It's burger season! When you are craving a burger but you also want to keep it healthy, try this recipe. It's my Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Burger on Avocado Toast. It is so delicious! The patty is soft and juicy on the inside yet it has a great crunch on the outside. The avocado is rich and creamy, the fresh heirloom tomatoes are so sweet and the mixed greens add a nice peppery flavor. And when you bite into it, you get a nice crunch from the toasted bread. To top the whole thing off, you'll get a spicy buffalo sauce that is made out of hot sauce and whipped avocado instead of butter. And if you want, you can drizzle the optional dressing over the fresh greens at the end to top it all off. NOM! NOM!
Here is a great healthy swap burger when you want deliciousness, without all the extra fat and calories.
I posted a photo of this back in May to my Instagram page and used the hashtag #YouOnTheChew and I was so happy to see that ABC The Chew featured it on their Instagram page in honor of National Burger Month. Thanks, ABC The Chew!
I've had tons of requests for the recipe, so here it is! Enjoy!
BUFFALO CHICKEN QUINOA BURGER ON AVOCADO TOAST
INGREDIENTS-
For avo-buff sauce- this is my healthy substitution buffalo wing sauce -
1/2 cup hot sauce
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and whipped (smooth like butter)
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika, paprika or chili powder
For patty-
1 cup cooked quinoa (I like to use red quinoa for similar burger color)
1 cup cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or anytime of oil you like)
For avocado toast-
2 avocados, peeled and seeded
1 lime, juiced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 slices wheat nut bread
For garnishing-
1 cup mixed greens
1 heirloom tomato, cut into 1/4" slices
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
PREPARATION-
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
To make the buffalo sauce, add hot sauce, whipped avocado and seasoning to a small saucepan and whisk them together. Cook over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes, stir frequently. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, add all ingredients for the patties, minus the oil, along with half of the buffalo sauce and thoroughly mix together. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and form each into a round patty (you could make them square to match the bread, if you wanted). Add them to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add avocado oil toa large skillet over medium high heat,and add patties, sear for 1 minute each side. Remove from heat and add the remaining buffalo wing sauce over the patties.
In a small bowl, mash the avocado to desired consistency. Then add lime juice, garlic, celery salt and cumin and mix together. Toast the bread to desired crispness.
To assemble, add equal parts of mashed avocado to toast then add one patty to each piece of avocado toast. Top with heirloom tomato slices, cherry tomatoes and lettuce. Enjoy!
Optional-
I like to add a sour component to this dish as well. Here's what I do:
In a small bowl, I whisk together 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of your favorite preserves. Whisk together then drizzle some of the dressing over the entire burger, it is so yummy!
This burger is a modified version of my Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bites that I do as an appetizer.
