Barbecue Chicken Burgers

This summer we moved to a relatively rural area, and I was excited about that because I knew there would be great opportunities for a variety of fresh, locally grown produce. I couldn't wait for the Farmer's Market to start up in June, and I've been loving the things I find there.

One of my favorite stands is Wayne's Organic Garden. Attaining organic certification from the USDA is no small task, and on my first visit to the stand I let them know how much I appreciated the effort they put into maintaining their farm.

On one recent trip, they had gorgeous bunches of green onions that I couldn't pass up. I knew I wanted to make something with them as soon as I got home, to enjoy the fresh onion flavor. We already had planned on burgers that day, so I did a quick search and found this recipe for barbecue chicken burgers that sounded delicious. I liked that it incorporated another vegetable (carrots) right into the burger! A great way to get a few more vegetables in our diet.



We really enjoyed the contrasts in these burgers between the smokey, spicy cayenne and chili sauce against the sweet molasses. These are unique burgers that are worth a try!

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
Source: Good Housekeeping via The Daily Green

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon light (mild) molasses
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 hamburger buns, warmed
• Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact.)

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like.