I’ve recently become a convert from beef to chicken for my burgers because I found a way to make them juicy, flavorful and delicious. Grilled Chicken Burgers with Mango-Avocado Salsa are great weeknight family fare.
I avoided minced chicken completely until recently, remembering it to be dry and tasteless. With several experiments under my belt in the last few months (and of course lots of research), I am now a fan as I’ve discovered it can be delicious with the right preparation. And a healthier option too.
I start with lean dark ground meat, but I think white meat would be fine too because of the ingredients added for moistness and flavor. The moistness comes from a panade or ‘bread mush/paste’ made from fresh bread mixed with mayonnaise or liquid. The flavor is boosted with fresh parsley (really good!) and other seasonings which, of course, you can vary to your taste.
The mango-avocado salsa topping adds both a silky texture and sweet tangy flavor. My husband, also not a previous chicken burger fan, loved these burgers. Juicy, moist, delicious. And bonus – they only take about 22 minutes to make.
Try serving these grilled chicken burgers with fries, vegetarian sweet potato hash or grilled corn salad.
Tailor To Your Taste
- Vary the seasonings in the burgers. For example, add thyme, a tablespoon or two of ketchup or BBQ sauce, lemon zest or sriracha for heat.
- Use chopped basil or cilantro instead of parsley.
- Add a dollop of BBQ sauce for a flavour contrast.
- Use ground beef or pork instead of minced chicken. Or ground salmon.
- For the salsa, add a splash or maple syrup or honey (I always do this) and/or a pinch of chili flakes, garlic, ginger.
- Instead of the mango-avocado salsa, try peach or pineapple salsa (see recipes below), pesto or spicy guacamole.
- Use the minced chicken mixture to make meatballs instead of burgers. Here’s a few of our meatball recipes: cocktail chicken meatballs, chicken paprikash meatballs or chicken meatball stew.
Make Ahead Grilled Chicken Burgers
- Freeze the burgers in their raw form or freeze them after grilling.
Grilled Chicken Burgers with Mango-Avocado Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup bread, torn into tiny pieces (I use a bun)
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise (or milk or broth) (or milk or broth)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (about 2 tablespoons dried)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs minced chicken (white or dark. I use dark)
- 5 buns, split in half
Mango Avocado Salsa
- 1 large mango or 2 small
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: splash of honey or maple syrup; pinch of garlic powder, chili flakes and/or ginger
Instructions
- Heat BBQ grill to medium high (400-450F).
- MAKE SALSA: Peel and dice mango and avocado into small pieces. Place in small bowl. Add lime, salt, pepper and optional ingredients if using. (I add maple syrup). Set aside.
- MAKE PANADE (BREAD 'PASTE'): In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients (not including chicken, buns and salsa ingredients). Let stand a few minutes if using milk or broth to allow liquid to absorb.
- FORM BURGERS: Add minced chicken. Using your hands, mix lightly with panade to combine. Wet your hands and lightly form mixture into 5 patties (about 1/3 pound each). Try not to overwork the meat. Slightly depress each patty in centre to avoid it puffing up on grill.
- GRILL BURGERS: Lightly spray burgers with oil to avoid sticking to grill (I find this works better than spraying grill directly). Grill 2-4 minutes per side until instant thermometer reaches 165F.
- SERVE: Grill or toast buns. Place bottom half of toasted buns on platter and add burgers. On each burger, top with some salsa and a dollop of BBQ sauce if desired. Top with other half of bun. Serve.
Here are recipes with two different salsas you could try with the chicken burgers:
Maple-ginger Salmon with Peach Salsa get the recipe
Sous Vide Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa get the recipe
