Quick Chicken Burger With Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli Recipe

It's true: alternative burgers nearly always lead you astray when you're dining out at a restaurant. Chicken burgers, turkey burgers, and yes, even veggie burgers tend to be every bit as unhealthy as their beefy counterpart. But that doesn't mean you have to ignore your burger craving. Instead, you just have to get a little creative—and it's super easy to do.

We've gone ahead and helped you out by reinventing the chicken burger, using a lean grind of meat and a hugely flavorful—but surprisingly low-calorie—spiked mayo to deliver on the promise of a truly healthy burger you can happily indulge in.

Nutrition: 330 calories, 14 g fat (3 g saturated), 730 mg sodium

Serves 4

You'll Need

2 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise
2 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and black pepper
1 lb lean ground chicken
4 whole-wheat or potato buns (or even English muffins), split
2 cups arugula, baby spinach, or mixed greens

How to Make It

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic, and rosemary. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Set the aioli aside.
2. Preheat a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet.
3. Combine the ground chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper and mix gently.
4. Without overworking the meat, form into four patties until the chicken just comes together.
5. When the grill or skillet is hot (if using a skillet, add a touch of oil), add the burgers.
6. Cook on the first side for 5 to 6 minutes, until a nice crust develops.
7. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the burgers are firm but ever so slightly yielding to the touch and cooked through.
8. Remove the burgers. While the grill or pan is hot, toast the buns.
9. Layer the bottom buns with the arugula, top each with a burger, then slather the aioli over the top of each.
10. Crown with the bun tops and serve.

Eat This Tip

Aioli is traditionally a garlic and olive oil mayonnaise made in France and Spain, and the combination of these two ingredients makes for a much healthier spread than your average jar of Hellmann's.

You can do a quick approximation by mincing a clove or two of garlic, then using the back of your knife—along with a pinch of salt for abrasion—to grind the garlic into a paste. Add it to olive oil–based mayonnaise (made by Kraft and Hellmann's), along with any other flavor boosters. Some of our favorites: roasted red pepper, sriracha, chipotle, and balsamic vinegar.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Now, it's time to get grilling—and eating!