A Healthy Chicken Burger
I’m always trying to make healthy meals and snacks for myself and the hubby to sustain us through our busy week. I like making healthy burger patties from either grass fed chicken or beef. I also make vegetarian versions from a combination of vegetables, tofu and seeds. These burgers are full of complete protein which means they have all the essential amino acids needed to repair the body as well as support your immune system.
If you can source grass fed / pasture fed chicken from your butcher, that’s great. Grass fed chicken, beef or game fed meats have a higher ratio of omega 3 fatty acids and less saturated fat compared to grain fed contemporaries. Grass fed is also higher in precursors for Vitamin A and E and antioxidants such as glutathione. Below is a variation of a recipe from my 80/20 cookbook that I enjoy with a large fresh made salad and a drizzle of French Dressing.
makes 6 burgers
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely grated
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 cup watercress or baby spinach, chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
500 g lean pasture / grass fed chicken mince
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
Saute onion, celery and carrot in a pan with 1 teaspoon olive oil over a medium heat until softened and golden then cool.
Combine vegetables with parsley and chopped watercress leaves.
Add the chicken mince, season with tamari soy sauce.
Mix together well and form into 6 patties.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow mix to firm up.
At this stage you have an option of lightly coating in sesame seeds or almond meal which will form a lovely crumb on the outside, but this is only an optional step.
Cook in a pan, over a medium to low heat with a little olive oil for 5 minutes each side until cooked through.
Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition per burger:
Protein: 18.5 g
total fat: 7.6g
saturated: 1.8 g
Carbs: 4.1 g
kilojoules: 665
Calories: 159
Serving suggestions:
with fresh leafy salad and tomato salsa
with steamed green vegetables and a squeeze of lemon juice
in between whole grain rolls with lots and lots of mixed salad such as grated carrot, alfalfa, cucumber, tomato salsa and avocado.
Serve cold in lunch boxes with a side salad.
NOTE: to make your own lean chicken mince, chop chicken breast into chunks and chop in a food processor or vitamix until you have mince.
x
Contact Teresa Cutter
Love it!!!!!
I like the sound of the vegetarian version, would 400gms of tofu be sufficient?
And the seeds and nuts, how much would I need of them, sorry to be a pain, I am one to follow a plan!
Many thanks
Dinner = sorted! Thanks for the din-spiration (again!!).
PS I made your roasted stuffed capsicums and your stuffed mushrooms on Sunday night. SO damn good.
PPS I did a (healthy) food post on my blog today of some of the lovely, spring-y things I’ve been making… You might like it!
xLouise
Delicious Teresa!
Lauren xxx
Ok I have a mission for you! I love my chicken burgers with sweet chilli sauce! But given m new healthy regime this high-sodium, high-sugar sauce is a no-no!! Do you think you could come up with a healthy sweet chilli sauce recipe? If anyone can do it, I know you can!!!!!
Thank you
Hi Teresa,
Thank you so much for all your gorgeous recipes – really inspirational!
I just have one question, where do you find your “wild salmon”. I asked my fishmonger and he said it’s not available in Australia. I love salmon but I’m not keen on the farmed version that has been fed processed food.
Many thanks,
Kim
Hi Kim, when I refer to wild salmon that I eat, it’s the canned paramount one you can buy here in Australia in any supermarket. there is also another good one i have just found called http://www.thecanadianway.com.au. Failing that the best bet is sardines that you can buy fresh, frozen or canned.
I loved this recipe and I know they are best fresh but we had a long weekend in WA last week so we made these in advance , froze them and took them away with us to our beach house. We cooked them on the Sunday and they were a huge hit. I am going to keep a dozen uncooked in the freezer now for emergencies. Thank you Teresa for this yummy healthy burger.
Can you use Turkey mince as an alternative?
Yes you can
x
Hi Teresa
can you tell me where you source your grass fed chicken through please?
Thankyou
Robyn
I’ve made these a few times in the last couple weeks. They are so delicious! The only changes I’ve made include less onion (I’m weird about onion) and no celery (hate it). Even with these changes the burgers are amazing. I haven’t remembered to add a yummy sesame seed crust yet… but I will!
I usually eat them on the side of my green smoothie as a mid morning snack, dipped in some yogurt based ranch or greek yogurt mixed with spices (for a pseudo ranch).
They reheat very well.
Thanks for the delicious recipes!
Made these tonight for the family – got a 10 out of 10 rating.
So delicious – had them on cape seed rolls with aioli, caramelised onions, rocket and avocado!
The almond meal and sesame coating was the best! never using breadcrumbs again!
Thanks!
Hi Teresa
Can you please post your veggie burger version?
I’m doing a Clean to Lean diet but am a vegetarian no fish so really struggle with tasty recipes.
Many thanks
hello i live here in singapore and i would like to make the chicken burger but i am having a hard time to find this tamari soy sauce over here… is there any substitute i can use aside from tamari soy sauce? please advice thanks
Just use a good soy sauce frankie…:)
Hi Teresa,
Just wondering if I were to substitute the chicken mince with beef would you still use Tamari soy sauce ? What would your suggestion be please? Have sent e link for your website to 2 of my work colleagues today as I think all your recipes are fabulous and wanted to share! Thank you Sussan
i made these today and they were super tasty! i didn’t have watercress or spinach, so i just used baby bok choy instead and served it with coconut rice… and a tomato salad… yum! thanks teresa!