Delicious, moist and juicy Mediterranean chicken patties have everything you want in one bite: protein, veggies, herbs, and more! They are stuffed with spinach, Greek yogurt, fresh dill, garlic, and delicious seasonings for that classic Mediterranean flavor. Serve it as a quick and easy light meal on it's own with a side of Tzatziki, or make it a complete meal served with rice and vegetables. Either way, it's going to be a crowd favorite.
Why You'll Love Mediterranean Chicken Patties
- It has the perfect texture. When you make a patty, you need something that's not too firm but not too soft. With breadcrumbs and yogurt as binding agents, well-formed ground chicken, and softened sautéed veggies, these Mediterranean chicken patties deliver the most satisfying bite every single time. The best part? It takes just 10 minutes to prep.
- Well-seasoned for amazing flavor. Chicken is a great protein, but it's infamous for being a bit bland on its own. With these Mediterranean chicken patties, flavor is not a problem. A wonderful blend of bold spices like cumin and paprika, combined with lemon, spinach, onion, and more bring satisfaction to your taste buds.
- It's a light and healthy meal. Serving up deep-fried chicken fingers might not be the healthiest meal for your family-but these Mediterranean chicken patties are a healthy choice every time. Packed with clean protein and nutrient-rich vegetables, this kid-friendly chicken dinner is one that your family can feel good about.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make these easy Mediterranean chicken patties, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- ground chicken
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- baby spinach
- breadcrumbs - I used regular breadcrumbs, but feel free to use panko breadcrumbs for a slightly crunchier texture.
- Greek yogurt - Greek yogurt keeps these chicken patties super moist and tender. I recommend using Greek yogurt for the best results. You can also substitute with regular yogurt.
- lemon juice
- herbs - fresh dill and dried oregano. Feel free to substitute dried oregano with Italian seasoning.
- seasonings - paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a cast-iron skillet or grill pan.
How to Make the Best Mediterranean Chicken Patties
- Sauté aromatics. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until sizzling hot. Sauté onions and garlic until tender and nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and sauté for 1 minute until soft. Set aside on a plate to cool for 5 minutes.
- Make chicken mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, sautéed onion-spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, Greek yogurt, dill, lemon juice, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well with a spatula to combine everything together (or use your hands to press the ingredients together to evenly combine).
- Marinate. Shape the ground chicken mixture into a firm ball. This helps the mixture bind together to yield firm patties. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Shape the patties. Take ½ cup chicken mixture at a time and shape into patties using your hands. You should get about 12 chicken patties.
- Cook the patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until sizzling hot. Place patties on the skillet (about 6 pieces per batch) and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely seared and starting to brown up the sides. Flip the patties over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 165 F as read on a meat thermometer.
Air Fryer Instructions
Place chicken patties (4 patties in each batch) in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with oil to coat evenly. Cook at 375 F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F. Flip the patties halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
How to Serve
Serve these Mediterranean chicken patties on their own with a side of Tzatziki Sauce, or serve them with a side of Rice Pilaf and veggies. Some of my favourite vegetable sides to serve with them are:
- Roasted Spring Vegetables
- Sautéed Garlic Mushrooms
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Sautéed Garlic Green Beans
- Easy Roasted Cauliflower
You can also serve them in Homemade Hamburger Buns with a side of French Fries.
Storing and Freezing
- How to store leftovers: Mediterranean chicken patties will keep for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow them to cool to room temperature before storing.
- How to freeze: You can prep these chicken patties ahead of time by following the recipe up until the cooking instructions. Instead of placing them on the pan, wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap (this prevents freezer burn) before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. The raw patties will be good for up to two months.
- How to thaw: The day before you want to cook your Mediterranean chicken patties, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, cook according to recipe instructions.
More Burger Patty Recipes
- Mediterranean Turkey Burgers
- Classic Juicy Hamburgers
- Fish Burgers with Creamy Slaw
- Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
- Rosemary and Thyme Burgers
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Tiktok, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Mediterranean Chicken Patties
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 medium patties
Description
Delicious, moist and juicy Mediterranean chicken patties have everything you want in one bite: protein, veggies, herbs, and they're quick and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from half lemon)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until sizzling hot. Sauté onions and garlic until tender and nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add spinach and sauté for 1 minute until soft. Set aside on a plate to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, sautéed onion-spinach mixture, breadcrumbs, Greek yogurt, dill, lemon juice, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well with a spatula to combine everything together (or use your hands to press the ingredients together to evenly combine).
- Shape the ground chicken mixture into a firm ball. This helps the mixture bind together to yield firm patties. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Take ½ cup chicken mixture at a time and shape into patties using your hands. You should get about 12 patties.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until sizzling hot. Place patties on the skillet (about 6 pieces per batch) and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely seared and starting to brown up the sides. Flip the patties over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 165 F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Serve warm with a side of rice pilaf and sautéed vegetables, or serve in hamburger buns.
Notes
How to store leftovers: Mediterranean chicken patties will keep for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow them to cool to room temperature before storing.
Air fryer instructions: Place chicken patties (4 patties in each batch) in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with oil to coat evenly. Cook at 375 F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F. Flip the patties halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
How to freeze: You can prep these chicken patties ahead of time by following the recipe up until the cooking instructions. Instead of placing them on the pan, wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap (this prevents freezer burn) before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. The raw patties will be good for up to two months.
How to thaw: The day before you want to cook your Mediterranean chicken patties, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, cook according to recipe instructions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
DEVIN says
Made these tonight. I subbed in an eggs as I didn’t have Greek yogurt but I can only imagine that would have made the flavor even better!
Serve with tzatziki, pita, fresh feta, French fries and cucumber salad!!! I will make these all the time! No bun needed!
Julie says
Wow!!! These are amazing. I made exactly as directed except I used red onion instead of regular onion. Everyone loved them!! Served with naan, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers and tomatoes. So happy to have discovered your website:)
Kay Wood says
Truly enjoyed these! Had them with cucumber, tomato, lettuce on a pita. Delicious! Looking forward to these being in our regular rotation.
Jeanne Talbot says
I made this for my dad who’s 96 and on a restricted salt diet and served it with a Keto roll and broccoli rabe. It was fabulous and he really loved it! I have Pattie’s in the freezer for future dinners. This was so delicious! Thank you for sharing this great recipe!❤️