Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

My choice for tonight's dinner was an easy one. A few days ago, I purchased ground turkey for the sole purpose of making turkey burgers. One thing I can openly admit about no longer eating beef is that I miss eating a juicy burger now and then. Although turkey does not make the same type of burger as beef, I have grown to enjoy this substitution.

I didn't know initially what type of turkey burgers I wanted to prepare, but I was excited when I came across the following recipe for Spicy Chipotle Burgers. I was in from the second I saw that chipotle and cilantro were two of the main ingredients. I happen to love the flavor that chipotle brings to a dish and I could eat cilantro every day. As a result, this recipe was a no brainer.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey (I used 99% fat free white ground turkey meat)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp cilantro chopped fresh cilantro

1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 slices mozzarella cheese

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Preheat outdoor grill on medium heat and lightly oil grate. (I used my Le Creuset panini pan on the stove and it worked beautifully; I even had perfect grill marks). Place ground turkey, onion, cilantro, chipotle chile pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and black pepper in a mixing bowl; mix well. Form into four patties.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Cook turkey burgers on heated grill until the turkey is no longer pink; approximately four minutes per side. Place mozzarella slices on patties two minutes before they are ready. Serve on toasted buns.

This recipe was quite tasty but I am not sure it qualifies as being spicy. I highly recommend doubling the amount of chipotle chile pepper to make the burgers truly spicy. Other than this one revision, I wouldn't change a thing. The cilantro was the perfect partner to the chipotle and provided the burgers with a burst of freshness. Because ground white turkey meat can be a bit on the dry side, I poured a few tablespoons of adobo sauce from the chipotles into the patty mixture to add moisture. This worked perfectly and the burgers were anything but dry.

Finally, I turned to my favorite ciabatta rolls from our local Macrina Bakery. I have used these rolls in prior recipes including Turkey Sandwiches with Hoisin Mayonnaise and Tarragon Egg Salad Sandwiches because they always elevate the end result. All in all, this recipe was tasty, easy and pleasing to my family. I would make the burgers again anytime.

Recipe Source: allrecipes.com