Inspiration: I’m a planner. I’ve been trying to break myself of that trait, but it sure is dying hard. When I go shopping, I like to have my grocery list all ready (organized by department, no less) with everything that I need for whatever meals that I have scheduled for the week. It’s just what works for me and my slightly ridiculous brain. Anyway, lately I’ve been trying to go to the store without my list and shop for dinners according to what’s on sale. While in a way it stresses me out (….why?), it really has resulted in a bit more creativity in the kitchen, which is always a great thing.

What We Loved: Chicken and white beans are a great combination, as both ingredients have very light flavor profiles that really play off of each other well. Combined together in burger form, there really is a lot of versatility with the toppings, as you can see from the two different ways that we prepared our burgers here. Mixed with cilantro and topped with shaved ham, avocado, and sharp cheddar cheese, the burgers were light and spring-like, with a nice tropical feel. And when we threw in some oregano and topped the burgers with marinara, mozzarella, and sauteed mushrooms, we ended up with an Italian-style burger that was rich and comforting. Using two simple ingredients as a base and building from there, we really ended up with two completely different but equally delicious meals.

Tips: Using ground chicken to make burgers is very messy. The burgers certainly don’t form together nicely as a beef burger would. Just shape it into a patty form as best as you can and throw it into the pan, though – it’ll come together and be easy to work with as soon as it starts cooking. Also – be sure to season the chicken mixture well with salt and pepper. Finally, I didn’t use any butter or oil to cook the burgers, and they cooked up just fine, but if you’d like more flavor imparted into the meat, you could certainly use your cooking fat of choice.

Chicken and White Bean Burgers with Ham, Avocado, and Cheddar
Source: Original Recipe

1/2 lb ground chicken thigh
1/4 cup navy beans, cooked
1/8 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper
Deli ham, shaved
Avocado, thinly sliced
Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded

1. Mash the navy beans with a potato masher or fork until they are about 2/3 mashed, leaving some of the beans in tact for texture. Add in a little water as necessary to get a creamy texture.

2. Mix the ground chicken, beans, and cilantro together with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Saute the burgers over medium heat until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. A few minutes before removing the burgers from the pan, top the burgers with some shaved ham, thinly sliced avocado, and sharp cheddar cheese. Let cook for a few minutes to heat the ingredients and melt the cheese as much as desired.

4. Serve the burgers garnished with additional cilantro.

Chicken and White Bean Burgers with Marinara, Mozzarella, and Mushrooms
Source: Original Recipe

1/2 lb ground chicken thigh
1/4 cup navy beans, cooked
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper
Butter
Garlic powder
Handful baby portabella mushrooms, diced
Your favorite marinara sauce
Mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded

1. Mash the navy beans with a potato masher or fork until they are about 2/3 mashed, leaving some of the beans in tact for texture. Add in a little water as necessary to get a creamy texture.

2. Mix the ground chicken, beans, and oregano together with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Heat some butter in a small sauce pan, and add the diced mushrooms. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and saute until cooked through and browned. At the same time, heat some marinara sauce in a separate sauce pan.

4. Saute the burgers over medium heat until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. A few minutes before removing the burgers from the pan, top the burgers with some of the marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella. Let cook for a few minutes to heat the ingredients and melt the cheese as much as desired.

5. Serve the burgers topped with the sauteed mushrooms.