Guys.  Please, stop what you are doing and go put these burgers on your menu.  Okay, I’m not trying to be bossy.  Well, that’s a lie.  I’m kind of bossy by nature – but really, I’m trying to do you a favor.  You see, I love every single recipe I share in this space.  If I don’t love it, I don’t share it.  Sometimes, though, a meal stands out from the rest.  This, my friends, is a perfect summertime meal in my book and it deserves a little extra touting.

It utilizes the grill which is great because I always try to make the most out of grilling season while it is here.  It’s a very easy dish – still just a burger at heart, but a few simple additions take it to a new level and make it seem a little bit fancy pants.  Oh, and one of those things is guacamole, so that guarantees awesomeness right?  I can’t wait to make this again and I know we’ll be enjoying it many more times in the coming months.  Any friends reading this that want to come over for dinner soon, this is probably what we’ll be having :)

  • Yield 4-5 servings

Ingredients

Oil (for oiling grill grates)

For the burgers: 

  • 1½ lbs. ground chicken
  • ½ cup yellow onion, diced small
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded, cored and minced
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper

To serve: 

Directions

  • 01

    Heat a grill to medium-high heat.  Oil the grates to prevent the burgers from sticking.  To make the burgers, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix lightly, just until evenly combined.  Form the mixture into 4-5 patties.

  • 02

    Cook the patties on the heated grill, about 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once.  A few minutes before the burgers are finished cooking, top with sliced or shredded cheddar cheese (if desired).  Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 160˚ F.  Remove the burgers to a plate and let rest a few minutes before serving.  Assemble with burger buns, guacamole, salsa, and/or minced fresh cilantro as desired.

  • 03

    *If you are making fancy pants burgers (or any burger at home, really), they are deserving of a good bun.  The best buns, in fact, are the ones you can bake at home.  It makes such a difference, not to mention they freeze fantastically so you can make a double batch and stock up!

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