These were heaven! #Paleo #Whole30 #cleaneating #deliciousness
I have made these many times now. I love them with ground chicken but ground turkey will work in a pinch. (consider increasing your garlic, salt and pepper when using ground turkey to kick up the flavor a bit).
This has turned out to be the most viewed post on my blog…to say I didn’t see that coming is an understatement. The reason for it’s popularity is because it is so Paleo and Whole30 friendly, not to mention super easy.
To learn more about the Whole30 program, click here! This will take you to Amazon (affiliate link) where you can preview the book. I could never have done the Whole30 without the book!
Make a double batch, you will be glad you did! Hellooo lunchbox!
Notes:
- I usually cook these on a grill pan indoors, it helps keep the meat moist…but you can certainly grill these outdoors. Just be careful not to overcook. I love this Grill Pan!
- When mixing the avocados and forming the patties – go gently to keep the avocado chunks intact. Using a more firm avocado will help as well.
- These will keep for several days in your fridge. I have frozen them as well, and the avocado holds up really great! Wrap individually and store in freezer safe ziploc bag.
- Great add in is chopped Poblano (for a little heat) or chopped Jalapeno (for more heat!)
- Nutrition info is based on Panko crumbs.
A few other fast, fresh and fabulous meals for you to try that are Paleo and Whole30 Compliant!
Easy Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary! – switch out the red potatoes for sweet potatoes to kick it up!
30 Minute Chicken Puttanesca! – One pan and tons of flavor! This comes together quickly and if your not an olive fan, no worries, just leave them out!
All my favorite Whole30 and Paleo recipes in one place!
Have a fabulous day!
Clink,
Kathi
Chicken Avocado Burgers
A new twist on a Chicken Avocado Burger! Mix cubed avocado directly into your ground chicken for a super kicked up avocado flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large ripe avocado - cut into chunks
- 1 clove chopped of garlic
- 1/3 cup Panko crumbs or Almond meal to keep it Paleo and Whole30 friendly
- 1 minced Poblano or Jalapeño pepper optional but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
-
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently.
-
Shape into desired size patties and grill inside or out!
How would you dress out this burger on a bun?
Hi Rick – isn’t that funny, I’ve only eatin’ them bunless! I’d just go for a fresh bun and mayo myself, these pack a big flavor on thier own!
Kathi
I think some nice fresh crispy lettuce and a slice of tomato would taste great.
I think salsa and fresh cilantro. Also, a chutney would be a nice change. Flatbread or no bun for low carb.
Flatbread isn’t low carb. Better to wrap in lettuce if you go low carb. There are already bread crumbs in the recipe so those would have to be replaced to really go low. I think I’d leave them in and use lettuce. Low carb is fine. No carb is overdoing it.
I don’t see bread crumbs in the recipe. Am I missing something?
Hi Mitzi. From my post : This has turned out to be the most viewed post on my blog…to say I didn’t see that coming is an understatement. The reason for it’s popularity is because it is so Paleo friendly. The original recipe I posted included bread crumbs. I tested the recipe without the bread crumbs and could find no noticeable difference so I removed that ingredient to make it truly Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
The recipe says 1/3 cup of Bread Crumbs
I am assuming you are mentioning that because of the recipes Whole30 compliant status. If you notice, there are Whole30 and Paleo substitutions for a binder. My favorite is almond flour.
@Cyndiann I think she was saying flatbread or for no carb no bun. Lol!!
Yummy!!!!!!!! These look super tasty!! Can’t wait to try them!!!
I tried it with black bean hummus, onions, and flatbread. Delicious!!
I would make a Beemster cheese light sauce,and serve with a green salad no dressing
I would imagine if you asked the butcher at the store they would be more than happy to grind up a pack of chicken breasts for you.
I am putting tomato, onion and spicy mustard on mine!
That sounds wonderful! Happy eating!
Where do you find ground chicken?
I’m not sure where you are located but I get mine at QFC which is Kroger or Fred Meyer. Iserio brand ground chicken. Foster makes one as well but I have not tried it. If you are forced to use ground turkey all is not lost! Just try to stay away from the Foster stuff, its mushy. Good Luck!
ALDI sells ground chicken as well.
