Chipotle Turkey Burgers with Avocado and Jack Cheese

Burgers and sliders aren't just great for weekends, they make excellent dinner options on busy weeknights! But, for some reason, home cooks like me often think they're too simple. Not gourmet enough. In fact, last night during dinner, I said to my boys, "I can't believe I'm a food writer and I'm serving you sliders". Then I realized, they LOVE sliders and that's all that matters. Plus, I served roasted Yukon and sweet potatoes on the side; clearly better than a side of fries. 

These burgers are slightly more gourmet and you can make them as spicy as you like by varying the amount of chipotle chilies. You can also use ground beef or ground chicken instead of turkey. No guilt, just awesome. 

Chipotle Turkey Burgers with Avocado and Jack Cheese

Serves 4

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Cooking spray

1 pound ground turkey breast

2 tablespoons minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

4 (1-ounce) slices pepper jack cheese

4 hamburger rolls, regular or whole wheat

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

Coat a stovetop grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. 

Combine the turkey and chipotles in a large bowl.  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and mix to combine.  Shape the mixture into four burgers, each about 1 inch thick. 

Add the burgers to the hot pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Top the burgers with the cheese and cook for 1 minute, until the cheese melts.  Place the burgers on the rolls and top with the avocado slices.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 482, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 120mg, Carbohydrate: 27g, Protein: 33g, Fiber: 5g, Sodium: 559mg