Caramelized Onion Spinach Cheddar Chicken Burgers

My mom has been making these burgers ever since I can remember and they are always a crowd pleaser. There are few extra steps and ingredients compared to a regular burger, but that's what makes these so juicy and delicious! Serve with or without buns, and with your favorite sides for the perfect summer meal.

Want to make ahead of time? See my note at the end of the recipe!

Makes: 4-5 burgers

INGREDIENTS:

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 bag fresh baby spinach

Olive oil, for caramelizing, sautéing, & cooking

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar, I like Trader Joe's unexpected cheddar

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 lb ground chicken

Sliced white cheddar cheese, optional

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add diced onion and sauté for 3-5 min until the onions start to brown a little. Then turn the heat down to low and let cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. At least once, add a splash of water to the skillet to deglaze and encourage the onions to caramelize more. Once the onions are reduced and are golden/caramel brown color, remove from pan and place into a large mixing bowl.

2. Heat another tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the spinach and sauté for 2-3 min or until it has fully wilted. Place into the same large mixing bowl with the onions.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, except for the ground chicken, and mix together. Then add the ground chicken and continue to mix until everything is fully incorporated - highly recommend using your hands for this!

4. Form into equal sized balls - you should be able to get at least 4-5, maybe even 6 depending on how big/small you want them. Then flatten them into patties. At this point, you can cover & refrigerate them until ready to cook (same day) or freeze them for future cooking.

5. When ready to cook, heat 1-2 tbsp olive in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the patties and cook on each side for about 4 minutes. I typically turn the heat down to medium-low after a few minutes to avoid burning. Using a meat thermometer is helpful here - you want to cook them until the center of the burger is ~150°F. If the outside starts to cook/char too quickly, turn down the heat and cover with a lid to help cook the inside. If adding sliced cheese, add it when the burgers are almost done cooking (~140°F) and cover with a lid to let the cheese melt.

6. Remove the burgers from the heat and let rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Want to make ahead or have extra patties? I actually love to make a double batch of these, and freeze some of them to have on hand for the future. Do everything exactly the same, just place the raw patties in a Ziplock and stick in the freezer! They should keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Be sure to take a pic & tag @thepreppedpalate in your creations 📸