Cooking with Kelly: Healthy Spinach Feta Chicken Burger Recipe

I nearly cried in the grocery store this weekend.

You see, I decided many days ago I wanted to spend quite a few calories on a chicken burger from the meat counter on a super plush pretzel bun with all the fixings. I've been working hard and I needed a meal to look forward to. I headed to the store early, and wouldn't you know, they didn't have the burgers. They told me they might have them later.

Frustrated and hungry, because I'm always hungry, I bought the raw ingredients for my favorite burger and set out to make it my own damn self.

The key to these burgers, in my opinion, is getting them toasted enough on the outside to properly cook the chicken while not burning it to oblivion. I got this by using a grill pan inside initially heated to medium-high heat, then reduced to medium after searing. I also covered it with a lid in the last few minutes to capture the steam, but preserve the outer crunch.

My second pro tip is to ensure the spinach is super dry. Otherwise, the moisture will cause your burgers to fall apart while cooking. I thawed the spinach and let it drain, then rung it out with a dish towel.

Healthy Spinach Feta Chicken Burger Recipe

1 pound ground lean chicken
1 beaten egg
9ish ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly dried
1 small package of reduced fat feta (this worked out to about 2/3 cups)
1 tablespoon seasoned flour or breadcrumbs (I used panko)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the chicken and egg, then crumble the cheese and spinach over the meat. Season with spices and stir until incorporated. Take care not to over stir the mixture or it will get tough.

Divide into four patties. I like to dent the middle of the patties with my thumb so the burgers don't get domed when grilling.
Chill for an hour to allow the burgers to set. Heat a grill pan to medium high and sear the burgers for five minutes on each side. Cover with a lid and continue to cook until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the grill and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve on pretzel buns with lettuce, tomato, condiments and whatever your heart desires. I highly recommend avocado on these burgers. We had this with blistered green beans and turnip "fries." Worth every calorie.