Get grilling and enjoy these unique and tasty Moroccan Open-faced Harissa Chicken Burgers for dinner tonight. Made with ground chicken, harissa paste, lemon and mint, these Moroccan burgers are low carb and keto-friendly. Top with yogurt-mint sauce for exotic North African flavours!
Today I'm serving up these juicy Moroccan-style open-faced Harissa Chicken Burgers with Yogurt Sauce. Slightly spicy burgers topped with a cool creamy sauce flavored with garlic, lemon, and mint bring the flavors of North Africa to your kitchen table.
What could be better than a tasty gluten-free burger ready in less than 30 minutes?
A lean open-faced tasty gluten-free low-carb burger!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Budget-friendly. Ground chicken is usually less expensive than chicken thighs or breasts.
- A change from the usual. It's always a good idea to spice things up and try different flavors.
- Make-ahead. This recipe is a perfect choice for meal-prepping. Make and freeze for busy days.
- Easy. This easy casual meal is not just for summertime grilling. I use an indoor grill to cook these to perfection, but you can quickly fry them or air fry them if you prefer.
🛒 Ingredients
For the burgers
- ground chicken: Ground lamb is a traditional Moroccan choice, but I like these with chicken.
- harissa paste: store-bought or homemade.
- seasoning: lemon juice, garlic, and mint for exciting North African flavors.
For the easy stir-together yogurt sauce
- Greek yogurt
- mint leaves
- garlic
- lemon juice and zest
🔪 Instructions
- Combine all the burger ingredients and form into 4 or 5 patties. Grill or fry.
- Stir together the sauce ingredients and serve alongside or on top of your burgers. Don't leave this out--it's delicious and it complements the burgers beautifully!
Make ahead and freeze
Having burgers or patties pre-made and stored in the freezer for busy days is an incredible time-saver.
Form patties using about ½ cup of the chicken meat mixture and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then package in an airtight freezer bag or use a vacuum sealer to create airtight packages.
❓Readers' Questions
Harissa is a spicy North African red pepper paste made from smoked chilies and spices. In this recipe, a cool yogurt sauce makes the perfect complement to these slightly spicy burgers.
There's no need to fear harissa's intense color, as it's not as spicy as you might first think.
You can make harissa paste yourself at home, but it's readily available in the international food section of your supermarket. You can choose either regular or mild, depending on your family's tastes.
🗒 More healthy burger recipes
I rotate these harissa chicken burgers with my other favorite make-ahead burgers:
What should I serve with these Harissa Chicken Burgers?
Serve these juicy Moroccan burgers with or without a bun, or serve with gluten-free flatbread or pita bread. Keep your meal low-carb and gluten-free and serve them on a slice of iceberg or romaine lettuce.
Top the chicken patties with a smear of harissa paste and a dollop of yogurt sauce. Stir a little fresh mint, lemon, and garlic into some thick Greek yogurt and season with salt and pepper for a quick and easy topping.
Add some pickled red onion rings, red pepper rings, cherry tomatoes, and serve with a side of Smoky Sweet Potato Wedges or Grilled Lemon Garlic Potato Kabobs.
To round out your meal, add a simple refreshing salad, or this delicious Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil Capers and Feta, or a side of Garden Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.
Get grilling! I hope you get a chance to enjoy these healthy Moroccan Harissa Chicken Burgers soon.
This recipe was originally published in 2018. I've updated it with extra information and photos to make it more helpful.
When you make these harissa chicken burgers with ground chicken, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Open Faced Harissa Chicken Burgers with Yogurt Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Harissa Chicken Burgers
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste plus extra for topping
- ¼ cup lemon juice from half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves finely chopped
- ½ clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Garnish
- red pepper rings, red onion rings, lettuce, cucumbers and/or tomatoes
Instructions
- Combine all burger ingredients and form into 4 patties. Grill or fry for 5 minutes on one side and 2 - 3 minutes on the other. The grilling/frying/or airfrying time will depend on the temperature of your grill or the type of air fryer you have. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°F.
- In a small bowl, mix Yogurt Sauce ingredients together just until blended. Serve on top or beside the burgers.
Susan K
These were SPECTACULAR! My ground chicken was a bit “wet” because of the butcher we use so I added about a 1/4 cup of panko as a binder. Made the yogurt sauce as instructed and then served on sour dough with sliced cucumbers and feta. Absolutely out of this world delicious.
Vanessa | Zest & Simmer
I always love a burger that’s a little unique, like this one here! The Moroccan flavours in this sound just wonderful! Yum!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Vanessa!
I like to switch things up, too and experiment with different flavours in burgers. This is one of our favourites!
Fouzia Husainy
I love using harissa in my marinades especially for chicken. The harissa flavour should go well wth the yoghurt sauce you are serving. You can easily grill them in no time for a quick dinner and they look so delicious!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Fouzia,
Yes, the yogurt sauce makes a nice contrast to the spicy burgers. Thanks for commenting.
Chef Markus Mueller
I love Harissa! We used to make our own harissa paste at the restaurant I worked at in Halifax. We used it on seafood, lamb, and chicken, but it's great for spicing up pasta sauces and soups.
I haven't used it in years though, now I want to try this chicken sandwich! It looks so tasty not to mention easy to make!
Flavour & Savour
I never thought about adding it to soup! I'll bet it would add a nice touch to butternut soup. I stirred it into cauliflower rice yesterday--so good! You're right--this hairssa chicken burger is quick and easy. I make a big batch and freeze the patties on a tray before packaging them. Great for busy nights.
Albert Bevia
These open faced chicken burgers look like they would hit the spot, and that mint yogurt sauce sounds like it will take this dish to the next level! superb recipe 🙂
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Albert! Yes, that sauce adds a nice contrast to the spicy burgers. It's so quick to whip up. Thanks for stopping by.