These low carb chicken burgers paired with a snow pea sauté is as fresh and easy as it gets. The lemon and parsley give the chicken patties a lot of the high acid zest and the snow peas with peanuts add a wonderful light crunch. As a bonus, it’s quick, easy and inexpensive!
Jump to: RECIPE | Ground Chicken vs Cut-up Chicken | Snow peas as Low Carb Side
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Ingredients
Ground Chicken vs. Chicken Breast
I have never cooked anything with ground chicken before and the idea initially put me off a bit. I’m not sure why because I enjoy ground pork and ground burger on a fairly consistent basis.
Convinced by a friend who is a good cook that it was something I should try, I went ahead and gave it a whirl.
My anxiety increased even more when I tried forming the raw chicken mix into burger patties and the texture was so different from hamburger patties (looser and a little mushy).
But then…magic! Once I got them into the hot oil and crisped up, they were perfect burgers – moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. And really full of fresh flavor!
Most of the chicken patty recipes I reviewed called for chicken breasts that were roughly chopped and held together with egg.
Some recipes even just called for a quarter breast coated in a low carb breading. The ground chicken was a good alternative that allowed the patty texture to be more like a burger patty that could then be used in a bun for those not concerned about carbs.
Snow Pea Saute as the Perfect Side Dish
The recipe below is an Asian inspired snow pea sauté, which I absolutely love. The snow peas only take a couple of minutes to cook and it goes really fast if you chop up your add-ins ahead of time (the mise en place to be technical).
It’s a perfect accompaniment to this fresh Spring dish which got raves from the picky family.
I also made this with snap peas when I couldn’t find snow peas. It works fine but is a little more work because you really have to take the string off of the snap peas or they will be “stringy” and unpleasant.
More Side Dishes to Pair with Chicken Patties
Even though I think the snow pea saute is the easiest and tastiest side dish, these chicken burgers are so versatile they can really go with anything! Here´s a few suggestions we like:
- Edamame
- Sliced radishes with balsamic vinegar
- Shredded brussel sprouts Caesar salad
- Keto buns (note: these buns will be too big for the burgers, so you will have to divide the dough into more portions)
If you like your chicken burgers spicy, check out this spicy version of the recipe my daughter made using Hatch chiles.
Similar Spring Recipes We Think You’ll Love
Though you really can’t get much fresher or quicker than a simple vegetable sauté and a burger, these recipes satisfy our desires in Spring when we’re looking for that “fresh” taste:
- Italian Flat Beans with Smashed Cherry Tomatoes
- Zucchini Fritters with a Yogurt Caper Dipping Sauce
- A BLT with Basil Mayo
Recipe for Low Carb Chicken Patties with Sautéed Snow Peas
Low Carb Chicken Burgers with Snow Pea Sauté
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Chicken Burgers
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 large onion chopped finely
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest or zest from 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or juice from 1 lemon
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley can substitute other herbs
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Ground caraway seeds toasted if possible
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp Oil
- fresh lemon wedges for serving
For the Snow Pea Saute
- 2 Tbsp oil for frying
- 1 lb snow peas tendrils trimmed
- 6-8 scallions chopped into 1-inch lengths
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes or spicy chile pepper of choice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp crushed peanuts I used dry roasted
- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
Instructions for the Chicken Burgers
- If you have time, lightly toast the caraway seeds before crushing to bring out flavor (optional).
- In a large bowl, mix together thoroughly all ingredients except frying oil and lemon wedges.1 lb. ground chicken, 1 large onion, 4 large cloves garlic, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp lemon zest, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 2 Tbsp Olive oil, 1 tsp Ground caraway seeds, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp salt
- Form the chicken mixture into small patties (they will be somewhat loose and more mushy than making hamburger patties). They are very delicate so small patties are easier to turn without breaking apart.
- Heat frying oil in large skillet over medium high heat.2 Tbsp oil for frying
- Ease the patties into the hot oil with a spatula so they do not break apart, and cook for about 3 minutes until underside is browned.
- Gently flip the patties with a spatula, keeping them as close to the bottom of the skillet as possible when flipping. Cook on the flipped side for 3-6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy and done on inside (if you want to speed up cooking on the inside, cover the skillet for the last 2-3 minutes)
- Remove to drain on paper towels and cook snow peas.
- Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze on patties before eating.fresh lemon wedges for serving
Instructions for the Snow Pea Saute
- Heat oil over high heat in wok or large stainless steel pan (I used the same skillet that chicken patties were cooked in). When it is sizzling hot, add snow peas, scallions and pepper flakes and stir constantly until lightly charred (2-3 minutes). Peas should be bright green and still crisp.3 Tbsp Oil, 1 lb snow peas, 6-8 scallions, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- To the skillet of snow pease, add garlic, ginger and sesame oil, toss and cook one more minute.4 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro and serve with chicken patties.3 Tbsp crushed peanuts, 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Nutrition
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First time handling ground chicken and thanks for the heads up! Delicious and easy recipe.
Yes! I thought ground chicken sounded gross at first, but a friend convinced me to try it and now I’m a convert!