The Chicken Guacamole Burger may be made of ground chicken thighs, and not ground beef, but it’s as good or BETTER than any other burger out there! From the juicy patty to the funky feta and the homemade guac and ranch dressing, this burger has it all!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Making fresh bread crumbs from sandwich bread in the food processor, rather than using store-bought, ties the binder directly to what's already in the kitchen
- Grinding the chicken thighs in the same food processor used for the bread crumbs gives you control over the final texture, rather than relying on pre-ground chicken
- Splitting the griddle setup to remove the diffuser lets the same grill sear the patties directly over the firebox, with an indirect zone nearby to finish cooking if needed
- Mashing the guacamole with a fork rather than blending it keeps some texture in the avocado, instead of pureeing it into a completely smooth spread
Chicken Guacamole Burger
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
8
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
990
Chef Tom shares his recipe for the Chicken Guacamole Burger! Made with ground chicken thighs for juicy, tender goodness and topped with feta, homemade guacamole, and ranch dressing, it surpasses all other chicken burgers in taste and flavor!
Ingredients
-
8 Everything Bagel Brioche Buns
- Butter lettuce
- Tomato slices
- 8 chicken burger patties (recipe below)
- Guacamole (recipe below)
-
Ranch dressing (from scratch recipe here)
- 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (6 sandwich slices)
- 2 1/2 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, 2” dice
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning
-
1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 small avocados
-
3 tbsp Holmes Made Marty’s Roasted Green Chile Medium Salsa
- 3 tbsp cilantro, minced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Finishing Salt, to taste
For the burger:
For the burger patties:
For the guacamole:
Directions
- To make the burger patties, first tear up the slices of bread and place in a food processor, working in batches, if needed, so as not to overcrowd. Blitz the bread until it is broken down into bread crumbs. Remove from the food processor.
- Next, mince the chicken in the food processor. Once again, working in batches, place the cubed thighs in the food processor and blitz until broken down to a ground meat consistency. Remove from the food processor.
- Combine the fresh bread crumbs, minced chicken and remaining burger patty ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix by hand until well incorporated. Divide into 8 equal sized patties and place in the refrigerator.
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 400ºF, with the diffuser (or diffuser door) removed and a Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle installed over the fire box.
- While the grill and griddle are preheating, make the guacamole. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork to desired consistency. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
- When the griddle is hot, place your burgers on the griddle and press to desired width. You want the burger to fit the bun, so take a look at your bun to determine the width. Let the burger form a brown crust before flipping to brown the opposite side. Continue cooking the burgers until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF in the center, moving them to indirect heat (off the griddle) to finish cooking, if needed.
- Toast the burger buns on the griddle until golden brown.
- To build the Chicken Guacamole Burger, start with a leaf of butter lettuce and slice of tomato on the bottom bun. Place your chicken burger patty on the tomato. Top the patty with guacamole and a drizzle of buttermilk ranch, and finally the top bun.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why make fresh bread crumbs from sandwich bread instead of using store-bought crumbs?
Processing fresh bread in the food processor ties the binder directly to what's already on hand, and gives a softer, less dense crumb than dried, store-bought versions.
Why grind the chicken thighs in the food processor instead of using pre-ground chicken?
Processing the diced thighs yourself gives you control over the final texture of the ground meat, rather than relying on a pre-ground product with a texture you can't adjust.
Why remove the diffuser and install the griddle directly over the firebox?
This setup lets the patties sear directly over strong, direct heat, while still having an indirect zone nearby on the same grill to finish cooking through if the outside is browning faster than the inside.
Why mash the guacamole with a fork instead of blending it smooth?
Mashing by hand keeps some chunky texture in the avocado, rather than pureeing it into a completely smooth spread the way a blender or food processor would.
Does pulling the chicken patties at 160°F mean they're fully cooked?
Not quite — this recipe's own directions pull them at 160°F, but ground poultry needs to reach the same 165°F minimum as whole poultry — it doesn't share the 160°F threshold used for ground beef. Continue cooking to at least 165°F rather than pulling at 160°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5 — this comes together entirely on a stovetop griddle or in a large skillet; nothing about the technique requires an outdoor grill.
Recipe Highlights
Fresh-made bread crumbs: Ties the binder to what's already in the kitchen.
Self-ground chicken thighs: Gives control over the final patty texture.
Diffuser-removed griddle setup: Combines direct searing with a nearby indirect zone.
Hand-mashed guacamole: Preserves chunky texture instead of a smooth puree.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 12.1 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 990
- Carbs
- 75 grams
- Protein
- 70 grams
- Fat
- 44 grams
- Sodium
- 1471 milligrams
