Spicy Chicken Burgers

 

Over here for the last few weeks a certain fast food place has been having their annual Tastes of America promotion. 

We popped in last week and ordered the Alabama Chicken sandwich with a smoky white BBQ sauce, bacon, cheese and onion crisps.  

There was also lettuce and the bun was supposed to be a cornbread style bun.

 

To say I was slightly disappointed is to say the least.  I will say no more.  

I came away thinking I could make a far better chicken burger at home and today (Saturday as I write this) I did just that.  

 

It wasn't quite a copycat.  I infused ours with Tex Mex Flavours  . . .  but it was still a chicken burger and it was mighty tasty if I don't say so myself. 

Chicken Burgers and Tex Mex are two of my favourite things. Why not combine the two!

 

I don't think a chicken burger is all that hard to get wrong.  Why is it so often it is done so very poorly??? 

I hate that when I eat out, more often than not, I am disappointed by food which fails to deliver what it promises.

 

I am probably eating in the wrong places. That's the truth of it and what it boils down to.

 I have a connoisseurs appetite and a pauper's budget, which is probably the whole problem in a nutshell.

 

I created a coriander lime mayo to spread on the buns, using chopped fresh coriander, garlic, and some lime juice and zest, with a tiny bit of salt.  

This got put into the refrigerator so that the flavours had some time to meld.  I also used a low fat mayo. 

 

I also marinated the chicken for a couple of hours.  

I pounded two boneless skinless chicken breasts until they were even in size, or as even as I could get them . . .

 

These were marinated in a mix of beaten egg, oregano, chili powder, hot sauce and a bit of salt.  

I used the Green Tabasco sauce for a real Tex Mex Jalapeno flavour . . .

 

While they were marinating I pulverized tortilla chips in the food processor until they were like fine bread crumbs.  

I actually used a mix of cool ranch and lightly salted, but you could use nacho cheese, or whatever tortilla chips you enjoy.

 

Just make sure that your crumbs are really fine . . .

  

Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and remove them from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and discarding the marinade.  Pat the chicken into the tortilla crumbs and then brown them lightly on both sides.  

I finish them off in the oven to make sure they are cooked all the way through, adding some grated pepper Jack to the top so that it melts a bit before removing them.

  

I served them on toasted whole wheat buns that I spread with that delicious garlicky mayo, along with some shredded lettuce and raw red onion rings for a bit of zip!  Tasty tasty!

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Spicy Chicken Burgers with Coriander Lime Mayo

Spicy chicken cutlets on a toasted bun with a delicious garlic, coriander and lime mayonnaise dressing.  A garnish of shredded lettuce and sliced red onion bring additional flavour and crunch.  Do note that the chicken needs to marinate for 2 hours prior to cooking.

ingredients:

For the Mayo:

• 55g low fat real mayonnaise (1/4 cup)
• 2 TBS chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced

For the Burgers:

• 2 free range organic chicken breast fillets
• 1 small free range egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 TBS Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mild chili powder
• 65g tortilla chips, pulverised (3 cups before pulverising)
• 2 TBS light olive oil
• 2 TBS grated pepper jack cheese

To serve:

• shredded lettuce
• red onion rings (raw)
• toasted whole wheat burger buns

instructions:

How to cook Spicy Chicken Burgers with Coriander Lime Mayo

1. Take your chicken breast fillets and pound them out to an even layer. Prick them all over with a fork.  Put them into a container along with the egg, hot sauce, oregano, chili powder and salt.  Cover and shake to coat.  Place into the refrigerator for 2 hours. (You can also use the milder Green Jalapeno Tabasco sauce if you want.)
2. To make the mayonnaise, combine all of the ingredients well, then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  
3. Make sure your tortilla chips are really pulverised and fine for the chicken burgers.  I do this in my food processor.  Place  the finely ground chips into a shallow dish.
4. Working with one piece of chicken at a time., remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off.  Coat completely in the ground tortilla chips. Repeat until both are well coated.
5. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Have a small baking tray ready.
6. Heat the oil in a non-stick  skillet.  Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes per side.  Place them onto the baking tray.  Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through and the juices run clear.  Sprinkle the top of each with 1 TBS of the pepper jack about 5 minutes before finishing so that it melts.
7. Split the burger buns and toast on the cut sides under the grill.  Spread the tops and bottoms of each with  the mayonnaise.  Place the bottoms on serving plates. Top with some shredded lettuce and onion rings.  Place the chicken burgers on top. Finally place the toasted bun tops over all.  Serve immediately.
8. We had some leftover coleslaw vinaigrette from the other day with this along with some oven chips.

NOTES:

Note - if you wish to serve more people simply double the ingredients.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

I was really, really pleased with how these turned out.  I was a tiny bit worried that the tortilla chips would be too crisp, but they were perfect.  I think the key is to really grind them small, almost to a powder.  We enjoyed them with some oven chips  and some leftover coleslaw vinaigrette! 

 

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