Perdue makes ground chicken. I have purchased it in Pathmark Shoprite, Stop N Shop
If you have a winco foods they sell ground chicken
I found it at food loin
All you paranoid, paleo, health nuts worried about additives and preservatives, try this: GRIND YOUR OWN!!
Seriously though, I try to eat as cleanly as possible and the only way to ensure that your ground meats are additive free is to do it yourself.
True, but only if your chicken breast is additive / hormone-free or preservative-free to begin with.
Looks great! Do you have to use the breadcrumbs, or can you omit them?
You could probably substitute oats or cooked quinoa if you are looking for a gluten free substitute. Ive never made them without the bread crumbs so couldn’t be sure. Ground chicken is a bit mushy and needs a binder. The patties might be a little more dense without the crumbs, but they are stuffed with avocado chunks so I’ll bet they would still make you smile either way! Kathi
For those of us who can’t eat grains at all…..I use mashed potato flakes…that are 100% potato …no fillers….works great in my meatloaf!!!v
GREAT IDEA!!! 🙂 Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Almond meal is an excellent sub for breadcrumbs in just about all bUrges. Hasn’t steered me wrong yet 🙂
That is a great idea! I’ll add that note in the recipe! Thank you!
Kathi
Publix actually sells gluten free bread crumbs and have worked great with anything I cooked that required them.
I used ground flaxseed meal instead of the crumbs but I havent made them yet so the verdict is out. Will update.
I was thinking about using grated Parmesan cheese instead of the bread crumbs to make it low carb.
Parm would be tasty! You could use cooked Quinoa as well. I use it in Meatloaf and it works great as a binder. Just make sure it’s a bit on the dry side and not mushy. Good Luck!
A little bit of almond flour could make it low carb as well. That’s what I plan on using since my fiance & I are doing Keto.
That could work…it’s hard to go wrong with these….let me know how they turn out!
Kathi
Yummy! Do you think you could freeze them?
Hi Kristen – I think the Avocado would turn brown and pretty mushy….Kathi
Avacados do not like to be frozen. I tried it once and never again. It makes a very unpleasant tasting mess.
These actually freeze quite well. After I make a batch of the burgers I freeze each patty individually in freezer bags. They even warm up well in the microwave. 🙂
So you freeze them cooked, yes?
Cooked is what I do but you can certainly freeze them uncooked, thaw and cook.
I’ve frozen my patties raw. To address another poster, I have also frozen many an avocado. It is very hard to keep fresh and ripe avocados on hand. They either aren’t ripe yet or they go bad before I can eat them all. So, I read an article on freezing them which works fine for me. I first mush up the avocado in a bowl. Divide up how much of a portion you want, for me I use about 1/4 cup. I put these individual portions in silicone muffin cups and freeze. Once they are frozen, I simply pop them out of the muffin cup and put them in a baggie. So now I have a large ziploc freezer bag with avocado “disks”. When I want avocado my first choice is fresh, but if I don’t have one that is ripe, I can simply defrost one of my avo disks. Yes, it does get dark, but who cares what color it is, I don’t. The taste is the same, but yes, the texture does change. It’s fine for me though, especially if you are mixing it in a burger, or mixing it with a veggie/potato/rice, or in a smoothie. If you want a slice or chunk of avocado, no, the freezing method won’t work, obviously.
I’ve had great luck freezing these, somehow! Keep all the packaging your ground chicken comes in. If freezing them with raw chicken, I recovered them with that, plus saran wrap. If cooked, I wrapped them individually in tinfoil. Just find an effective way to keep the air out.
These are delicious with ranch powder mixed in, too!!
I don’t own a grill but I would love to make these. How would you bake them or cook them in a skillet?
Hello Rose – the picture is stove top on a grill pan! I have grilled them outdoors as well but because Chicken is so lean, I actually prefer the stove top because the juices stay in the burger! thank you! Kathi
I baked them for 30 minutes at 350, they turned out better than my pan fried ones.
I am going to try that! I hate stove top frying, messes up my clean stove 🙂 Starting my Whole30 on Monday, will bake a batch…great idea!
These are delish! Does anyone know the nutritional info on them?
