Chicken and Smoky Bacon Burgers

In between downpours on Sunday we managed to get the barbie fired up for dinner.  This was the first time I have made these burgers but I can guarantee they will be regular features from now on. 

Chicken and Smoky Bacon Burgers
4 skinless chicken breasts, roughly chopped
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp ready made red pesto
A large handful of flat leaf parsley
Olive oil, for dressing
4 burger buns, split
4 tbsp garlic mayo
2 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
8 lettuce leaves
½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rings

Whiz the chicken, bacon, egg, pesto, parsley and some seasoning in a food processor until chopped and combined. Tip on to a board and, with damp hands, form into 4 balls, the flatten into burgers. Cover and chill for 30 mins.

Rub a little oil over the burgers then fry, griddle or BBQ for 5-6 mins on each side until golden and cooked through. Toast the buns then spread each bottom bun half with garlic mayo, top with a burger, a few tomato slices, lettuce leaves, onion rings and the bun tops.

Serves 4
Sainsbury’s Mag, Aug 09

We had these 'Aussie' style, with thick slices of bread toasted on the barbie, lettuce (except I didn't have any so we used spinach instead!), sliced tomatoes, beetroot and a fried egg.  Admittedly it was a 'deconstructed' Aussie style burger, there was no way anybody was going to be able to take a proper bite of these burgers if everything was layered one on top of the other.  The chicken burgers are 'man' sized and can easily be made smaller for those of us with a more dainty disposition! Owing to the size of them, I cooked them for much longer than the time stated in the recipe, about 25 to 30 mins - salmonella is nobodies friend!