italian seasoning! You can substitute Italian seasoning with any other spice mix of your choice.

Olive oil: I have used my regular olive oil for shallow frying my burger patties. You won’t need a lot of oil because my chicken burger patties are not deep fried to cut down the calories significantly.

All-purpose flour/maida: I created a thin liquid mixture of flour and water which acted like a glue for the panko to stick to our burger patties.

Panko breadcrumbs: This Japanese style breadcrumbs creates an incredible crispiness which is why I prefer using this. But feel free to use the regular breadcrumbs if you do not have panko handy!

Veggies for burger: This is absolutely your personal space to play around. You can add tomato slices & onion slices like I did or can completely skip these.

But I would insist on keeping the fresh green lettuce between your bun & patty as without the crunch of the fresh lettuce, the true burger experience is not complete to be honest!

Cheese slice: Now this is again optional, but to replicate that restaurant-like burger experience with your homemade low calorie chicken burger, you may add a slice of cheese on top of your chicken patty.

How to make my high protein low calorie chicken burger?

Step 1: First we will mince the boneless & skinless chicken thighs. Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs nicely.

Step 2: Cut each chicken thigh into small pieces; then process them in a food processor using the chopping blade until you get finely minced chicken.

Step 3: Transfer the minced chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add minced garlic and finely chopped onion to the chicken. Give a good mix to distribute the aromatics evenly.

Step 4: Next, except olive oil, add all the remaining ingredients of patties to the minced chicken – egg, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.

Step 5: Either using your hand or a spatula, mix everything nicely so that all spices & seasoning are uniformly distributed and combined.

Step 6: Once you are happy with the chicken mixture, let it chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. This will allow the flavors to infuse the meat and also the mixture will firm up enabling easier shaping.

Step 7: After an hour, take the chicken mince mixture out from the refrigerator. In another mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour and about half a cup of water. Give a good mix to make a lump-free & thin liquid mixture.

Step 8: In another shallow plate, take the panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle about half a teaspoon each of salt and paprika. Give a quick mix.

Step 9: Now we are ready to shape the burger patties. Divide the chicken mixture into 8 portions of about ½ cup mince in each.

Step 10: Grease your palms with oil. Then take one portion at a time, roll it between your palms into a ball first, then press it lightly between your palms to give it the burger patty shape.

Step 11: Make similar patties with all the remaining 7 portions. Before breading the burger patties, wash and dry your hands.

Step 12: Now lift one chicken burger patty using your right hand and dip it into the flour-water mixture. Lift it up using your right hand again and let the excess liquid drip off.

Step 13: Carefully place this patty over the panko breadcrumbs. Now using your left hand, which is your dry hand, start coating the patty with panko on all sides.

Step 14: When you are happy with the coating, transfer it to another plate. Repeat the same for the remaining 7 burger patties.

Pro tip: At this stage you can freeze the chicken burger patties and use it within a month. Just take it out of the freezer about an hour before cooking it.

Step 15: Heat about a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Once the oil is warm, place the chicken burger patties carefully into the pan.

Step 16: You can cook two to three patties at a time depending on your pan size. Cook the burger patties on medium heat for a minute.

Step 17: Then cover the pan using a snugly fitted lid, reduce the heat to minimum and continue cooking the burger patty for 10 minutes without disturbing.

Step 18: After about 10 minutes, remove the lid and carefully flip over each burger patty and continue cooking them from the other side on low heat for another 10 minutes with the lid back on.

Pro tip: Keeping the lid on will ensure that the heat is trapped inside the pan; this will aid in faster cooking of the chicken without turning the exterior too brown.

Step 19: After about 20 minutes of slow cooking, your chicken burger patties should be thoroughly cooked. Take them out on a plate and set aside till you are ready to assemble your burgers.

Pro tip: To check the doneness, poke the center of the patty with a fork; if it goes inside easily without any resistance, you can be assured that your chicken burger is fully cooked!

Step 20: Now we will start assembling our delicious low calorie chicken burger! Cut your burger buns cross-sectionally into 2 halves.

Step 21: Toast each half in olive oil with the cut side down. Take them out on a plate. Repeat the same for remaining buns.

Step 22: Take about half a cup of Greek yogurt in a small bowl and add salt & pepper to it. Give a good mix and your mayo-substitute is ready!

Step 23: Spread about a tablespoon of the Greek yogurt over the cut side in each half of the burger bun. Then place the bottom half on one serving plate and start assembling the burger.

Step 24: First place a couple of leaves of fresh green lettuce, which are washed and dried nicely to retain their crispiness, on the bun.

