14 Mar Healthy Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Healthy stuffed chicken parmesan burgers loaded with good for you ingredients like lean ground chicken, gluten free panko, arugula, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce. Such an easy, flavorful, and simple dinner recipe to up your burger game! Perfect for kids, families, athletes, and meal prep!

Best ever stuffed chicken burgers

I love burgers and I love chicken parmesan…. so why not try to combine them?! Honestly, I’d eat one of these chicken burgers over a regular burger any day. They are not only super juicy, but they are STUFFED with mozzarella cheese! Basically, a grown-up mozzarella stick.

I promise you, these chicken burgers are incredibly juicy and delicious! We’re adding some pretty delicious good for you ingredients into the ground chicken to keep these burgers super juicy and tasty. Think melty cheese and saucy marinara. I’m drooling already!

I mean who doesn’t love a stuffed burger?? Add these delicious Italian chicken parmesan burgers to the weekly menu tp spice up your burger game… your family will definitely thank you!

How to make stuffed chicken parmesan burgers lighter and healthier.

These juicy and mozzarella stuffed burgers are loaded, delicious, and sure to be your go-to dinner.

Here are four ways that I made this chicken burger recipe more nutritious and health friendly without taking away from the taste!

1. I used 93% lean ground chicken which is high in protein and low in fat! The perfect substitute for red meat.
2. Used a mix of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese to keep the delicious flavor but reduced the overall amount of cheese. Making this cheesy dinner healthier, yet still filling and satisfying!
3. Added fresh arugula which is calcium and vitamin K. A delicious leafy green.
4. Added an egg to the patty mixture for extra protein and Omega-3s.

Ingredients in chicken parm burgers

You’ll only need a few, simple ingredients to get this easy 20 minute dinner recipe going! I am all about simplicity and ease, so don’t worry, you won’t need to go to the supermarket and buy a lot of expensive ingredients and spices. Kind of crazy how flavorful this recipe is!

• Lean Ground chicken (don’t use extra lean!)
• Egg: Ideal for the best, juicy burger
• Yellow onion: for added flavor and a little crunch in the burgers.
• Fresh basil: some fresh herbs. to make these burgers absolutely delicious and flavor-packed!
• Fresh parmesan: the ideal pop of flavor for these Italian chicken burgers!
• Panko breadcrumbs: you can use gluten-free or regular panko breadcrumbs.
• Mozzarella: I used whole while mozzarella; it makes for. the best melted cheese. But any type of mozzarella should work!
• Olive oil, or avocado oil
• Marinara sauce: use any type of marinara sauce you want (I love Primal Kitchen)! Honestly, any red pasta sauce will work.
• Spices: you’ll be needing some dried oregano, salt, fresh black pepper, and garlic cloves
• Arugula: A pop of color and an awesome leafy green. I love the flavor of arugula, but you can use any lettuce.
• Buns: I used whole wheat buns and toasted them with some butter (YUM)! You can use any type of buns you want.

Are chicken burgers healthy?

They most certainly are!! I love chicken burgers. There are over 22 grams of protein per servings making ground chicken burgers are a great source of lean protein!

Plus these burgers can easily be made gluten free and grain free by using a gluten free bun or serving on top of a salad. Burger salads are the best!

You can probably tell by now, I am obsessed with these Italian burgers!

Tips for the best stuffed burgers

1. I recommend using 93% lean ground chicken or turkey. Anything higher (like 99%) will not be very juicy.
2. Do not over mix. When combining the ground chicken with the other ingredients, be careful not to over mix. This could result in tough burgers.
3. Do not press down the patties while cooking them. When you press down on burger patties while they are cooking, it presses out the natural juices and could make them dry… sad 🙁
4. Grilled burgers. You can grill these burgers! Grill for about 5 minutes on each side until they are cooked through. But make sure to still heat up the sauce in the skillet separately.
5. Toast buns. It’s an extra step (i know), but it makes a HUGE difference! I highly recommend buttering or using olive oil & toasting the hamburger buns before assembling the burgers. SO MUCH BETTER!

How to make healthy stuffed chicken parmesan burgers

My favorite thing about this healthy dinner recipe (besides the taste of course) is how easy they are to make! Honestly, these Italian chicken burgers are as easy to make as a traditional hamburger! They are seriously the perfect family dinner, meal prep, or date night dinner recipe.

First, you are going to combine ground chicken, egg, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, parmesan, and panko breadcrumbs in a bowl. Gently mix with hands.

Then, you are going to divide your mixture into 5 portions. And using your hands, flatten each patty out and place a piece of mozzarella cheese in the middle. Then, fold the chicken over the edges, making sure to completely cover the cheese. PRO TIP: no cheese should be showing and patties should be about ⅔ inch thick.

Now it is time to cook the burgers! Do this by, heating a large pan with 2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado) over medium heat. Once hot, add in burgers. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for another 4 – 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through with an internal temp of 165 F. If using an outside grill, heat to medium (350 – 375 F) and cook burgers for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, heat marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low on the stovetop.

Serve burgers on toasted buns dressed with arugula, marinara sauce, basil, and sprinkle of parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Italian chicken burger variations

This burger meal is delicious as-is, but if you are missing an ingredient or two no worries! Feel free to change things up to customize it to your family’s preferences:

• Protein: Instead of using ground chicken, try this with ground turkey!
• Veggies: Top with extra veggies like fresh tomato slices, red onion, and any type of lettuce.
• Spiciness: For just a little kick of heat, add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to your marinara sauce.
• Cheese: Easily swap out the mozzarella for any other favorite cheese. Try Gorgonzola, Cheddar, Provolone, or Asiago cheese. Honestly, even crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese over the top would be super tasty!

How to store and meal prep chicken parmesan burgers

One of my favorite things about this comforting dinner is that you can save extras for meal prep! This recipe makes five filling, hearty, and tasty servings that you can store for meal prep.

To meal prep this recipe, be sure to let the burgers completely cool before dividing into separate airtight containers. Simply store them in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in the microwave! Do not store your burgers with the toppings or buns, assemble them after reheating.

Looking for other healthy dinner recipes? Check these out!

Need some more tasty and healthy dinner, lunch, or meal prep ideas? Here are some of my favorite Healthful Blondie dinner recipes to try out….

• Crispy Salmon with Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli
• Healthy Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Healthy Vegetable Fried Rice

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!

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Recipe by Tati Chermayeff / Healthful Blondie + Photos by The Travel Palate

I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. In full disclosure, by purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. Everything counts to keep my dream afloat; thank you for supporting Healthful Blondie!

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