Per burger……
Fat 8.2g
Saturated fat 1.2g
Cholesterol 64
Sodium 62
Carbs 3.7g
Fiber 0.3g
Sugars 0.3g
Protein 15.7g
Calories 139
What size of a patty are we talking about here with that nutritional info? Those numbers look pretty small considering you have breadcrumbs and avocado in the chicken. Just curious 🙂 Thanks!
Nutrition info will depend on the number/size patties you make, obviously 🙂 This is the info for making 5 patties from this recipe. It doesn’t include a bun or toppings (which is where a lot of calories would come from!).
Theses sound tempting. Are the flavorful? Seems like they would need some spices.
I recently made them and added a chopped up Anaheim pepper and wow! Don’t even need to sauté the pepper…just toss it in with the Avocado – it really kicked up the flavor another notch!
Thanks for visiting!
Kathi
How long do these last after cooking? Can I refrigerate them and keep for a day or two?
I have kept a day or two in the fridge (because I am a ‘left over for lunch’ junkie). Shouldn’t be a problem. I think the chicken will last longer than the Avocado. Thanks!
My two favorite things combined into a patty! All the suggestions for toppings and buns/breads sound so good! I have put chicken breasts in my Ninja because the ground chicken is so high in fat. Ya reckon if I add a tablespoon or two of olive oil that would keep them from being dry if I use ground chicken breasts? My mouth is seriously watering! I too am an avocado junkie!
I think the addition of olive oil to ground chicken breasts is a fab idea!…and who knew you could grind chicken in a Ninja! Clever girl!
I was wondering the same thing! Ground turkey and chicken is very fatty (which is why it’s so “moist”). We buy breasts in bulk so I always have a lot of it. Have you tried it yet? Just found this recipe and looking to add to my new life plan! We LOVE avocado everything!
Hi Michelle – ya know, just not a big fan of ground white breast meat. I like a little fat 🙂 It gets dry so fast but the avocado might help it stay a little moist. Let me know how it goes!
Kathi
MIchelle, if you want a drier or less fatty turkey burger, try 99% lean. But be forewarned, they are very dry. I typically add an egg white (or half an egg white) just for moisture.
I used polenta to bind it, cos that’s all I had. Worked well. Goes great with home made chutney
How clever! I’ve used cous cous as a binder as well and it works! Thanks for your note….Kathi
This sounds delicious! Thank you!
_____
Lee Ann
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Made these tonight. So good. A refreshing change from a standard greasy burger. Love how the avocado mixes so well with the ground chicken. I will be making these again!
Will these still hold together without the breadcrumbs?
I have not tried them without the bread crumbs. Ground Chicken tends to be a little moist and needs help sticking together. If it’s Gluten you are concerned about you can add cooked Quinoa or raw oats in their place. I have also used whole wheat uncooked Cous Cous in some of my other burgers and it works great!
Kathi
This was a great burger, I would not change anything, I do like a dressed burger, so I used light mayo,with tomatoes and onions on a wheat bun. Thanks very much.
This recipe really works!! Both times, I made it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I ground myself at home: cut the chiicken into 1 inch cubes, froze them for 30 minutes, then put them in a food processor (maybe three successive batches for one pound of chicken cubes) and processed them into a nicely chunky and not too dense ground chicken. The second time I made this recipe, I added a two tablespoons of tahini to the mix. The recipe posted above is a great all by itself, and it welcomes variations. The recipe is absolutely on target in advising that the avocado chunks be kept that way. Following the basic recipe makes for a tasty, juicy, tender chicken burger with a great texture. Try it for yourself!!
I was drawn to this recipe because I love making my own burgers and I love avocado. What a genius combination. The first time I made them I thought they were a little bland so I used more garlic and added cilantro the second time and it was perfect. I’ve grilled them and cooked them at someone else’s house in a pan. Awesome idea!
These do need a pretty good dose of salt and pepper…glad you like them!
Kathi
Just made these and they were very good! I added a little minced onion to mine and then ate them with ranch dressing, no bun. Trying, although not always successful, to eat a healthier and cleaner diet. So trying different recipes from ingredients that I already love. Thank you!
Looks like will be a tasty recipe to enjoy the weekend with family.
