The Best Homemade Healthy Burgers brimming with veggies, topped with addictive maple-glazed shallots, plus a recipe for roasted tomato ketchup using canned plum tomatoes.
For best results grind fresh chicken and form patties with vegetables and seasonings
Use a food processor to pulse chicken tenderloins and boneless, skinless chicken thighs until coarsely ground. Grinding your own chicken makes a noticeable difference in texture and flavor. Tenderloins are lean and tender, while some thigh meat adds a touch of fat and extra flavor.
These burgers can be cooked indoors on a cast-iron grill pan or outdoors on a grill when weather permits.
Making the Chicken & Veggie Burgers:
How to make homemade ketchup year-round using canned Italian plum tomatoes
If you don’t want to wait for peak-season tomatoes, high-quality canned plum tomatoes give excellent results. Roasting the tomatoes first deepens and concentrates their flavor. This ketchup is savory rather than overly sweet; you can blend it smooth or leave it slightly textured, depending on your preference.
Roast first: Roast plum tomatoes in a hot oven, reserving any juice and puree. Sauté sliced garlic and spices, add the reserved puree and simmer, then stir in the roasted tomatoes and cook until thickened. Puree the mixture in a food processor or pass it through a food mill for a smooth ketchup.
Choose canned plum tomatoes carefully
Many canned tomatoes include additives like calcium chloride or citric acid, and some list “natural flavoring.” For the cleanest flavor, choose an Italian brand whose ingredient list contains only tomatoes and tomato juice (or puree). Avoid cans that list additional flavoring chemicals.
Typical ingredients for the roasted ketchup include: one 28-ounce can of Italian peeled whole tomatoes (tomatoes and tomato juice only), tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, light brown sugar, fresh garlic, dried onion flakes, chipotle or chili flakes, ground cloves, allspice, celery seed, yellow mustard seeds and sea salt.
Enjoy!
Karen
Homemade Chicken & Veggie Burgers with Maple Glazed Shallots
Equipment
- 1 cast iron grill pan (or outdoor grill)
- 1 10″ stick-proof skillet
Ingredients
The Chicken & Veggie Burgers
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins and boneless chicken thighs (weight before trimming)
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry
- 1/3 cup colorful peppers, small dice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, cleaned, dried, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili seasoning (ancho pepper optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Maple Glazed Shallots
- 1 large shallot
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 3 pinches sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken & Veggie Burgers
- Trim excess fat from the thighs and remove white tendons from the tenderloins. Add the chicken to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, leaving a bit of texture. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the squeezed zucchini, diced peppers, parsley and the seasonings (chili powder through salt). Mix thoroughly with a fork to combine. Refrigerate until ready to grill (up to 12 hours).
Make the Glazed Shallots
- Peel the shallot, trim the root end and slice lengthwise into 1/4″ slices (about 4–5 slices per shallot). Heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a 10″ skillet over medium heat.
- Add shallot slices and cook until golden on the underside. Turn carefully, drizzle with maple syrup, reduce heat to low and cover with heavy foil. Cook about 8 minutes until tender and golden. Set aside.
Grill the Burgers
- Heat a grill pan and brush with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. Raise heat to medium-high. Form the mixture into four even patties and place on the pan. Cook until strong grill marks form on the underside, about 5 minutes. Flip with a metal spatula, lower heat to low, cover with heavy foil and cook until firm and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes depending on thickness.
- Serve the burgers on buns if desired, topping each with two glazed shallot slices and a generous spoonful of roasted tomato ketchup.
Notes
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 242 kcal | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Protein: 37 g | Fat: 7 g | Sodium: 784 mg
Karen’s Roasted Tomato Ketchup
Equipment
- 1 heavy three-quart non-reactive pot (enameled cast iron recommended)
- 1 food mill or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with puree (choose a brand with only tomatoes and tomato juice; avoid “natural flavoring”)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for the roasting tray)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (for the pot)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5 small cloves)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle flakes (or chili flakes)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Open the can of plum tomatoes into a sieve set over a bowl. Gently press out the juice and seeds without breaking the tomatoes too much. Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of juice/puree.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a half sheet pan with parchment. Halve the plum tomatoes lengthwise, brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and roast for 20–22 minutes until slightly golden at the edges.
- While the tomatoes roast, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a heavy non-reactive pot. Add the sliced garlic and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes until just golden. Add onion flakes, chipotle flakes, cloves, allspice, celery seed and mustard seeds and stir for one minute to toast the spices.
- Add the sugars, stir, then pour in the reserved tomato juice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer. When the roasted tomatoes are ready, add them to the pot and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the mixture is reduced and flavorful. Uncover and simmer five more minutes, then cool slightly.
- Puree the ketchup in a food processor or pass it through a food mill for a smooth texture. Cool, refrigerate in a glass airtight container and use within three weeks.
Notes
Recommended canned tomatoes: a brand with ingredients listed as Whole Peeled Tomatoes and Tomato Juice only (no natural flavorings). This recipe cannot be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition (approximate per 2 tbsp serving)
Calories: 102 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 788 mg