Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

Whew! It's time to dust off the cobwebs around here. We've had a busy summer and I took some time to focus on my family, friends, and home. I'm excited to get back to blogging again, especially with fall just around the corner and a new season of Glee and Glee Cupcakes!

Part of the reason for the slow down around here is that I wasn't really making new recipes. To keep things simple in the kitchen, I fell back on things I've made before and knew we loved. This recipe is one that I made many times over this summer. The inspiration came one day when there were a few odd ingredients in the fridge that needed to be used up. This is one of those recipes that, now, I can skip the recipe card and go based on memory - and I love that!

These turkey burgers are a great choice when you are looking for something different than your run-of-the-mill burgers. The chipotle and adobo sauce provide a great smokiness, and the red onion is bright punch of flavor. We love them!

Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey


• 1 chipotle pepper with about 1 tablespoon adobo sauce


• 1/3 cup salsa


• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs


• 1/3 cup red onion, diced


• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


• juice from one large lime, divided


• 2 teaspoons chili or taco seasoning


• 1/2 an avocado


• burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, and whatever else you like to put on burgers

Instructions

1. De-seed and mince the chipotle pepper.


2. Add all ingredients except avocado and half of the lime juice to a large bowl.


3. Mix gently just until thoroughly combined; do not over-work.


4. Shape into four equal burgers. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the center.


5. Mix avocado and reserved half of the lime juice in a small bowl. Spread avocado mixture on burger bun. Build the burger with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Mexican Shrimp Burgers

My husband was originally a little skeptical about the idea of shrimp burgers, but he was nice enough to wait and tell me that AFTER I made them. These burgers totally won him over. We both agree that they are fantastic, and definitely something different! I love that they are actually relatively easy to prepare and being able to use frozen shrimp, which thaw quickly, makes it even more attractive.


Mexican Shrimp Burgers
Source: slightly adapted from Everyday Gourmet /  FN

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
2 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, plus more as needed
1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Avocado Aioli:
1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 whole wheat burger buns, split in half
2 medium tomatoes, or pico de gallo
6 lettuce leaves or a mixture of baby lettuce leaves

Directions

Burgers:
In a food processor, combine the shrimp, egg, cilantro, garlic, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, poblano chile, salt, and pepper. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree. (If the mixture is too wet, add additional bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture can be molded easily). Form the mixture into 4-6 patties and put on a plate and store in the fridge to firm up while you make your aioli.

Avocado Aioli:

Scoop the avocado pulp into the bowl of a food processor. Add the yogurt, lime juice, garlic cloves, serrano chile and cilantro. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat the oil over medium-medium high heat in a non stick skillet. (because the shrimp doesn’t have a lot of fat, the oil will help develop a nice crust). Add burgers to pan, gently sear until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Cover burgers while cooking to ensure that the shrimp will cook through. Do not over cook the burgers! Like anything using shrimp, it will taste best when the shrimp are just cooked through.

To assemble:

Serve the shrimp burgers on buns, topped with avocado aioli, sliced tomato or pico de gallo, and lettuce.

Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa

This recipe combines a super simple turkey burger with a flavorful mango salsa. The magazine didn't give a recipe for mango salsa, but I knew where I could find a great one, so I wasn't deterred. As I noted in the recipe, I prefer to stuff the burgers with cheese rather than cook it on top of the burger. Whatever you like best will work!


Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa
Source: Reworded from Clean Eating Magazine, July/August 2010
Serves: 4

1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 ounces reduced fat pepper jack cheese or Monterey jack cheese, sliced
4 Romaine lettuce leaves, stems removed
2/3 cup fresh mango salsa (recipe follows)
4 sprouted grain (or whole wheat) hamburger buns

Mist large skillet with cooking spray and preheat to medium (or prepare grill at medium heat).  In a large bowl, combine turkey, chile powder, and salt.  Shape mixture into 4 equal patties, each 1/2 inch thick*.  Add patties to grill or skillet and cook until undersides are deep golden brown, 4 to 5  minutes.  Flip and place 1/2 ounce of cheese on each burger.  Continue cooking until undersides are browned and patties are firm to the touch, 4 to 5 more minutes. 

To serve, sandwich one lettuce leaf, one burger, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of salsa between each bun. 

*Alternatively, divide ground turkey mixture into 4 equal portions.  Working with one portion, shape half into a round patty.  Top with 1/2 ounce of cheese, then with other half of portion.  Seal around the edges of the patty to hold in the cheese.  Repeat with remaining 3 portions of turkey mixture.  Cook as directed above, omitting cheese on top of burger.

