Chicken and Sausage Spinach Burgers

Happy First Day of Summer! Could this weekend look to be any more beautiful? This will be a refreshing change from the rainy and cloudy weekends we've been seeing here in the Boston area.

In honor of summer, I wanted to celebrate with a delicious burger recipe that is sure to impress your friends and family at your next barbeque or cookout. I would even go so far as to say this burger is a great summer dinner party dish -- it's everything you want in a burger with a surprising twist.

I got the idea to make this burger from a restaurant in Boston's theater district called Rock Bottom. Hilarious name and surprisingly good bar food along with their own craft beers. This is a win-win-win situation.

These Chicken and Sausage Spinach burgers are packed with flavor and beg to be eaten atop a soft potato bun with all the fixings. I personally enjoyed mine with lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and a touch of canola-oil mayo. Cory gobbled his up in no time, and decided to make it a cheeseburger by melting on a slice of provolone cheese. I have a feeling these burgers will be a regular in our dinner rotation!

What makes these burgers so special? Let me show you.

It starts off with a simple and lean base of ground chicken. Into that, we mix in 2 links of sweet Italian sausage--TRUST ME on this one. It's not enough to be overpowering but just enough to turn the white palette of ground chicken into something delicious.

For an additional boost, baby spinach is sliced into thin ribbons. The spinach is soft and tender, a lovely and healthy way to stretch your dollar. For extra flavor, thinly sliced green onions and fresh chopped parsley go in to brighten up each burger. To keep the burgers all together, the finishing touches include a small handful of whole wheat breadcrumbs as well as a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. I mean, COME ON! Burger paradise.

The burgers are best grilled on a BBQ or indoor grill pan or in a cast-iron skillet. All of these tools will give the burgers an irresistibly crunchy crust and moist, juicy center. I used my trusty cast-iron skillet lightly coated in olive oil over medium heat.

Recipe below will serve 4 large burgers or about 8 generously sized sliders. For a low-carb option, these burgers are flavorful enough on their own and are just delicious alongside a marinated cucumber and red onion salad!

Here's what you need for Chicken and Sausage Spinach Burgers (Print Recipe!)

1 pound ground chicken
2 links sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing (about 1/3 of a pound)
1 cup packed baby spinach, julienned
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 green onions, chopped
1 glove garlic, minced
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Lightly wet hands with water. Using your hands, gently mash together all ingredients until well combined, being careful not to overwork.

Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Lightly spritz with olive oil or cooking spray.

Divide the meat mixture into 4 even patties (or 8 smaller slider-sized burgers). Work from the inside out to make them about 1/2 inch thick. Mine were about 6 inches in diameter. Place on wax paper until ready to cook.

Cook patties 2 at a time in the skillet. When you first place them over the heat, use your thumb to create an indentation directly in the center of the patty. This will prevent the burgers from swelling into big balls and will keep burgers flat. Allow to brown, undisturbed for about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside and repeat with remaining burgers.

Serve immediately with your favorite burger toppings. Yum!