Chicken Avocado Burgers with Lime and Quick-Pickled Red Onion

Name: Chicken Avocado Burgers with Lime and Quick-Pickled Red Onion
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 39 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (570 g) ground chicken (thigh or 93% lean), cold, straight from the fridge; 1 small (about 5 oz) (140 g) small red onion, peeled; ¼ cup (40 g) finely minced for the patties, the rest cut into thin half-moons for topping; ⅓ cup (20 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped (leaves and tender stems); 2 medium (130 g) limes, 1 tsp zest from one lime, then both limes juiced (you need about 3 tbsp / 45 ml juice in total); 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil (or other high-heat oil); 2 medium (400 g) ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted and scooped from the skin (about 270 g flesh); ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 4 buns (240 g) whole wheat hamburger buns, split in half; 4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy pan-seared chicken patties seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro and lime, piled onto toasted whole wheat buns with creamy lime-mashed avocado, crisp lettuce and tangy pickled red onion. A lighter burger that's ready in under an hour.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 18 min
Total: 57 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the patties
1¼ lb (570 g) ground chicken (thigh or 93% lean), cold, straight from the fridge
1 small (about 5 oz) (140 g) small red onion, peeled; ¼ cup (40 g) finely minced for the patties, the rest cut into thin half-moons for topping
⅓ cup (20 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped (leaves and tender stems)
2 medium (130 g) limes, 1 tsp zest from one lime, then both limes juiced (you need about 3 tbsp / 45 ml juice in total)
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
For the avocado spread
2 medium (400 g) ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted and scooped from the skin (about 270 g flesh)
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
To serve
4 buns (240 g) whole wheat hamburger buns, split in half
4 large leaves (40 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless steel)
Large mixing bowl
Instant-read thermometer
Wide spatula
Small bowl for the onions
Medium bowl and fork for the avocado
Plate or tray lined with parchment paper
Microplane or fine grater

Steps

Before you start

Use avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure; hard ones won't mash and overripe ones taste off.
Choose ground chicken made with thigh meat or 93% lean. Very lean breast-only mince makes dry burgers.
Ground chicken is sticky, so keep a small bowl of cold water nearby to wet your hands while shaping.
Mash the avocado right before serving so it stays bright green.

1
Prep the aromatics
- Zest one lime with a fine grater to get 1 tsp zest, then juice both limes into a small bowl (about 3 tbsp / 45 ml).
- Peel the red onion.
- Finely mince enough to make ¼ cup (40 g) and set aside for the patties.
- Cut the remaining onion into thin half-moons and drop them into a separate small bowl.
- Grate or mince the garlic and chop the cilantro.
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Ready when: Onion is in two portions: ¼ cup minced and thin half-moons for topping.
Tip: Zest the limes before juicing them. It's nearly impossible the other way round.
2
Start the pickled onions
- Toss the sliced onion half-moons with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the lime juice and a pinch of the fine sea salt (about ⅛ tsp, taken from the 1 tsp for the patties is not needed; just use a tiny pinch from your salt supply).
- Press them down so they're coated, and leave at room temperature while you shape the patties.
- Keep the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) juice for the avocado.
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Ready when: Onions turn brighter pink and slightly softened after 15 minutes.
3
Mix the patty mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, minced onion, panko, beaten egg, garlic, cilantro, 1 tsp lime zest, cumin, smoked paprika, 1 tsp fine sea salt and the black pepper.
- Mix with your hands just until the seasonings are evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.
- The mixture will be soft and sticky.
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Ready when: No streaks of spice or pockets of dry panko remain; mixture is tacky and holds together when squeezed.
Tip: Overmixing makes dense, rubbery burgers. Stop as soon as everything is combined.
4
Shape and chill
- Wet your hands with cold water and divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (about 5 oz / 145 g each).
- Gently shape each into a patty about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and 4 inches (10 cm) wide.
- Press a shallow dimple into the center of each with your thumb.
- Place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cool to the touch and don't stick to your fingers.
Tip: The dimple stops the patties puffing up into domes as they cook.
5
Mash the avocado
- While the patties chill, put the avocado flesh in a medium bowl with the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice and ¼ tsp fine sea salt.
- Mash with a fork to a chunky-creamy texture.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Mostly smooth with a few small chunks, and tastes bright and lightly salty.
Tip: Pressing plastic directly onto the surface keeps air off and prevents browning.
6
Sear the first side
- Heat the avocado oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chilled patties with space between them.
- Cook without moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and the patties release easily from the pan.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown crust, and the edges look opaque about a third of the way up the sides.
Tip: Don't press down with the spatula; it squeezes out the juices. If they stick, give them another minute.
7
Flip and finish cooking
- Flip the patties carefully with a wide spatula.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the center of a patty to check the temperature.
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Ready when: Center registers 165°F (74°C), juices run clear and the patty feels firm and springy.
Tip: Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). Cook a minute or two longer if it's below that.
8
Rest and toast buns
- Move the patties to a clean plate and let them rest 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet if there are burnt bits, then set it over medium heat.
- Place the bun halves cut-side down and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and lightly crisp.
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Ready when: Cut sides of the buns are golden brown and feel dry and crisp.
Tip: Toasting creates a barrier so the buns don't turn soggy under the avocado.
9
Assemble and serve
- Drain the pickled onions.
- Place a lettuce leaf on each bun bottom, then a patty, a generous spoonful (about ¼ cup / 65 g) of mashed avocado, and a few pickled onions.
- Add the bun tops and serve right away.
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Ready when: Burgers are stacked and the avocado is still bright green.
Tip: Serve immediately; assembled burgers get soggy if they sit.

Good to know

Tips

Chilling the shaped patties is the key to burgers that hold together without lots of binder.
Don't press the patties in the pan; pressing squeezes out juices and leads to dry burgers.
Use a thermometer rather than guessing: 165°F (74°C) in the center is the safe, juicy sweet spot for chicken.
For extra heat, add 1 finely minced jalapeño to the patty mix or a pinch of chili flakes to the avocado.

Make ahead

"Shape the patties up to 24 hours ahead, stack them between parchment squares, and keep covered in the fridge. Cook straight from the fridge. Mash the avocado and assemble just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until hot (165°F / 74°C). Freeze cooked or raw patties, separated with parchment, for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Avocado spread is best fresh and keeps about 1 day in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. Pickled onions keep 5 days in the fridge. Don't leave cooked burgers at room temperature more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

ground chicken (thigh or 93% lean) → ground turkey (thigh or 93% lean). Cook to the same 165°F (74°C); turkey can be slightly drier, so don't skip the chilling step.
panko breadcrumbs → rolled oats, pulsed finely, or gluten-free breadcrumbs. Use the same weight (20 g); the patties will be slightly denser.
whole wheat hamburger buns → large butter lettuce leaves as a wrap or gluten-free buns. For lettuce wraps, use 2 leaves per burger and eat with a knife and fork.
avocado oil (or other high-heat oil) → olive oil or canola oil. Use a light olive oil rather than extra-virgin because it handles the heat better.