Recently we’ve decided we all need to eat a little better, less processed food and more wholesome home cooked, made from scratch, healthy food!
Unfortunately, hubs is a very reluctant chef, he’ll quite happily shove stuff in the oven or warm up leftovers but anything above and beyond is a complete no no. Don’t get me wrong, he does have his uses but cooking to him is like fixing computers is to me!
I, on the other hand, love cooking. Baking more so, but that’s because of the end product. I mean, who doesn’t love cake?!
Anyways, reluctant chef aside I’m also finding myself working more evenings now which begin around teatime, so the challenge, (aside from also finding something the kids will eat) is to find recipes for meals I can make up in advance and leave hubs to pop it in the oven.
I’ve been racking my brains for a few days now and suddenly remembered this recipe for Lemon Chicken Burgers I used to make all the time when hubs and I were on a health kick many moons ago.
They’re pretty easy to make and can be served as proper burgers or for a healthier meal with stir fried veg, or rabbit food. Um, I mean a nice crunchy green salad!!
This recipe does require a food processor, unless you can convince your butcher to mince the chicken for you. It’ll save you a job, but having a food processor means you can make all sorts of other essential recipes such as cheesecake. Clearly, it’s an absolute necessity!
Now I just need to convince hubs that I NEED a new food processor cause mine is old and rubbish. I’ve lost the attachments for shredding and slicing and in any case it never had an attachment for whisking egg whites like this one.
And this is a must have. It would make pavlova so much easier which would mean we could have one every weekend!! (Anyone sensing my cake/dessert addiction yet)
Anyway, back to the recipe!
You’ll need:-
2 chicken breasts, approx 350-400g (ideally skinless and boneless unless you want to do more faffing)
50g finely chopped onion
1 leek, finely chopped
1/2 tsp of vegetable bouillon powder
A generous squeeze of lemon (approx 1 tbsp) and some finely grated zest
You can add a clove of crushed garlic but although I love it, I tend to avoid adding garlic to meals, our jobs mean we’re in close contact with our clients and we don’t want them keeling over the minute we stand next to them!
• First of all preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.
• Then fry the onion and leek, (and garlic if you add it) gently until it’s slightly softened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Cut the chicken into chunks and chuck it into the food processor. Give it a whizz until its well chopped but stop before it turns to mush!
• Pop the chicken in a bowl with the onion, leek, lemon juice, zest and bouillon powder.
• Make sure your hands are sparkling clean and give it a good squish together. Divide the mixture evenly into balls. (This recipe will make about 6 medium sized burgers or about 10 mini burgers, which might be a better option for kids. Food always seems much more appealing to them when it’s kiddie sized!)
• Place the mixture onto baking trays greased with a little sunflower oil and flatten into burgers before baking for 15 minutes in total. You’ll need to turn the burgers over about 10 minutes into the cooking time. And if you’re making mini burgers reduce the cooking time by a few minutes, but make sure they’re cooked right through.
If you’re not cooking these straight away place them on some greaseproof paper and pop into food bags, then place them in the fridge to chill until you need them.
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