With the weather warming up, it’s time to break out that BBQ! What’s better than a sunny weekend and a fiery BBQ? How about a healthy barbecue option that is packed full of flavor – slightly spicy and zesty paired with the smokiness from barbecuing? Is your mouth watering yet? If we haven’t sold you already, the best thing about this burger is the fact that it is healthy! Yes – you can actually have healthy barbecue options that goes beyond grilled veggies! Paired with a coleslaw packed with zingy lime, this is sure to become a hit.
While you may want to treat yourself by having a burger bun, you can reduce calories of this burger and make it much healthier by replacing the buns with romaine lettuce leaves. To increase this burger’s nutritional value, feel free to add some sliced tomatoes, onions and spinach leaves. Alternatively, you could chop some lettuce and other veggies of your choice, top with the sliced, cooked chicken breast and a dollop of slaw to make a salad.
Perhaps this burger is your treat meal for the week; indulge yourself a little more by topping this burger with a slice of grilled halloumi. Just before the chicken has finished cooking, place slices of halloumi onto the grill and cook for a couple of minutes per side. The creaminess of the halloumi pairs perfectly with the smoky, spicy flavor of the burgers. We recommend a whole wheat burger bun, but if you love a crusty bun, opt for a whole grain ciabatta bread instead.
Perhaps the weather isn’t the best and you think all hope is lost for making these until sunnier days make their appearance…luckily, these burgers can be cooked under the grill of an oven or pan-fried! Follow the recipe below, but either use the grill or stove; for frying, you will need a tablespoon of olive oil to cook the burgers.
If you love spicy food, you can increase the spice levels of this burger! Either increase the cayenne pepper in the spice rub or add some sliced chilli into the slaw. We find the balance of spice and tang of the slaw to be perfect, but for those who like it spicy won’t object to adding a kick to the slaw.
Fire up that BBQ, let’s get cooking! This recipe will serve four:
Ingredients:
For the chicken burger:
1lb chicken breasts (preferably organic), halved
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne
Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the slaw:
1 carrot, shredded
¼ red cabbage, shredded
1 head little gem lettuce, shredded
3 tbsp Greek yogurt (low-fat)
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 lime, juiced and zested
Other:
Whole-wheat burger buns
Method:
- Using either a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, pound the breasts until they each have an even thickness.
- Mix the spices listed under the chicken burger ingredients in a mixing bowl. Individually dip each breast into the spice mix, turning so that both sides are coated.
- Dip a bunched paper towel into cooking oil. With cooking mitts on, rub down the grill grates with the paper towel to oil them. Once oiled, place each breast onto the grill and cook for about four minutes per side. If you’ve got a kitchen thermometer, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the chicken is cooking, prep your slaw. Simply place all of the slaw ingredients into a large bowl and mix well to combine.
- Once ready to serve, place the burger buns onto the grill to toast them just slightly. Put the chicken breast onto the bun and top with a spoonful of slaw.
If you plan to make a few burgers to use throughout the week, they will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. To freeze these burgers, we recommend doing so before cooking. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container with a piece of wax paper between each layer of burgers. Defrost the burgers in the fridge overnight and cook on the BBQ as described above. The slaw will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.