Chicken Shawarma Burger with Cabbage & Red Onion Slaw

This juicy shawarma spiced chicken burger is packed with tons of flavour and served with a lemony, sumac slaw and all the sauces.

With summer approaching, I’m thinking all things grilling and burgers. I love coming up with fun, new burger flavours and combinations to keep things interesting. See my jerk chicken burger, Korean inspired chicken burgers and juicy jalapeño turkey burgers as examples. I recently saw a TikTok that was saying how getting older is just figuring out what ground meat to use for dinner every night and it made me laugh. So here is another option for you to use.

These juicy shawarma chicken burgers get their flavour from using a delicious shawarma spice blend first and foremost. Then we’re adding in some tahini and fresh garlic for a bit more flavour. And to make these even more shawarma-esque, we gotta have a tangy component and some fun sauces. The tanginess comes from a simple cabbage and red onion slaw with parsley and plenty of sumac. And the sauces can be a variation of your favourites here. I like using toum and amba. Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce, similar to mayo or aioli, but with LOTS of garlic. Amba is a tangy, spicy and sour mango condiment. A tahini sauce, or skhug would also be great here!

And yes, I know this isn’t authentic chicken shawarma by ANY MEANS. But, they are delicious and reminiscent of chicken shawarma which was the goal for me. Plus, they’re really easy to make too!

Ingredients

To make the chicken shawarma burgers, here’s what you’ll need: ground chicken (I prefer using dark meat here), a Shawarma spice blend, garlic, tahini and salt. Plus, burger buns of course!

To make the slaw, here’s what you’ll need: red cabbage, red onion, parsley, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, sumac and salt.

For the optional sauces and other toppings, you’ll need: toum, amba and pickles.

How to Make Chicken Shawarma Burgers

Place the ground chicken in a large bowl and add the shawarma spice blend, garlic, tahini and salt. Mix gently to combine.

Divide the mixture into four equal patties.

If using the oven/stovetop to cook, preheat the oven to 350℉.

When ready to cook, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle, or spray a small amount of avocado oil in the skillet. Add the patties and cook for three to four minutes, until a crust has formed and then flip and cook for three minutes.

Transfer to a baking sheet (or use the same cast iron pan) and place in the oven for nine to ten minutes, until cooked through.

When ready to serve, toast the burger buns. Add the toum and amba to the bottom bun, then place the burger on and top with slaw and pickles. Close the burger with the other bun and enjoy!

How to Make the Slaw

Finely shred the cabbage and red onion on a mandolin, or use a sharp chef’s knife to do so. Place in a large bowl along with the parsley.

Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over top, along with the sumac and salt. Toss to combine.

Tips

• Don’t overwork the patties: once the mixture is just combined, mold into patties with your hands, but don’t overwork them. They don’t need to be perfectly round.
• Don’t overcook: use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken shawarma burgers aren’t overcooked. Once they reach 165ºF they are cooked. Let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
• Use dark meat: I highly encourage you to use at least a mix of dark and white meat for best flavour and to keep these chicken burgers juicy and delicious.
• Toast the buns: this helps them get less soggy and it just tastes better lightly toasted.
• Buns: opt for soft buns, like a potato bun. These taste the best with this type of burger in my opinion.
• Make ahead: Both the chicken shawarma burgers and toppings (sauces, etc) can all be prepped and made ahead. To make things easy, I’d recommend at least making the sauces and shawarma spice in advance.

Substitutions

• Gluten-free: be sure to serve on gluten-free buns.
• Ground chicken: use ground turkey instead.

Storage & Meal Prep

• Leftover cooked chicken burgers can be placed in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds, or in the oven at a low temperature, such as 325ºF for five minutes or so.
• Uncooked chicken burger patties can be frozen for up to three months. Wrap each individual patty in plastic wrap and place in the freezer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and store in a freezer bag or container for up to three months. Let them defrost overnight in the fridge before cooking.
• Meal Prep: you can prepare them in advance and leave the formed patties in the fridge in a sealed container, or on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap up to 24 hours in advance.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend

Kosher salt: I exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Sumac: the perfect citrusy, tart and tangy spice that I love using in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes.

Shawarma spice blend: you can make your own at home, it’s very easy to do and there are tons of recipes to choose from. Or, you can purchase a blend if you prefer.

Mandolin: I find using a mandolin the best and easiest way to efficiently slice things thin in the kitchen. This is the one I use and love because it’s extra wide.

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