The only thing missing from your ingredient list is lemon juice… you have it in your blog part, but not the recipe. I made these last night and they were good, but I think a touch of lemon would have made a huge difference. Great recipe, thanks!
Hi Sopie,
The lemon juice extract is an ingredient in the Iserio Brand Chicken. It’s confusing the way I wrote it. I’ll update and yes, I agree that a squeeze of lemon would freshen it up nicely!
Thanks for your note!
Kathi
Hi Kathy, I’ve been reading through the comments and im confused. At first you stated that you DID try this recipe without bread crumbs and couldnt find any noticeable dufference, then, however, further down you say you have NOT tried this recipe without the bread crumbs. Is it essential or not??
Hi Kiona – I did try the recipe with Almond Meal last week and updated my recipe….You must be looking at a bit of an older version. Bottom Line: These are great without any crumb binder but if you have particularly moist ground chicken or turkey you can add either 1/3 cup Bread Crumbs (non-paleo) or 1/3 cups Almond Meal. Hope I cleared things up!
I made these tonight and they surpassed my expectations. Delicious! I did add some almond flour because mine were very wet, even after adding the almond flour they were wet enough that I thought they would never cook up. They came out absolutely delicious.
Thanks!
Fondly,
-Lisa
I am so glad Lisa! Thank you so much for your nice note!
Kathi
I tried these tonight excited to try a healthy burger option, these were terrible so bad that my husband and I made something else, they either need a lot of salt and pepper or some other seasoning to give it some flavor, they were so bland!
Hi Michelle – I am sorry these didn’t work for you. This is the first negative comment out of 77 that I’ve ever received. I am assuming you used ground turkey in lieu of the suggested ground chicken? I tried them with ground turkey and the results were not so great…totally recommend the ground chicken and don’t skimp on the garlic or salt and pepper!
Thanks for your note.
Kathi
If you dont find ground chicken what you can do is get boneless chicken and grind them in the food processor…that’s what I do. Thanks for the recipe Kathy.
Thats brilliant Swati! I would have though you would have to run it through a meat grinder but why not a food processor? Thanks for sharing!
Kathi
I added grilled fresh red bell pepper & sliced red onion. some great flavors going on right there!! A whole grain bagel thin bun is all you need or protein style, wrapped in crisp fresh lettuce.
I made these last week, just using ground chicken, avocado, and garlic. They were pretty good! It was nice getting to have the flavours of a chicken avocado sandwich without the avocado slipping all around like it usually does.
I’d made again. 🙂
These were fantastic! I had to pan-fry them as I did not have a grill pan or access to an outdoor grill, but they were crispy and juicy just the same. The last four fared better than the first four, probably because I covered them and let them get all steamy/juicy. Added a chopped jalapeno as well for a little extra kick, and a few splashes of lemon juice as someone else suggested. The leftovers will be great for quick spinach salads!
Will definitely make again.
I love a burger that doesn’t need a bun. These look fantastic. I’ve linked to your recipe on my weekend healthy recipe roundup. Have a great weekend!
If I don’t have a grill pan and an electric stove, what heat level should I cook these on and for how long? Looks like a great recipe! 🙂
Medium to Medium High. They don’t take long to cook. 4 minutes or so on each side should do it!
I tried these the other night and they are FANTASTIC! Our two toddlers devoured their burgers and wanted more – they actually ate more than my husband and I 😉 Thank you for the wonderful recipe and I can’t wait to dig through some of your other recipes to try!
If you have a Blendtec or similar, you can grind your own chicken. I did tht and it worked well. I added a small can of mild green chillies and served with homemade chutney and veggie skewers – yum 🙂
So Good
I made these yesterday with ground turkey and they were delicious! I added a bit of cooked quinoa and an egg and subbed garlic powder for fresh garlic but still amazing! I would have never thought to put avocado in a burger, I usually add it on top after it’s been cooked.
Wow, these were really tasty!!
Made these just as the recipe instructed on my George Foreman…5 stars for sure. I’ve been looking for recipes to help me out on my quest for weight loss and overall good health and this one is a winner. No fat drop out of these babies and they are very flavorful. Thank you!!
