Recipe: Chinese Chicken Take-Out Burgers

CHINESE CHICKEN TAKE-OUT BURGERS

FOR THE BURGERS:
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1/2 cup shredded carrots, minced
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
Juice from 1/2 large lime
1 tbsp. honey
2 to 2 1/2 cups finely chopped cashews (some medium-sized chunks are OK)
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. chopped cilantro
2 tsp. grated ginger
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 to 3 tbsp. brown sugar, divided
2 to 3 tbsp. sesame seeds, divided
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
FOR THE TOPPING: (OPTIONAL)
4 oz. bean sprouts
1 large head bok choy
1 to 2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. finely chopped cashews
Pinch of salt and pepper

TO MAKE THE BURGERS:
Place ground chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add scallions, carrots, hoisin sauce, garlic, lime juice, honey, cashews, cilantro, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix ingredients together until evenly combined.

Divide meat into four equal sections, form into patties, and place patties on a baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar evenly over the patties, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place patties, brown sugar side up, in the pan to cook. After 4 minutes, flip patties and sprinkle the other tablespoon of brown sugar and sesame seeds over the patties.

Cook patties 4 minutes more, then flip patties again. You can sprinkle a bit more brown sugar and sesame seeds on the patties, if desired. Remove patties after 2 to 3 minutes more. Total cooking time should be about 10 to 12 minutes.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. When heated, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and bean sprouts. Stir them around with a pair of tongs and add the other teaspoon of sesame oil if the sprouts are smoking.

Prepare the bok choy by cutting off its hard stem end, then slice the remainder of the bunch into thin shreds.

After the bean sprouts have softened, about 5 or 6 minutes, add the bok choy to the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the bok choy and bean sprouts together with a pair of tongs. Once the bok choy begins to wilt, add the cashews and hoisin sauce.

Remove from heat and let cool a bit before adding to the burgers.

TO SERVE:
Place burgers on whole wheat buns, top with sprouts-bok choy mixture.

Editor's note: For safety, chicken burgers should be cooked until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Makes 4 burgers
From: Colleen Finn, Finalist in Beacon's Best Burger Contest, 2008
Source: Akron Beacon Journal, July 16, 2008