Mango Salsa
Source: Good Things Catered
Yield: 3-4 cups

• 2 large ripened mangoes, peeled and flesh cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced extra fine
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced fine
• 1/2 large red pepper, seeded and diced small
• juice of 1 lime
• a teeny pinch of salt
  

In large bowl combine all ingredients and toss to combine.

Barbecue Chicken Burgers

This summer we moved to a relatively rural area, and I was excited about that because I knew there would be great opportunities for a variety of fresh, locally grown produce. I couldn't wait for the Farmer's Market to start up in June, and I've been loving the things I find there.

One of my favorite stands is Wayne's Organic Garden. Attaining organic certification from the USDA is no small task, and on my first visit to the stand I let them know how much I appreciated the effort they put into maintaining their farm.

On one recent trip, they had gorgeous bunches of green onions that I couldn't pass up. I knew I wanted to make something with them as soon as I got home, to enjoy the fresh onion flavor. We already had planned on burgers that day, so I did a quick search and found this recipe for barbecue chicken burgers that sounded delicious. I liked that it incorporated another vegetable (carrots) right into the burger! A great way to get a few more vegetables in our diet.



We really enjoyed the contrasts in these burgers between the smokey, spicy cayenne and chili sauce against the sweet molasses. These are unique burgers that are worth a try!

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
Source: Good Housekeeping via The Daily Green

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon light (mild) molasses
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 hamburger buns, warmed
• Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact.)

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

We have finally upgraded our grilling equipment! We were chugging along with a lava rock grill, but it's small and cooks slowly (not necessarily a bad thing), and now that we have a home and are closer to family, we wanted something a little larger. We decided on the Weber Genesis E-320, and love it!

It's pricey, but built to last, so we are very happy with it (unlike the aforementioned lava rock grill, which after 1 year is spewing rust out the bottom every time we light it).  Of course, I think my favorite part is the side burner.  This means I now have a total of ONE gas burner at my disposal.  ::shoots evil side-eye at electric stove::

We couldn't wait to use it, and decided on these Chicken Caesar burgers for the inaugural run. We've made them before, so we already knew they were great.  These burgers fabulously present that classic combination of flavors, and I especially love the dressed greens on top. 




Of course, my husband generally takes things a step further, and implored me to post a photo of his version:



Chicken Caesar Burgers
Source: Rewritten from Rachael Ray

• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast (the average weight of 1 package)
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
• A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 crusty rolls, split in half

In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form four burger patties.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with one tablespoon of EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Alternatively, grill burgers over medium high heat, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Pre-heat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Alternatively, toast bread on the grill.  Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the EVOO. 

Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it.
Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops.

Chili Turkey Burgers

We love turkey burgers. That much should be clear by now. But turkey burgers aren't like beef burgers - where the heart of the burger is the flavor of the beef. Turkey burgers need... help, a boost.


This recipe packs a wonderful smokey heat from the chipotle peppers, chili powder and cayenne. The cilantro, red onion, and cheddar cheese complement they smokey flavors quite well. So well, in fact, that I decided to skip any of the burger toppings suggested in the original recipe. These are definitely a favorite in our house and I can't wait to make them again!

Chili Turkey Burgers
Source: Adapted from George Stella
Serves 4

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/3 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
• 2 dried chipotle peppers, reconstituted by steeping in boiling water until soft (5-10 minutes), chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander
  
• pinch black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg white, whisked
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, in a bowl. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.

Heat the a large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray or olive oil.  Cook the burgers, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side.(A instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest burger should read at least 165 degrees F.)  Serve on whole wheat buns.

Sandwich Bread turned Burger Buns

I scoured my rental copy of Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads for a recipe for burger buns. There were none to be found. I decided a decent substitute would be either the sandwich bread, shaped into rolls, or the pita bread recipe. I polled my husband and he voted sandwich bread, so off I went!


By now I am getting very familiar with this 2 day pre-dough process. The sandwich bread, in contrast to the bagel and hearth bread, has a lot more moisture to the dough (which I'm sure my stand mixer is thanking me for). But other than that, the process is pretty much the same, and goes quite easily for me. Since I can't, for the life of me, make pie dough or scones, I have to be good at something, right?


The rolls are slightly sweet (I go by weight measure and sometimes wonder if weight and measure don't really add up for the agave nectar), and soft and spongy. I'm pretty sure they took the artichoke turkey burger to the next level - we couldn't get enough!


Sandwich Bread / Burger Buns
Source: Rewritten Whole Wheat Sandwich bread from Whole Grain Breads, Peter Reinhart
Yield: 11 rolls (3 oz each)

Day 1:
Soaker:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (198 grams) milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soy milk, or rice milk

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl for about one minute, until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 12 to 24 hours. (If you need more time, place in refrigerator for up to 3 days, but leave at room temp 2 hours before continuing with bread).