Step 25: Then carefully place one cooked chicken burger patty over the lettuce. Now it’s time for cheese, if using! Place one slice of cheese over the patty.

Step 26: Top up the cheese slice with a slice each of onion and tomato! Sprinkle some salt & pepper on top and cover the burger with the top half of the bun!

Step 27: Your low calorie chicken burger is ready to devour! Enjoy it to your heart’s content and thank your destiny for all good things in life!

More delicious high protein chicken recipes from Flavor Quotient

My Low Calorie Chicken Burger Recipe | High Protein Chicken Burger with Healthier Tweaks

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

Author: Priyanka

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8 Chicken Burgers

Ingredients

For chicken burger patties (Makes 8 burger patties) :

Chicken thighs - 500 gms, boneless & skinless
Garlic - 10 to 15 cloves, finely minced (about 2 tbsp minced)
Onion - 1, medium, finely chopped
Egg - 1
Salt - 1 & ½ tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Italian seasoning - 1 & ½ tsp
Paprika - 1 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil for shallow frying

Other ingredients:

All-purpose flour/maida - 2 tbsp
Panko breadcrumbs - ½ cup
Paprika - ½ tsp
Tomato - 1, large, thinly sliced
Onion - 1, large, thinly sliced
Wholewheat burger buns as required
Fresh lettuce as required
Cheese slice as required
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

First we will mince the boneless & skinless chicken thighs. Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs nicely.
Cut each chicken thigh into small pieces; then process them in a food processor using the chopping blade until you get finely minced chicken.
Transfer the minced chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add minced garlic and finely chopped onion to the chicken. Give a good mix to distribute the aromatics evenly.
Next, except olive oil, add all the remaining ingredients of patties to the minced chicken - egg, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.
Either using your hand or a spatula, mix everything nicely so that all spices & seasoning are uniformly distributed and combined.
Once you are happy with the chicken mixture, let it chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. This will allow the flavors to infuse the meat and also the mixture will firm up enabling easier shaping.
After an hour, take the chicken mince mixture out from the refrigerator. In another mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour and about half a cup of water. Give a good mix to make a lump-free & thin liquid mixture.
In another shallow plate, take the panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle about half a teaspoon each of salt and paprika. Give a quick mix.
Now we are ready to shape the burger patties. Divide the chicken mixture into 8 portions of about ½ cup mince in each.
Grease your palms with oil. Then take one portion at a time, roll it between your palms into a ball first, then press it lightly between your palms to give it the burger patty shape.
Makes similar patties with all the remaining 7 portions. Before breading the burger patties, wash and dry your hands.
Now lift one chicken burger patty using your right hand and dip it into the flour-water mixture. Lift it up using your right hand again and let the excess liquid drip off.
Carefully place this patty over the panko breadcrumbs. Now using your left hand, which is your dry hand, start coating the patty with panko on all sides.
When you are happy with the coating, transfer it to another plate. Repeat the same for the remaining 7 burger patties.
Heat about a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Once the oil is warm, place the chicken burger patties carefully into the pan.
You can cook two to three patties at a time depending on your pan size. Cook the burger patties on medium heat for a minute.
Then cover the pan using a snugly fitted lid, reduce the heat to minimum and continue cooking the burger patty for 10 minutes without disturbing.
After about 10 minutes, remove the lid and carefully flip over each burger patty and continue cooking them from the other side on low heat for another 10 minutes with the lid back on.
After about 20 minutes of slow cooking, your chicken burger patties should be thoroughly cooked. Take them out on a plate and set aside till you are ready to assemble your burgers.**
Now we will start assembling our delicious low calorie chicken burger! Cut your burger buns cross-sectionally into 2 halves.
Toast each half in olive oil with the cut side down. Take them out on a plate. Repeat the same for remaining buns.
Take about half a cup of Greek yogurt in a small bowl and add salt & pepper to it. Give a good mix and your mayo-substitute is ready!
Spread about a tablespoon of the Greek yogurt over the cut side in each half of the burger bun. Then place the bottom half on one serving plate and start assembling the burger.
First place a couple of leaves of fresh green lettuce, which are washed and dried nicely to retain their crispiness, on the bun.
Then carefully place one cooked chicken burger patty over the lettuce. Now it’s time for cheese, if using! Place one slice of cheese over the patty.
Top up the cheese slice with a slice each of onion and tomato! Sprinkle some salt & pepper on top and cover the burger with the top half of the bun!
Your low calorie chicken burger is ready to devour! Enjoy it to your heart's content and thank your destiny for all good things in life!

Notes

Pro tip: To check the doneness, poke the center of the patty with a fork; if it goes inside easily without any resistance, you can be assured that your chicken burger is fully cooked!