Teriyaki Chicken Burgers (THM E)

Looking for the perfect summer burger? Look no further, honey! This burger is sweet, savory, packed with protein, and has tons of umami flavor.

Teriyaki burgers are one of my favorite things to make in the summer time. [Who am I kidding - burgers are pretty much my official food of summer.] They're easy to make, the ingredients are simple (and a lot of times, on sale during the summer months), and it can all come together in about half an hour.

Normally, I use turkey as the protein for these burgers, but ground turkey can be problematic. It dries out quickly, and REALLY you need an egg to keep it together - which can be problematic if you're trying to stay in strict E mode.

Ground chicken, on the other hand, was very pleasantly surprising! It stayed juicy, the burgers came out in one piece with no binder, AND they're incredibly filling. [Just LOOK at that patty in the picture! That's a food baby just waiting to happen.]

I seasoned the chicken with ground ginger, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, scallions, and some fresh cilantro.

TIP: My best tip for forming those burger patties is to dampen your hands before handling the meat. For whatever reason, chicken wants to stick ALL OVER your hands, but water creates a barrier that makes the chicken stick to itself instead of you.

Simmer some of my Paleo Teriyaki Sauce on a separate burner.

Then, grill up some pineapple. Yes, PINEAPPLE. If you're one of those, "Fruit is gross hot," people - I'm willing to bet this will convert you. Pineapple on the grill, is life-changing. The natural sugar in the fruit helps it to caramelize, which only deepens the sweetness of the pineapple.

Now, it's time to assemble that bad boy! Toast the sprouted bun, lay down some lettuce, a slice of grilled pineapple, your burger patty, and some fresh or pickled red onions (optional, but tasty). Now pour on that salty, sweet teriyaki sauce... It's so beautiful, I want to cry!

First off, just look how tall that thing is - it's a monster!

The patty is juicy and flavorful, the pineapple gives it some sweetness, and the teriyaki sauce provides that salty umami which ties it all together.

My family really enjoys these burgers. I have to pair them down a bit for the kids, because their mouths just aren't that big, but otherwise it's a healthy meal we can all enjoy together. My husband loves them mostly because when I'm cooking them the whole house smells amazing, and he can't wait to eat!

HOW DOES THIS COME TOGETHER IN A HALF HOUR?! Must be magic. ^_~

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers (THM E)

1 1/2 lb ground chicken
1 tsp ground ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 batch of paleo teriyaki sauce
4 slices fresh pineapple
other toppings of choice: fresh or pickled onions, etc.
coconut oil spray
sprouted buns

Instructions:

1. Combine the ground chicken, ginger, garlic, scallions, cilantro, red pepper, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Toss everything together with your hands until just combined.

2. Dampen your hands with water, then begin forming the patties and dropping them into a cast iron skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side, turning once.

3. Preheat your grill to medium heat, spray with coconut oil, and grill the pineapple slices for about 2-3 minutes on each side. (You want beautifully charred grill marks on each side.)

4. Toast the bun, add lettuce and pineapple, top with burger patty and any additional toppings, then drizzle with teriyaki sauce.

TIPS: My best tip for forming those burger patties is to dampen your hands before handling the meat. For whatever reason, chicken wants to stick ALL OVER your hands, but water creates a barrier that makes the chicken stick to itself instead of you.