Tandori Spiced Chicken Burgers

These pictures do not even being to do this dish justice. It was hard to take a good picture of the burgers because they are tucked away in warm, soft, chewy pita bread...don't let that fool you though. These burgers are so yummy! The yogurt sauce is killer good too! I made a different recipe for the yogurt sauce than what the recipe called for. My recipe sounded much better! I served this meal with a mixutre of sauteed veggies (squash, asparagus, and bell peppers), and gigantic crispy potato fries that I seasoned with grill seasoning and olive oil....yum! I used ground chicken breast instead of whole chicken thighs and they turned out wonderfully.

1 1/2 pounds (4 to 5) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into rough chunks
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (from a peeled 2-inch piece)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for grates
4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas
1 cucumber (8 ounces), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
Cumin yogurt sauce (see recipe below)
Watermelon slices (optional)
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, place chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate, at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
Transfer chicken mixture to a food processor; pulse until roughly chopped, but not pasty, 10 to 12 times. Gently form mixture into sixteen 3/4-inch-thick patties (about 3 tablespoons each).
Moisten a folded paper towel with oil; grasp with tongs and rub over grates. Season patties with salt and pepper; grill until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
For the Cumin Yogurt Sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. My yogurt recipe- 1/2 low-fat organic plain yogurt, 1 small garlic clove minced, dash of the following: salt, pepper, garam masala, and curry powder. Mix together and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in and along the side of the burger for dipping.
Halve pitas crosswise (toast on grill, if you like). Into each pocket, place 2 chicken patties, cucumber slices, (I added sliced tomato, avocoado and sprouts) and cilantro sprigs. Serve with Cumin Yogurt Sauce.