The Kitchn: Make a better burger with chicken and guacamole
This is unimaginably better than a burger. In this love child of a burger and guacamole, the guac is mixed right in with the ground chicken, making its presence felt in every bite.
Serve the burgers with shredded lettuce, for a little crunch, a thin slice of ripe summer tomato and a little smear of canola mayonnaise on the roll. Want to take it to the next level? Top the burger with extra avocado slices.
Chicken Guacamole Burgers
Serves 4
For the burgers:
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium avocado, ripe, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound lean ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
To serve:
4 golden potato hamburger buns, toasted
Shredded lettuce
Canola mayonnaise
Thinly-sliced tomatoes
To make the guacamole, gently combine the onion, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado and lime juice in a large bowl. In a second bowl, combine the lime zest, egg, ground chicken, salt and pepper until thoroughly mixed. Add the guacamole mixture and mix with a fork until just combined. Form into four 1/2-inch-thick patties, working the mixture just enough so it holds together. (Avoid over-compacting the patties.)
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the burgers and cook until the bottom is well browned, about 5 minutes (when you slide a spatula under the burger, it should hold its shape). Flip the burgers over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer stuck in the center registers 160 F. (The temperature will increase another 5 degrees before you eat the burger.) Serve on the toasted rolls, garnished with mayo, lettuce and tomatoes.
(Marge Perry is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)