Chicken Guacamole Burgers

chickenguacamoleburgers This is unimaginably better than a burger merely topped with guacamole. 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.

Burgers:
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium avocado, ripe, cut in ½” dice
1 tsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
½ tsp. lime zest, freshly grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb lean ground chicken
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

To Serve:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 golden potato hamburger buns, toasted
thinly-sliced tomatoes
Canola mayonnaise

Gently combine the onion, cilantro, jalapeño, 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 ½” 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 4-5 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.

Makes 4 servings.