{recipe} Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Burgers with Guacamole.

I know it is winter and not really burger recipe, but a few weeks ago when it was unusually warm out I decide to mix things up a little and dust off our grill. I love burgers, but it is hard to find a good healthy alternative that doesn't leave you disappointed. When I found this recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers (Tara from Smells like Home) I knew it had to be good and worth testing out. It was amazing! The burger didn't dry out at all (which is my fear with ground chicken) and had tons of flavor! Enjoy!

{source: smells like home}

Ingredients:

For the burgers:
1 ½ pounds ground chicken
½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed (to tone down the heat if desired), chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Juice of ½ lime
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil

For serving:
Burger buns
Homemade guacamole
Chipotle Ranch dressing
Extra cheddar cheese (melt on the burgers before removing from them the grill)


Directions:

1. Heat the grill to medium-high heat.

2. Add the chicken to a large bowl and toss in the onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, lime juice, cheddar, salt and pepper. With a fork, lightly stir the ingredients into the chicken until the mixture is well-blended. Shape the chicken mixture into four ½-inch patties.

3. Grill the patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Allow to rest for a couple minutes before serving. Top the buns with guacamole and the burger with desired toppings.

*Recipe adapted from Smells like home.