These burgers were one of my personal favorites from a couple of summers ago because well…your girl really loves a good burger makeover. Thankfully my mom feels the same, so when she was in town last summer to spend time with my little sweetheart Sidney, we decided to have a girl’s night and make these healthy buffalo zucchini chicken burgers paired with grilled sweet potato fries (Japanese sweet potatoes are my latest obsession!).

Truthfully, mom and I couldn’t stop raving about how good these burgers were. Nice and juicy from the shredded zucchini, a little spicy thanks to buffalo sauce in and on the burger, and of course, topped with all the thangs: creamy avocado, zesty red onion, extra buffalo sauce and maybe even a little ranch for dipping.

Time to make the most of the rest of summer with these burgs ppl. #hellyes

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Ingredients in buffalo zucchini chicken burgers

These healthy buffalo chicken burgers are made with super simple ingredients that keep them juicy and incredibly flavorful. Don’t forget about the toppings! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

• Ground chicken: use 93% ground chicken or ground turkey. I do not recommend using 99% lean.
• Zucchini: shredded zucchini will give these burgers the perfect amount of moisture. Make sure you squeeze it of excess moisture after you measure the zucchini out!
• Buffalo sauce: feel free to use hot or medium buffalo sauce.
• Yellow onion: for added depth and a little crunch in the burgers.
• Spices: garlic powder, cumin, salt & pepper. Aka the ultimate burger spices!
• Cheddar cheese: I like topping these buffalo chicken burgers with sharp cheddar cheese slices, but feel free to use any cheese you’d like or skip it to keep the burgers dairy free.
• Optional for assembly: your favorite hamburger buns (gluten free if you’d like) or even a lettuce wrap, more buffalo sauce, avocado, butterhead lettuce & red onion for crunch.

How to cook healthy buffalo chicken burgers

Get all of our tips & tricks for grilling perfect burgers here! You can feel free to cook these burgers on the grill or on the stovetop. Here’s how:

• To make your zucchini chicken burgers on the grill: Preheat your gas grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Once grill is hot, add burger patties and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes per side. If you’re adding cheese, turn off the grill, add cheese to each patty and close the grill lid for 1-2 minutes longer, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Burgers are done when a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.
• How to make chicken burgers on the stove (in a skillet or nonstick pan): Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet. Cook burgers over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Burgers are done when a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.

Tips for making zucchini chicken burgers

• Be sure to use 93% lean ground chicken or turkey. Anything higher (like 99%) will not be very juicy.
• Squeeze out all of the excess moisture from your zucchini after shredding so that it doesn’t add too much moisture to the burger patties

Customize your zucchini chicken burgers

The options are endless in terms of toppings, so feel free to add things you like!

• Try a new sauce. Not a fan of buffalo sauce? Add the same amount of BBQ sauce instead. Or try my sweet potato bbq chicken burgers.
• Go dairy free. Keep your zucchini chicken burgers dairy free by using dairy free cheese slices on top or simply omit the cheese. You could also add this delicious jalapeño cashew cream sauce, these vegan cheese sauce, or tahini sauce.
• Have fun with toppings. Top with extra veggies like fresh, juicy tomato slices.
• Cool them down. Add blue cheese crumbles or my homemade greek yogurt ranch to complement the buffalo sauce. YUM.
• Go paleo-friendly. To make these paleo, simply leave the bun off and try a lettuce wrap + use any of the sauces listed above!

Storing tips

Store any leftover buffalo zucchini chicken burgers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.

Freezer-friendly buffalo chicken burgers

• Freeze before cooking: shape your chicken burgers and place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container or bag. If you’re stacking the burgers I’d recommend putting wax or parchment paper in between the layers so that they don’t stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, you can either let them thaw in the fridge before cooking or cook them directly from frozen – you may just need to cook them a bit longer from frozen.
• Freeze after cooking: let your chicken burger patties cool completely before placing them in airtight, freezer-friendly containers or bags. As I mentioned above, put wax or parchment paper in between the layers of burgers if you’re stacking them. Freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop for a couple minutes on each side. You can also reheat these directly from frozen – I recommend doing so on the stovetop.

What to serve with buffalo zucchini chicken burgers

Get more of my favorite summer BBQ recipes here!

I hope you love these buffalo zucchini chicken burgers! If you make them be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked them. You can also post a photo to Instagram and tag #ambitiouskitchen – xo!

Buffalo Zucchini Chicken Burgers

Juicy buffalo zucchini chicken burgers with delicious spices, zucchini and buffalo sauce added right to the patty. These flavorful, easy zucchini chicken burgers come together in under 30 minutes and stay together without any bread crumbs. Add your favorite burger fixins and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1
  pound
  93% lean ground chicken (or sub ground turkey) — do not use 99%
• 1/2
  cup
  shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture with a paper towel (from ½ of a medium zucchini)
• 2
  tablespoons
  hot or medium buffalo sauce
• 1/4
  cup
  very finely diced yellow onion
• ½
  teaspoon
  garlic powder
• 1/2
  teaspoon
  cumin
• 1/2
  teaspoon
  salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4
  slices
  sharp cheddar cheese
• For assembly:
• 4
  hamburger buns of choice, toasted if desired
• 4
  tablespoons
  buffalo sauce, for topping
• 1
  large avocado, sliced
• Butterhead lettuce
• Sliced red onion

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F). Brush the grates with olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. Make the chicken burgers by adding the ground chicken/turkey, shredded zucchini, buffalo sauce, onion, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into 1/2 inch patties.

3. Grill over medium-high heat (around 400 degrees F) for 6-8 minutes per side or until burgers are cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. During the last few minutes of cooking the chicken burgers, add a slice of cheddar cheese on top of each burger patty; cover the grill for about 1 minute while the cheese melts.

4. Place the onion on the bottom of the bun, then the burgers, top with a little bit of extra buffalo sauce, avocado and lettuce. Serve immediately. Great with sweet potato fries or fresh fruit!

Recipe Notes

To keep these burgers dairy free: use your favorite dairy free cheese slices or simply omit the cheese.

To keep them paleo: omit the cheese and use a lettuce wrap instead of a whole grain bun.

To store: store any leftover buffalo zucchini chicken burgers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.

Check the full post for freezing instructions and more ways to customize your burgers!

Nutrition

Servings: 4 servings

Serving size: 1 burger with whole grain bun + toppings

Calories: 502kcal

Fat: 23.2g

Saturated fat: 7.9g

Carbohydrates: 41g

Fiber: 9.6g

Sugar: 1.1g

Protein: 37.2g