Chipotle Turkey Smash Burgers are far from your average turkey burger. They have deliciously crispy edges, a juicy interior and are topped with pepper jack cheese, creamy avocado and smoky chipotle aioli.
Finally, finally, summer is in the air and I can tell not just by the warmer weather, but by the smell of neighbors barbecuing dinner in their backyards. As an apartment dweller with no barbecue… I am jealous. And while befriending said neighbor in hopes of being invited to a barbecue is an option, I want a succulent, juicy, tasty grilled burger, like, now.
So what’s a girl to do?
Enter… smash burgers! And not just any smash burgers but flavor-packed chipotle turkey smash burgers loaded with creamy avocado. And while a smash burger isn’t technically the same thing as a barbecued burger, the two do share some of the most important characteristics in a burger (in my opinion) – a dark, crispy exterior, juicy interior and nice smoky aroma.
In fact, maybe a smash burger is better in the end?! Yes, my highly-sensitive apartment smoke alarm most definitely will go off in the process, but at least I’m not being dive bombed by mosquitoes or having my eyebrows singed off by grill flames!
So take that, BBQ-neighbors. No longer can you flaunt your dinner smells around the neighborhood. Us apartment-people have smash burgers now.
Ok, rant over, let’s get to the recipe.
Turkey Smash Burger FAQs:
Smash burgers are pretty much what they sound like! Balls of ground meat are smashed into a thin patty on a hot flat top or skillet. Since they’re thin, smash burgers are cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter time. The hot surface sears the outside of the meat, sealing in juices and creating delicious crispy edges!
While I can’t speak for all smashed turkey burgers, these ones sure do taste good! Adding pureed chipotle peppers to the ground meat not only adds a nice smoky flavor but helps keep these burgers nice and moist, too. Paired up with some creamy avocado, peppery cheese and chipotle aioli, these turkey smash burgers are far from boring.
Yes! Turkey burgers are high in protein and lower in saturated fat than beef, making them a great healthy meal option. Load up your burger with extra veg (like tomato, onion or cucumber) or serve with a salad or cut up veggies for a well-balanced meal! See more about ground turkey nutrition here!
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground turkey.
- Chipotle pepper in adobo. These are small dried and smoked peppers that are rehydrated in a tangy, slightly sweet and smoky Adobo sauce. You can usually find them at the grocery store in small cans in the International aisle. For this recipe, we want to puree the peppers and sauce together until smooth (or really finely chop the pepper) so that it distributes evenly throughout the meat.
- Fresh cilantro. You can leave it out if you have the “soap gene” but the bright pop of green it gives the inside of the burgers is really nice.
- Yellow onion. Finely chopped.
- Garlic.
- Chili powder. You can use regular or hot.
- Salt.
Tips For Making Perfectly Juicy Smash Burgers
Smash burgers are fun to make but can end up dry if too enthusiastically smashed… For the best most juicy, flavorful turkey smash burgers ever, be sure to follow these tips!
- Start with a hot pan. You want the burgers to start searing as soon as they hit the pan. Searing the meat seals in juices and keeps the burgers moist.
- Use parchment paper. Smash each patty with a small square of parchment between the meat and the spatula. This prevents the meat from sticking to the spatula, making smashing easy and mess free.
- Keep the meat cold. Cold meat contains solid fat that melts when cooked. Starting with cold meat means it is less likely for the fat to liquefy and for juices to run out of your burger when you smash it.
- Use a thin spatula. You want to be able to effectively get up under the patty when flipping in order to scrape up all the crispy seared bits.
- Only smash once! Resist the urge after the initial smash! Repeatedly pressing down on the burger patty squeezes juice out and results in dry burgers.
What Do You Serve With Chipotle Turkey Burgers?
- a green salad with this healthy dill pickle ranch dressing!
- coleslaw
- regular or sweet potato fries (my favorite paired with chipotle aioli!)
- potato salad
- pasta salad, like one of these!
Chipotle Turkey Smash Burgers With Avocado
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Chipotle Turkey Smash Burgers have crispy edges, a juicy interior and are topped with pepper jack cheese, creamy avocado and chipotle aioli.
Ingredients
For the Chipotle Turkey Smash Burgers:
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons canned chipotle in adobo, pureed or finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
olive oil, for frying
To Assemble:
sliced avocado
chipotle aioli (store-bought or homemade!)
pepper jack cheese slices
lettuce
burger buns
Instructions
- Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl along with the onion, garlic, chipotle pepper puree, chili powder, cilantro and salt. Mix together until the ingredients are just combined, careful not to overwork the ground turkey. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to cook the smash burgers, heat a well-oiled skillet over medium-high heat.
- Divide the turkey mixture into 4 roughly equal portions. Form into loosely packed balls and place each on a small square of parchment paper. When the skillet is hot, pick the burger ball up under the parchment and flip it over onto the pan (parchment side-up). Immediately smash the burger down with a spatula. You may only be able to cook two burgers at a time depending on the size of your skillet; try not to crowd the pan.
- Cook each turkey burger for 4-5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (see note 1). Avoid moving the patties around so that they can develop a nice brown crust on each side. When flipping the burgers, DO NOT press the patty down again as you will squeeze out all the juice, resulting in dry burgers!
- During the last two minutes of cook time, add a slice of cheese to each turkey burger. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the cheese to melt.
- To assemble, spread the bottom bun with chipotle aioli and top with lettuce. Place a turkey burger on top, fan a few avocado slices on the melted cheese and then close with the top bun.
- Enjoy with your favorite burger side! (mine is sweet potato fries which go super well with the chipotle aioli!!)
Notes
- Turkey burgers must be fully cooked unlike beef burgers that are often cooked to “medium” or “medium rare”. The internal temperature of cooked turkey burgers should reach 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
- Store leftover turkey burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cooked burgers could also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and fully reheat before consuming.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
