Lettuce-Wrapped Grilled Chicken Burgers with Quick-Pickled Red Onion

Name: Lettuce-Wrapped Grilled Chicken Burgers with Quick-Pickled Red Onion
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ medium (75 g) red onion, peeled and sliced into very thin half-moons; 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar; ½ tsp (2 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh chives, finely chopped; ⅛ tsp (¾ g) fine sea salt; 1½ lb (680 g) ground chicken, cold, from the refrigerator, preferably thigh meat; ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1¼ tsp (5 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil, for brushing patties and grates; 1 large head (200 g) butter lettuce, 8 large, unbroken leaves separated, washed and thoroughly dried; 1 large (200 g) large ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; ¼ medium (40 g) red onion, sliced into thin rings (for fresh crunch) (optional); 1 medium (150 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy, herby grilled chicken patties tucked into crisp butter lettuce leaves with ripe tomato, creamy avocado, tangy pickled red onion and a lemony yogurt sauce. Light, fresh and bun-free.

Prep: 29 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 18 min
Total: 59 min
Makes: 4 burgers (1 patty each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the quick-pickled red onion
½ medium (75 g) red onion, peeled and sliced into very thin half-moons
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
½ tsp (2 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
For the lemon-herb sauce
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh chives, finely chopped
⅛ tsp (0.8 g) fine sea salt
For the patties
1½ lb (680 g) ground chicken, cold, from the refrigerator, preferably thigh meat
½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1¼ tsp (5 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil, for brushing patties and grates
For assembling
1 large head (200 g) butter lettuce, 8 large, unbroken leaves separated, washed and thoroughly dried
1 large (200 g) large ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
¼ medium (40 g) red onion, sliced into thin rings (for fresh crunch) (optional)
1 medium (150 g) ripe avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced

Equipment (8)

Outdoor gas or charcoal grill (or a grill pan or cast-iron skillet)
Instant-read thermometer
Large mixing bowl
2 small bowls
Grill spatula
Baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment paper
Pastry brush or paper towel for oiling the grates
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Use ground chicken made from thigh meat, or labeled 93% lean, if you can. Very lean breast-only mince makes dry burgers.
Keep the chicken refrigerated until you are ready to mix. Cold meat is easier to shape and less sticky.
Wash and fully dry the lettuce leaves; wet leaves turn soggy and tear under hot patties.
Have an instant-read thermometer ready. Chicken burgers must reach 165°F (74°C) inside.

1
Pickle the onion
- Put the thinly sliced pickling red onion in a small bowl.
- Add the red wine vinegar, sugar and ¼ tsp fine sea salt.
- Stir for 30 seconds, pressing the onion down so it is mostly submerged.
- Leave it on the counter while you work; it will pickle during the next steps.
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Ready when: Onion turns bright pink and slightly softened after about 15 minutes.
2
Make the sauce
- In a second small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, chopped chives and ⅛ tsp fine sea salt until smooth.
- Taste and add a tiny pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Sauce is creamy, tangy and speckled with green.
3
Mix the patty mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the panko, beaten egg, garlic, parsley, Dijon, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, kosher salt and pepper.
- Stir and let sit 1 minute so the panko absorbs moisture.
- Add the cold ground chicken and mix gently with your hands for about 30 seconds, just until the seasonings are evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Mixture looks evenly speckled and holds together when squeezed, with no dry pockets of panko.
Tip: Overmixing makes chicken patties tough and rubbery, so stop as soon as everything is combined.
4
Shape and chill patties
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions of about 6 oz (170 g) each.
- With damp hands, shape each into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Press a shallow dimple into the center of each with your thumb so they stay flat while cooking.
- Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cold to the touch.
Tip: Wet your hands with cold water as needed; this stops the sticky chicken from clinging to your fingers.
5
Prep the toppings
- While the patties chill, slice the tomato into 4 rounds, slice the avocado, and cut the optional raw red onion into thin rings.
- Pat the lettuce leaves dry once more and set out 8 of the largest, sturdiest leaves, pairing them into 4 overlapping sets.
- Slice the avocado only just before serving, if you can, to prevent browning.
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Tip: Sprinkle the tomato slices with a pinch of salt for better flavor, if you like.
6
Preheat the grillOven 450°F / 230°C
- About 10 minutes before cooking, heat the grill to medium-high, 425–450°F (220–230°C).
- Scrape the grates clean.
- Brush the chilled patties lightly on both sides with the olive oil, reserving a little on a folded paper towel to oil the hot grates with tongs.
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Ready when: You can hold your hand 5 inches above the grates for only 3–4 seconds.
Tip: No grill? Use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with a little oil, and cook for the same time.
7
Grill the first side
- Place the patties on the oiled grates, dimple side up, and close the lid.
- Cook without moving for 5–6 minutes, until the underside is deeply golden with grill marks and the patties release easily when nudged.
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Ready when: Edges look opaque and white about halfway up the side, and the patty releases from the grate without sticking.
Tip: Don't press down on the patties with the spatula; you'll squeeze out the juices.
8
Flip and finish cooking
- Flip the patties once and close the lid.
- Cook another 5–6 minutes.
- Check the thickest part of a patty with an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C), juices run clear, and the surface is browned.
Tip: If the patties brown too fast before reaching 165°F (74°C), move them to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat.
9
Rest the patties
- Transfer the patties to a clean plate (not the one that held raw chicken) and let them rest for 3 minutes.
- Drain the pickled onions briefly.
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Ready when: Patties are no longer sizzling and feel firm yet springy.
10
Assemble and serve
- For each burger, stack 2 lettuce leaves, cupped side up and slightly overlapping.
- Spread about 1 tbsp of sauce in the center, then layer a tomato slice, a grilled patty, avocado slices, a spoonful of pickled onion and raw onion rings if using.
- Top with a little more sauce, fold the lettuce up and around the filling, and serve immediately with extra napkins.
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Ready when: Lettuce cups hold the filling without tearing.
Tip: Wrap each burger in a strip of parchment paper to make it less messy to hold.

Good to know

Tips

Chilling the patties for 15 minutes is the most important step to keep them from falling apart on the grates.
Use a thermometer, not color, to judge doneness; chicken can look cooked before it reaches 165°F (74°C).
Pat the lettuce completely dry so the sauce stays put and the leaves stay crisp.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the patty mix for a spicy version.

Make ahead

"Make the pickled onions and sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Shape the raw patties up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate with parchment between them, then grill straight from the refrigerator."

Storage & reheating

"Store cooked patties separately from the toppings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked patties for up to 2 months, or raw shaped patties (parchment between) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat cooked patties in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes per side, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, until 165°F (74°C) in the center. Leftover pickled onions keep 1 week and sauce 3 days in the refrigerator. Assembled lettuce wraps do not store well."

Substitutions

ground chicken → ground turkey (93% lean). Cook to the same 165°F (74°C); turkey can be slightly drier, so add 1 tbsp olive oil to the mix.
panko breadcrumbs → gluten-free breadcrumbs or finely crushed rolled oats. Use the same amount for a gluten-free burger.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → mayonnaise or dairy-free plain yogurt. Mayonnaise gives a richer sauce; use the same amount.
butter lettuce → romaine hearts or iceberg cups. Sturdier leaves hold up better and add more crunch, but may need to be doubled.