Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers marry lean ground turkey with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers and spices. The Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa adds the perfect amount of sass to this for a healthy, flavorful burger. This recipe is part of an awesome #BurgerMonth collaboration hosted by my girl Kita/GirlCarnivore. All burger epic-ness is my own. Thank you Anolon and Cabot Cheese for sponsoring this post.
Let’s talk turkey, shall we? I don’t know why that phrase never ceases to make me giggle, but it does. I love to talk food almost as much as I love a good turkey recipe, so why not talk about turkey? Here’s the thing though. While turkey is one of my go-to lean meats, I don’t love turkey burgers. There. I said it. Turkey burgers are usually bland, dry, and decidedly uneventful.
Does anyone even like turkey burgers?
I seriously believe that we talk ourselves into eating turkey burgers to save on a few calories at the expense of all of taste of a really great hamburger. Sure, I have a recipe for some pretty fab Greek Turkey Sliders but for the most part, turkey burgers can be so boring. We all know that life is too short to eat food that doesn’t make our mouths perk up and say, “Whoa! Now that is good!”
So I’ve made it a mission of sorts to buck the stereotypical bland turkey burger vibe. It’s so much more fun to infuse turkey with so much flavor that I’ll start to crave it. Yeah, I know. It’s totally possible though. Case in point: Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers.
What makes a great burger?
As with most great burgers, I start with the toppings. In this case, I’m going with a fresh corn and avocado salsa that practically screams summertime. If I’m feeling sassy–and let’s be honest, I’m always feeling sassy in the kitchen–I’ll toss in a jalapeño to amp up the heat a bit.
Then it’s time to get down to business and blend smoky chipotle peppers and other goodies into lean ground turkey. We’ve got to layer that sassy flavor throughout the burger!
Must a good burger be grilled?
Normally I would grill these babies outdoors. However, we were having a much needed rain shower at the time I was working on this recipe. So I did the next best thing…I whipped out my trusty Anolon Grill Pan. It’s hard-anodized construction is twice as hard as stainless steel, with a sturdy non-stick surface that’s PFOA free. That means it’s safe to use metal utensils! I don’t feel bad about cooking burgers indoors because this pan makes them taste like they were cooked over an open flame.
Once the burgers are grilled for a few minutes on each side, slide them onto a really great burger bun, and pile on the toppings! Since the corn and avocado salsa is the star topping, I keep the rest simple with a few slices of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese and a piece of lettuce. The cheddar stands up to the big flavors in the Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burger with Corn and Avocado Salsa without the flavor getting lost in the shuffle.
Pro Tip: placing a piece of romaine lettuce between the burger and bottom bun will keep the bun from getting soggy while eating it. Try it! It’s a game changer!
Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers with Corn and Avocado Salsa are a vibrant way to enjoy turkey without sacrificing the flavor of a really great burger. The smoky chipotle peppers add just enough zip to keep it interesting. The salsa adds delicious freshness that will make this one turkey burger that you’ll make again and again.
Lighten up this summer with Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
Yields 6 Servings
Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers marry lean ground turkey with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers and spices. The Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa adds the perfect amount of sass to this for a healthy, flavorful burger.
1 hrPrep Time
8 minCook Time
1 hr, 8 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- For the Burgers:
- 1 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey
- ¼ C. finely minced onion (¼ of a small onion)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
- 2 (canned) chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- For the Corn and Avocado Salsa:
- 1½ C. fresh (cooked) corn or thawed frozen corn
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
- 2 small tomatoes, diced (about 1 to 1 ½ C.)
- ½ C. finely diced Vidalia or other sweet onion
- 1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 medium lime (about 2 Tbs.)
- 2 Tbs.light olive oil
- 2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- For Serving:
- 6 quality hamburger buns, toasted
- 6 leaves Romaine lettuce
- 3 oz. sliced sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- To prepare the burgers, combine the ground turkey, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cilantro, and chipotle peppers with clean hands until well blended. Divide the seasoned meat into 6 equal portions (around 4.5 oz. each). Roll each portion into a tight ball, and then smack between your palms to flatten into a ¼-inch thick patty. Repeat the process until six burgers are made. Place the patties on to a clean plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the burgers are marinating in the refrigerator, prepare the salsa by combining the corn, diced avocado, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Squeeze the fresh lime juice over top, and add the rice vinegar and olive oil to the mix. Gently stir to coat. Sprinkle in the cumin and cayenne over all and stir well. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- When ready, spray a grill pan or rack of an outdoor grill with cooking spray. Heat the pan (or grill) to medium-high heat. Grill the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through but still juicy.
- Serve warm Spicy Chipotle Burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, and spoonful of Corn and Avocado Salsa on top.
Notes
The burger recipe is adapted from Ashley/Center Cut Cook https://www.centercutcook.com/grilled-chipotle-cilantro-turkey-burgers/. If cilantro isn’t your thing, Italian parsley works well as a substitute and still give an herbaceous tinge. I recommend making the burger patties several hours ahead of time, and then refrigerating them until cooking so that the flavors have time to really permeate the meat. I don’t recommend preparing the salsa much more than 30 minutes prior to serving or the avocado may begin to brown. The recipe will yield extra salsa! Grab a bag of tortilla chips and enjoy the rest as a snack.
A huge thank you and tackle hug goes to the #BurgerMonth sponsors, American Lamb Board, Anolon, Cabot Cheese, Crow Canyon Home, Melissa’s Produce, Microplane, New York Beef Council, Red Duck, Spiceologist, Veal Made Easy, and Weber Grills.
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