California Chicken Burgers

Oh, how I've missed being in my element! It was definitely hard to be without a kitchen to play in for over the past 2 weeks. Even worse was having to eat out a majority of that time or having a diet of frozen pizza... blah! Now that I have a kitchen that's fully stocked with my fave pantry staples, I finally broke it in with my deep love of burgers... including this California inspired Chicken Burger!

During my pregnancy, I've had the biggest cravings for burgers... specifically cheeseburgers. By the end of my pregnancy, I think I could even come close to being a cheeseburger connoisseur lol! Is it sad that I'm not even ashamed that I've had a burger at least 3 times a week... and sometimes everyday for the past few months? My poor husband has put up with it and tonight was no exception. This time instead of the usual beef burgers, I made chicken burgers topped with some colorful and fresh toppings.

These chicken burgers couldn't be any easier - ground chicken, Montreal steak seasoning, minced garlic, salt and freshly chopped parsley. Combine these ingredients, form patties and cook! For the California inspired aspect, top these burgers with sliced avocado, sweet red onions, chopped lettuce and your choice of swiss or pepper jack cheese. These burgers go great with your favorite coleslaw recipe or if you're a traditionalist, you can never go wrong with fries.

California Chicken Burgers
original Joelen recipe

1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey if preferred)
1 teaspoon Montreal seasoning

1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely minced
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
4 hamburger buns, split; toasted

Burger Toppings:
slices of avocado
slices of seeded tomatoes
slices of red onion
lettuce
swiss or pepper jack cheese

your choice of condiments: mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.

Combine ground chicken, Montreal seasoning, minced garlic, salt and freshly chopped parsley in a large bowl. Don't overwork the ingredients - gingerly mix to fully combine.

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (or 8 equal portions if making sliders). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4 in thick patty and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on the grill or in a hot skillet using the oil and topping each one with a slice of cheese and a basting cover during the last minute of cooking.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms. Top with toppings and then the bun tops and serve immediately.