Chili Lime Chicken Burgers

Prep Time - 15 minutes                       Cook Time - 10 minutes                        Add to MyFitnessPal

Normally I'm a staunch advocate of beef, bison, or goat-based burgers. I can't stand those dry hockey-puck turkey patties you can buy at the big box stores. They taste like the sport they're most reminiscent of.

These, on the otherhand, are juicy, fully of flavor, and tender as can be. There's nothing lost from the omission of red meat. In fact, only chicken could highlight the interplay of the chili and the lime so well as this. Oh, and you can make a bunch ahead of time, freeze them and then cook them up later without loss of flavor or texture.

Just enough kick to really bring out the flavor without being overpowering for your guests

It may seem be a bit odd to make a paste-burger-base at first, but I think you'll be very pleased with the final product - AND this way you don't have to buy pre-ground chicken, surprisingly more expensive than thighs and breasts on sold whole.

Note - some of you may shy away from the use of thighs as they're a smidge higher in fat than breasts, but you need them to keep your chicken moist and tender. Not to mention the fact that without some fat in your diet, your body doesn't do so hot.

Ingredients:
Chicken, thigh and breast meat - 2 lb
Green onions, chopped - 4
Bell pepper, red or orange, diced - 1
Jalapeno, red if you can get it, diced, seeds optional - 1
Garlic, minced - 2 cloves
Cilantro - 1/3 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Juice of 1 lime

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in the food processor until a uniform consistency is reached. You'll notice that the chicken will turn more opaque than usual as you blend - this is due to the acidity of the lime juice chemically cooking the chicken ever so slightly.

Form into 8 similar patties - I like to use a patty-former to make freezing the patties for later use a much easier process. Separate out however many patties you're going to be cooking.



You can see the cilantro and pepper showing through, YUM!

Spread the patties to be used later in a single layer on a baking sheet on waxed paper. Place in the freezer for about 2 hours, or until hard-ish. Then stack the patties with TWO pieces of parchment paper between each patty, place in a Ziploc and freeze until desired. They cook up great from frozen later and you're set for a good long while. I often make a double recipe to tide me over for several months.

Prepare as you would a normal burger patty. I like mine on the grill. If you agree, preheat your grill to 400 and place your patties right over the heat. After about 8 minutes, or when you first see the chicken whitening through the top of the patty, flip the burgers over. Allow to sear for about 3 minutes and remove from the heat. If you're going to include cheese, place it on the patties right after the flip and allow it to melt on the patty - I love using pepperjack here.



Excellent grill marks are the key to a placebo-laden flavor nirvana

While your burger is cooking, take the time to prep your burn and toppings. I'm a fan of Caulibread for this particular burger, with avocado, catsup, dijon mustard, and dill pickles. If you have any arugula, toss it on as well - it's an amazingly spicy herb if harvested at the right time.



Only one thing missing

Remove your burger from the grill (or skillet) and place directly onto your prepared bun - it's best hot. Cut in half and enjoy!

NOW it's ready.

Nutrition (patty only):
Calories: 202
Fat: 4 g
Carbs: 4 g
Protein: 36 g
Sodium: 383 mg