Biga:
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) instant yeast
3/4 cup (170 grams) filtered or spring water, at room temperature (about 70 degrees F)

Mix all the biga ingredients together in a bowl to form a ball of dough. With wet hands, knead dough in the bowl for 2 minutes to be sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and the flour is fully hydrated. The dough should be tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again with wet hands for one minute. The dough will be smoother but still tacky. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.

Day 2:
Remove the biga from the fridge two hours before making the dough.

Final Dough:
All of the Soaker
All of the biga
7 tablespoons (56.5 grams) whole wheat flour
5/8 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
2 1/4 tablespoons (42.5 grams) honey or agave nectar (optional)
1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil

1. Chop the soaker and biga into 12 smaller pieces (sprinkle flour over pieces to prevent sticking).

2. By hand: combine biga and soaker into a large bowl with all the remaining ingredients and stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or knead with wet hands for about 2 minutes, until all ingredients are evenly integrated. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky, if not, add more flour or water as needed.

By stand mixer: combine biga and soaker with all the remaining ingredients into mixer bowl and mix on low speed for one minute with paddle (preferred) or hook. Switch to hook and mix on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until dough becomes cohesive and assimilated into each other. Add more flour or water as needed until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

3. Dust a work surface with flour, the roll the dough in flour to coat. Knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as needed, until the dough feels soft and tacky, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes while you prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

4. Resume kneading for 1 minutes to strengthen the gluten and make any final water/flour adjustments. Dough should have the strength to pass the windowpane test, but still be soft, supple, and very tacky. Form dough into a ball and place in prepared bowl, rolling to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

5. Transfer to lightly floured work surface. Form into either a loaf pan or into 3 ounce rounds for burger buns. For loaf pan bread, place dough in a greased 4 by 8.5 inch bread pan. For buns, place on sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Mist the top with pan spray (optional) and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a cloth towel. Let rise at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes, until it is about 1.5 times its original size.

6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. When the dough is ready to bake, place it in the oven and turn down the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the bread and continue baking 20 to 30 minutes more, until bread is a rich brown. or until a thermometer inserted registers at least 195 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least one hour before serving.

Nutritional Information
Per serving (3 ounce buns)

Calories: 174
Total Fat: 2 g
Sat Fat: 0.8 g
Carb: 35 g
Fiber: 6 g
Sugar: 1.2 g
Protein: 6.8 g
Sodium: 344 mg
Cholesterol: 3 mg

Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers

We love artichokes. We love cheese. We love turkey burgers. This dish was a natural fit for us! I made this recipe ages ago, and for reasons unclear to me now, I did not include it in my blog. We completely fell in love with this burger all over again when I made it over the weekend - it would be a shame to leave it out a second time!


I served the burgers on homemade whole wheat burger buns, and WOW. The combination was fantastic! We hadn't even finished our meal and we were fighting over who would get the leftover burger the next day.

Katie calls for 2 pounds of ground turkey, but I find I can get by just as well with one. You can skip the cheese or choose a lower fat cheese, such as feta, to make this dish clean.

Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered
Serves: 4

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 medium sweet onion, diced finely
• 1 large pinch of garlic salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 artichoke hearts, quartered
• 4 oz. aged fontina cheese, sliced into 4- 1 oz. squares (choose lower fat like feta, or omit to make it clean)
• 4 whole wheat burger buns
  

Directions:
-In large bowl, add ground turkey, balsamic vinegar, onion, garlic salt and pepper.
-Work lightly with hands until well blended.
-Heat grill on medium heat. In case your cheese starts to ooze out, a good preventative measure would be to line the grill with some non stick foil, poked with holes for drainage.
-Divide meat into four portions.
-Remove 2/3 of each portion and flatten into 4-5 inch patties.
-Place 1 slice of fontina and two artichoke heart quarters in middle of each patty.
-Lightly flatten remaining 1/3 of each portion into 3-4 inch patties and place on top.
-Work lightly to flatten and seal all edges of patties.
-Cook over medium to medium-low heat *without moving* burger until bottom side is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
-Turn burgers over and continue to cook until bottom side is browned and the burger is cooked through but not dried out about 8-10 more minutes.
-Remove from heat, place on bun and serve immediately.

Tuscan Turkey Burgers

I felt like having burgers again over the weekend, and Cara's Tuscan Turkey Burgers were next on my list to try. One of my basil plants is doing very well, so I picked a handful of leaves to make just enough pesto for this recipe. I skipped the balsamic reduction out of laziness, but I'll try to make it next time because it really would add a lot to the dish. As I made them, we still loved them.


