California Avocado Chicken Burgers

It’s summer, and if you want to throw something a little different on the grill this year, you should definitely give these California Avocado Chicken Burgers a try. The burger patties are made with lean ground chicken, onion, garlic, cumin and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. The cheese is built right into the burger, adding plenty of flavor while keeping things nice and juicy. Toppings include lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo and—for a splash of California flare—ripe avocado mashed with lime, salt and pepper.

Given that these chicken burgers are simply flavored, you can easily switch up toppings to taste. I’ve opted for some classic toppings paired with the mashed California Avocado; however, you could also try these combinations:

• Sriracha mayo, shredded cabbage, mashed avocado, grilled scallions
• Sour cream, iceberg lettuce, pickled red onions, mashed avocado, spicy pico de gallo
• Mayo mixed with chopped hard-boiled egg, romaine, red onion, mashed avocado, bacon, tomato and  crumbled blue cheese

The key to preparing a juicy homemade burger is to make sure you don’t overwork the meat. I like to get the meat and all the flavors in a large bowl, and then use two forks to fluff and mix everything together. When I’m forming the patties, I try to work as quickly as possible. They don’t have to be perfect rounds! Simply place on the grill and take in the classic summer BBQ smells.

Once fully cooked, lay out your favorite toppings and dress as you prefer. And if you have any left over California Avocados, go ahead and grill them!

Chicken and California Avocado Burgers Recipe

Serves: 4

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ripe California Avocados, peeled and seeded
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground chicken
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• 4 brioche buns, toasted
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/4 head of lettuce, sliced
• 1/2 tomato, sliced

Instructions

1. Mash California Avocados in a medium mixing bowl and add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until you’re ready to build your burger.
2. Place ground chicken in a large mixing bowl.
3. Using the coarse side of a box grater, grate the yellow onion over the ground chicken, grating until you reach the root. Add garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cheese.
4. Using two forks, fluff the chicken, vegetables and spices to evenly mix and lighten the texture.
5. Once evenly mixed, form the chicken mixture into 4 even patties and let the patties chill in the fridge while you heat up the grill.
   Note: The patties will be moist. I like to place each patty on an individual square of parchment paper, so I can easily transfer each one to the grill. 
6. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill over medium-high heat and brush the grates with vegetable oil to keep the patties from sticking.
7. Brush the burgers lightly with vegetable oil.
8. Grill the patties directly over the heat for about 5 – 6 minutes a side or until cooked through. Let rest for a few minutes before building the burger.
9. Stack the burger as follows: bottom bun, mayonnaise, lettuce, sliced red onion, chicken burger, mashed avocado, tomato slice, top bun.
10. Enjoy immediately!