~Amanda~
Spring is finally here and we celebrated by spending some time outside enjoying the warm weather earlier this week while grilling one of our favorite meals – Hawaiian Chicken Burgers with Pineapple Guacamole and Sweet Potato Fries! Springtime in Colorado doesn’t mean all warm weather and sunshine though – as I’m writing this post two days later, I am sitting inside by the fire staying warm while there are a few feet of snow outside trapping us in. But no worries, it will be warm and sunny and grilling weather again within a few days. This is why I love Colorado so much, as they say, if you don’t like the weather here, wait a few minutes! Back to our burgers though… they are the epitome of warm, sunny, summer days and they make you feel like you’re on an island vacation with their sweet, spicy, savory, tropical flavors and they are definitely the perfect way to kick off grilling season!
The first time I was introduced to a Hawaiian style burger was when Jackie and I went to eat one night when I was in college and she ordered the ‘Bonzai Burger’ – I honestly don’t remember much about the burger, but I definitely remember how tipsy our waitress was and that when she brought it out she yelled out “BONZAAAAIIIII BURRRRGERRR!” so loud and it was hilarious, so ever since then I always get a smile on my face when I think about Hawaiian Burgers haha. To make our burgers, you start with some ground chicken – I absolutely loooove chicken burgers because they are nice and lean and healthy, and when you cook them right, they are still as juicy and flavorful as a beef burger. They also are a little milder in flavor, so all the delicious Hawaiian toppings get to shine a little more. I make the burgers by combining the chicken with tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, and garlic and then form them into patties and refrigerate for about 30 minutes so the flavors can absorb and the burgers set up.
While the burgers are cooling, it’s time to make the guac! If you’ve never had guac on a burger, you’re in for a big treat! We all love some sort of delicious, creamy sauce on our burgers and guacamole is the perfect ‘sauce’ for Hawaiian burgers… especially when you make it with pineapple! It’s refreshing, sweet, spicy, and creamy and perfectly accents the warm burgers, savory cheese, and sweet grilled pineapple. To make it, combine avocado, lime juice, pineapple, red pepper, and green onion then set aside until the burgers are ready to assemble. Also, while the burgers are cooling, you should really make some of our awesome Crispy Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries (RECIPE HERE) to be served on the side…. You cannot go wrong with fries, like ever.
And now it’s time to grill the burgers and pineapple slices! There really isn’t anything more relaxing at the end of a long day at work than sitting outside with the grill going and a nice cool drink in hand. Before I lived with Conor, I did all my grilling myself, but now that we live together, he is the grill master – he does such a good job and always cooks everything so perfectly that I don’t mind giving up that job one bit! So I just sit outside and keep him company while he gets his grill on. Once everything is done cooking, assemble the burgers by putting a nice, big scoop of guac on the buns (skip the bun if you’re gluten-free like me or just watching your carbs, and use lettuce as a base instead), then top with a cheesy burger, some big, juicy grilled pineapple chunks and serve with a delicious side of crispy fries. I’m drooling right now just reminiscing about this delicious meal we enjoyed just two days ago while I sit here looking out at the snow…. I’m ready for the sun again! Happy Grilling!
- 1 ½ pounds ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ pineapple, sliced in long pieces
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 large avocado
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ pineapple, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, tamari, the paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic. Divide into 4 even balls, form into patties, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the burgers are in the refrigerator, make the guacamole; mash the avocado together with the lime juice using a fork. Then add in the pineapple, pepper, scallions, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Preheat your grill (or indoor grill pan) to medium heat and lightly coat the grates with some oil so the burgers don’t stick. Place the burgers and pineapple slices on the grill and cook for about 6 minutes per side (slightly less for the pineapple).
- When they’re almost done, place the cheese on the burgers and put the buns on the grill to make them slightly crispy. Remove from grill and let the burgers rest for a few minutes while you cut the pineapple into large chunks.
- Assemble the burgers by placing a scoop of guacamole on the bottom of each bun, then top with the burgers and pineapple. Enjoy!