Tuscan Turkey Burgers
Source: Cara's Cravings

1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup pesto
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 of a small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 hamburger buns
1 plum tomato, sliced
handful of field greens
4-6 oz fresh mozzarella
balsamic syrup (reduction)

Combine turkey, pesto, sundried tomatoes, onion, and garlic and mix well. Place stone on grill and heat up. Form turkey mixture into 4 balls, tightly packed. Drop on hot stone and flatten with a spatula. Cook for about 8 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and close the grill for a few minutes to warm the cheese. Serve on toasted buns with field greens, tomato slices, and a drizzle of balsamic syrup.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

I saw these over on Elly Says Opa and knew I had to make them soon. We finally got around to it and I am SO glad we did! These are FAST, easy, and ridiculously delicious. I skipped the mushrooms and used some fresh basil instead of the parsley. Amazingly flavorful!



Chicken Parmesan Burgers
Source: Elly Says Opa!

1 lb. ground chicken (I used breast meat)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped flatleaf parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper

1/2 cup pasta sauce
4 slices mozzarella or provolone (or 1/2 cup shredded)
sauteed mushrooms (optional)
4 buns (brushed with a little garlic butter, they are even better)

Lightly mix together all the ingredients for the burgers. Form into 4 patties. I like to make them about 30-40 minutes ahead of time, to let the flavors meld a little bit.

Preheat & spray the broiler with a little oil (or use the grill, or a pan). Broil the burgers for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and broil for 3 minutes. Top each chicken burger with 2 Tbsp. pasta sauce and a slice (or about 2T) of cheese. Place back under the broiler for 30-60 seconds, until cheese in melted and burger is cooked through. Top with mushrooms, if desired. Place the buns in the broiler for about 10 seconds, just until toasted.

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

We had some ground turkey to use up, and with the weather finally getting nice, I knew my husband would be itching to use the grill. I was searching for something different than what we usually do with burgers, and I stumbled across this recipe. Cheese? Check. Vegetables snuck in there? Check. New flavor? Check. We haven't ventured much into the Greek flavoring realm, so I decided to ease us in with this recipe. I cut the recipe in half, omitted the yogurt and used one egg instead of the egg beaters. The only thing I'd change next time is to add the yogurt (I was just being lazy when I omitted it) and to increase the Greek seasoning. I thought it could have used a little more. Overall, it's a great burger recipe and I'm excited to make them again!


Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
Source: Bakespace

32 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey
10 oz box Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed with liquid squeezed out
1/2 C Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 C onion, grate
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 Tablespoons Plain Fat Free Yogurt
1/2 C plain bread crumbs
1/4 C Egg Beater
1 heaping Tablespoon Greek Seasoning (see below for homemade recipe)

Combine all ingredients. Form 8 equal sized patties. Cook over medium heat, until no longer pink.

Greek Seasoning
Source: Recipezaar

* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme

Caribbean Spiced Burgers with Mango Salsa

There is a battle in our house over burger preferences. My husband prefers chicken burgers, while I'd take a turkey burger any day. Katie from Good Things Catered has single-handedly settled this debate with this recipe, and turned me into a chicken burger lover! The burger has great flavor and the mango salsa is a fantastic complement - don't skip it! (Though, I cut the recipe in half and it was plenty for 4 burgers.)
(oh, and let's just pretend I didn't almost burn mine, mmmkay?)



Caribbean Spiced Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa
Source: Good Things Catered
Makes 4 burgers

For the Burgers:
1 lb. ground chicken
4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
-In small bowl, combine thyme, salt, garlic, onion, paprika, pepper, allspice, ginger and set aside.
-Divide ground chicken into four 1/4 lb rounds. Shape rounds into 1/2 inch thick patties (about 5 inches wide).
-In high sided dish or airtight storage bag, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar.
-Mix to dissolve sugar into liquids.
-Coat both sides of chicken patties with spice mixture and place into liquid.
-Seal and place in fridge for about 1 hour to marinate.
-Turn grill on medium high.
-Remove chicken patties from marinade, shake to remove excess and place onto grill.
-Cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
-Remove from grill and let sit, covered by foil, for 5-10 minutes before serving.

For the salsa:
2 medium ripe mangoes
1/4 c. red onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
juice of 1/2 small lime
1/8 tsp garlic salt

Directions:
-Peel and cut mango off of seed.
-Cut mango sliced into 1/2 inch cubes.
-In small bowl, combine mango, red onion, cilantro, mint, ginger, lime juice and garlic salt.
-Mix lightly to combine thoroughly and refrigerate 15min - 1 hour before serving.

