Smashed Avocado Chicken Burgers with Soy-Lime Mayo

By

Source: NYT Cooking.

Chicken burger · Avocado · Asian-American

Chicken thigh burgers folded with buttery mashed avocado, aromatic ginger and fresh coriander stay juicy inside with a crispy golden exterior, served with cooling lime-soy mayo.

Prep15 min
Cook10 min
Total25 min
DifficultyEasy
Per serving587 kcal
Servings4Recipe makes 4
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Allergens (EU 14)
GlutenCrustaceansEggsFishPeanutsSoybeansMilkTree nutsCeleryMustardSesameSulphitesLupinMolluscs

Always check the labels of the products you use.

Method

  1. 1

    Soy-lime mayo. Stir together 75 g mayonnaise and 1 tsp soy sauce in a small serving bowl, then squeeze juice from 1 lime wedge into it and season to taste.

  2. 2

    Avocado mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to mash and combine 30 g coriander leaves and tender stalks, 60 g mashed ripe Hass avocado, 2 sliced spring onions, 3 finely grated garlic cloves, 10 g finely grated fresh ginger, ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes, 1 tsp fine salt and 1 tbsp of the soy-lime mayo until just mixed through.

  3. 3

    Chicken patties. Add 450 g chicken mince (preferably thigh) to the avocado mixture and fold together gently until just combined. Roll the mixture into 4 large balls.

  4. 4

    Heat pan. Set a large cast-iron or heavy frying pan over a medium heat and warm it for 1.5-2 minutes until very hot. Add 30 ml neutral oil, then space the chicken balls evenly apart in the pan.

  5. 5

    Shape and sear. Using a metal fish slice, press each ball down into a patty about 1 cm thick. Leave them untouched for 3.5-4 minutes until a deep golden crust forms on the bottom and the patties release easily from the pan.

  6. 6

    Cook through. Turn the patties and cook the other side for about 3 minutes, then cover the pan for 1-2 minutes more if needed until the thickest part reaches 74 °C when checked with a thermometer. Squeeze a lime wedge over the patties.

  7. 7

    Serve. Place each patty in a lightly toasted brioche or burger bun and top with a soft lettuce leaf, a generous dollop of soy-lime mayo, sliced avocado, thin slices of jalapeño if you like, and fresh coriander leaves. Serve with extra lime wedges and mayo on the side.

Storage

Best assembled and eaten straight away while the burgers are still warm and the toppings are fresh. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).

EU nutrition claims

  • Source of protein: 4.6 g protein per 100 kcal, about 18% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
  • Low sugars: 3.3 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)

Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 159 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide

Free sugars

Sugar (daily guide)

4.6 g per serving

9.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 18.4 % of the ideal 25 g

Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO

Equipment

  • small serving bowl
  • medium mixing bowl
  • fork
  • large cast-iron or heavy frying pan (30 cm) with a lid
  • metal fish slice
  • instant-read thermometer

Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central

Per servingAmount
Energy587 kcal
Protein27.1 g
Carbohydrate36.3 g
of which sugars5.3 g
of which free sugars4.6 g
Fat37.6 g
of which saturates6.6 g
Fibre4.2 g
Salt2.86 g

Protein per 100 kcal

4.6 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values