The mini-burger, or slider, is small, fun and sets the stage for the kind of portion control that will allow you to include all the indulgent ingredients that make burgers great.
Our recipe for Southwestern chicken sliders is a great example of this. We start with a ground chicken patty, which is much lower in total fat and saturated fat than beef.
Most markets offer a choice of ground chicken breast (which is the leanest) or just ground chicken, which has a bit more fat and, as a result, a bit more flavor.
Whichever way you go, we recommend working some seasonings into the meat before forming the patty.
For our toppings, we choose luxurious ingredients with the kind of big flavors and textures that allow you to use small amounts with great effect. Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese is melted over each patty, then sprinkled with a modest amount of real bacon bits.
To build on this smokiness and add some serious heat, we make a chipotle mayo by blending reduced- fat mayonnaise with some of the adobo sauce that comes in a can of chipotles. You also can use chipotle salsa (sold in cans often near the chipotles in the Mexican section of the grocer) or even dried, ground chipotle. Taste as you add the seasoning to get the desired amount of heat.
And of course, we add some fresh shredded lettuce and sliced tomato, because no self-respecting super burger would be complete without them.
Southwestern Chicken Sliders
Start to finish: 25 minutes.
Makes 8 sliders.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles, to taste
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
8 mini burger buns or rolls
1/4 cup canned French-fried onions
1/2 cup shredded Boston lettuce
2 cocktail (golf-ball-size) tomatoes, sliced
Directions
Heat a gas grill to high or light a charcoal fire.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ground chicken, salt and pepper. Form into eight 1/2-inch-thick patties. Place the patties on a plate and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and adobo sauce. Set aside.
Using a vegetable-oil-soaked paper towel held with tongs, oil the grill grates.
Grill the chicken burgers, flipping once, until a thermometer registers 165 degrees at the center, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Top each burger with some of the cheese and bacon, then continue grilling until melted.
Meanwhile, toast the rolls at the edge of the grill.
To assemble, spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the top and bottom of each roll. Place a burger on each roll bottom and top with some of the French-fried onions, shredded lettuce and a tomato slice. Top with remaining roll halves.
Per slider (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 286 calories; 129 calories from fat (45 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 61 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 17 g protein; 1 g fiber; 524 mg sodium.