Chicken Cobb Burger

I made this as a part of Dinner Divas (though I am apparently a little late). I am *always* looking for new burger ideas, as we don't eat red meat and grilled chicken gets a little old after a while! Though the burgers themselves were barely seasoned, the combination of all the other flavors was great! I will definitely keep this recipe around. :-) One word of caution... these are TALL! I handed them to my husband and said, "good luck!"

Chicken Cobb Burgers
from Bobby Flay

For the burgers:
~8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon (we omitted)
~1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean (we used one pound of ground turkey)
~2 tablespoons canola oil (we omitted)
~Salt, Freshly ground black pepper
~1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (we used gorgonzola)
~4 burger buns, split
~1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
~1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
~2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
~1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
~1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
~1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
~1 clove garlic, finely chopped
~1/4 teaspoon sugar
~1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
~1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
~3 tablespoons olive oil (we used 2 tbsp)
~1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers: Heat the grill to medium. Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high. Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer. Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld. Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce

We are a No-Beef household, so burgers come one of three ways: chicken, turkey, or black bean. I have to admit, chicken burgers are my least favorite of the three. My husband has always made them in the past, and maybe he just made them too big or something, but I couldn't really get into them. We had some ground chicken to use (since he just bought 4 more packs at the store), so I went off in search of a recipe that would change my mind about them. I certainly found it! The peanut sauce on this is *great*, and the burgers themselves were really good. Chicken burgers had definitely pushed themselves back up in the burger ranking. ;-)

Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce
Source: My Recipes
Yield 4 servings.

For the sauce:
~2 tablespoons peanut butter
~2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
~1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
~1 teaspoon water
~1 teaspoon rice vinegar
~1 garlic clove, minced

For the burgers:
~1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
~1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
~2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
~2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
~1/4 teaspoon salt 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped
~Cooking spray
~4 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls with sesame seeds
~1 cup onion sprouts or alfalfa sprouts

To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Prepare grill.

To prepare burgers, place onions and next 5 ingredients (onions through chicken) in a food processor; process until coarsely ground. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place rolls, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1/4 cup sprouts, about 1 tablespoon sauce, and top half of roll.

Nutritional Information:
Calories - 341(28% from fat)
Fat - 10.6g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.5g,poly 3.3g)
Iron - 2.7mg
Cholesterol - 49mg
Calcium - 67mg
Carbohydrate - 32.8g
Sodium - 769mg
Protein - 28.5g
Fiber - 2.5g

Platinum Chef Challenge, Round 5

So I missed a few of the last challenges. Wedding planning had me pretty busy, and creatively, I was tapped out. This round certainly looked like something I could handle, and I was ready to get back in the swing of being creative in the kitchen. So, grapes, avocado, basil, black beans, and rice, here we go!

Today, I present my first entry: Black Bean and Rice "Burgers"
Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mexican rice (recipe follows)
• 1 (15 0z) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 tsp Franks hot sauce
• 2-3 tsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 2-3 oz Monterey Jack with Jalapeno cheese, sliced
• 1/2 an avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

Mash the beans with a potato masher or instrument of your choice (I used an immersion blender, which purees most of it and leaves some chunks). Add remaining ingredients except cheese and avocado. Mix with hands or spoon, just until blended. Score with hand or spoon to mark off 4 even portions. Divide one portion in half, making two thin patties. Place a thin slice (or slices, depending on the shape of your cheese) over one patty, then top with the other. Press around the edges to join the two patties (and hopefully keep the cheese IN the burger and not all over the grill :-) ). Repeat with 3 remaining portions to make 4 burgers. Grill over 'medium' heat (our grill doesn't have a numeric temperature gauge) for 5 or so minutes per side, until browned and cheese is melted (and possibly oozing out the sides).

Top with slices of avocado, toss on a bun and enjoy! These are a tad spicy, so if you'd prefer them more on the tame side, reduce/eliminate the Franks and/or cayenne. In this respect, the avocado is a perfect accompaniment to cool your taste buds a bit! :-)
Mexican Rice

Ingredients

• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup white rice (we use Canilla extra long grain)
• 2-3 tsp Knorr Caldo de Tomate con sabor de Pollo (Tomato Bouillon with Chicken Flavor)
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in saucepan. Add onion, over low-medium heat, 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add rice, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until rice is browned. Add water (watch out, it will sizzle!) and bouillion, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer, until water is absorbed and rice is cooked, about 30 minutes. This makes just over 1 cup of rice.