I’ve made this recipe at least 3 times and it’s so delicious every time. Even made it for a more traditional burger eating crowd and they loved it! I use almond meal in the recipe.
Thanks for your note Adrianne! I love hearing that the almond meal worked for you!
This is my first visit here. I found some interesting stuff in your blog especially this discussion. Keep up the good work. I like your chicken avocado burger.
Thanks for sharing information about chicken avocado recipe. I like your post. Thanks again.
Wood evening just made these, so good. Just wondering if you knew what the nutrition values were. Thanks for a healthy great tasting recipe 😍
Hi Valerie – I do not but I probably should compute it because I’m asked quite a bit. I’ll get to it this week but in the mean time there are recipe calculators available on line. Thanks!
How did you freeze these? Thanks!
Never mind about freezing I found in the comments! Thanks!
Absolutely love this recipe! I used cooked quinoa for the filler. This week I am trying ground turkey since it was on sale. Last time I used the ground chicken and it was perfect!!! I smash half of a avacado for my topper. Perfect with the jalapeños!!!
Hi Amy, thanks so much for the note! Quinoa is a great filler for this…clever girl! Hoping you saw my post of Grilled Salmon Burgers that went out yesterday? The topping sounds just like what you did!
I made these for lunch–so good! I added some red pepper flakes instead of the pepper for spice and just ate it plain with a side salad. I’m not the least bit sad that my boys didn’t want them. More for me 🙂
Yum, yum, and yum! This was the best burger I’ve had in a long time. This was my first time eating chicken as a burger and it has crossed my mind to use chicken as a burger. I didn’t eat it with a bun side it taste good without it. My burger would fall apart as I flipped it and some stayed together. However, I don’t own a food scale, so there may have been too much avocado and not enough chicken on my part. These were really delicious and I will make these the next time I’m craving a burger!
Delicious! I added some chopped almonds. Had it with a hoagie bun, tomato and olive oil mayo! Will definitely make again. Thanks.
I have made this twice now,first time as is and 2nd time with some extras. I was delightfully surprised this was very tasty the first time I made it. I ground up chicken thighs the first time and a chicken breast the 2nd time. I found no difference in density or taste. They both held up moist because of the avocado. I used an inside grill so I never had to flip it. The 2nd time I made it I sautéed some onions and poblano to dress it up as a burger using those sandwich thins. This is a very satisfying meal, tasty and definitely sure to fill you up!!
I made this last time and used a pan and it was delicious. If I wanted to use it for a meal prep, how long should I bake it for and what temp so it’s still moist?
I baked these in the oven once for meal prep and they just didn’t taste the same. More of a meat loaf flavor and consistency…but that being said, I’d go 375 for 20-25 minutes depending on thickness. 165 degrees and is done!
Made the chicken avocado burgers tonight, and they were amazing! Also very easy to make! Highly recommend!
Have you ever crumbled up some crispy bacon and added it? I’m thinking about that for tonight!
Chicken Burgers are my go-to when I have last minute company. They do great in an iron skillet on top of the stove. I have never put the Avocado into the burger. I always slice it and put it on top of the burger. And I add a slice of Swiss Cheese and Dijon Mustard and it is delicious.
We really enjoyed these burgers! They were flavorful and filling. We topped ours burgers with a spicy mayo sauce which was a nice tasty addition. The only thing I would change for next time would be to omit the egg. We found it made the patty’s too sticky so we needed to add in more breadcrumbs.
Hi Kiona,
I love this recipe. Before even I tried it, I loved it.
My family loves avocado, and what a genius way to use it in a burger.
This is such a perfect recipe for the summer grilling season, and I am excited for more opportunities to use this recipe.
I also love that burgers don’t have to be red-meat base.
Since I have many readers who are also gluten free and paleo like my family, I thought they would love to learn about this and give it a try. I shared it in the article where I introduced my favorite paleo recipes (here: http://fitwirr.com/health/tips/paleo-recipes).
Thank you again for sharing and looking forward to more of your delicious recipes!
Best,
Misato
Am I missing something? These were great but thinking about it after the fact, how are they compliant with Whole30 when the Panko Crumbs are included?
Substitute almond meal to make Whole30 compliant…mentioned in the recipe several times :).