All the joy of a burger, none of the guilt: juicy chicken patties tucked into soft, protein-packed cottage cheese buns with fresh vegetables. The buns bake up golden with sesame seeds and hold together beautifully. If you love lighter takes on classics, try our Creamy Chicken Soup with Orzo and Creamy Broccoli Soup for the week ahead.
Ingredients
- For the buns:
- 1 egg plus 1 yolk
- 200 g (7 oz) block cottage cheese
- 100 g (3/4 cup) rice or whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Salt to taste, sesame seeds for topping
- For the filling:
- 400 g (14 oz) ground chicken
- plus 30 g minced onion, salt, and spices
- 80 g (3 oz) tomato paste
- 60 g (2 oz) cheese
- Cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Mix all the bun ingredients, divide the dough into 4 parts, and shape small buns. Brush with the yolk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake at 180 C (350 F) for 30-35 minutes.
- Mix the ground chicken with onion, salt, and spices; form patties and pan-fry until golden and cooked through.
- Assemble the burgers: spread the buns with tomato paste, add a lettuce leaf, vegetables, the patty, and cheese, then cap with the top bun.
Tips
- If the cottage cheese looks watery, drain it well so the dough holds its shape. Allrecipes has handy tips for working with soft, wet doughs.
- Handle the chicken mixture gently and do not overwork it — that keeps the patties juicy.
- Toast the cut buns briefly in a dry skillet for extra flavor and structure.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 145 kcal, protein 14 g, fat 3 g, carbs 13 g.