Chicken Toddler-yaki Burger
This one replicates the template from the smashburger on the site–golden brown outside, creamy middle, nutrition packed in–with a slightly sweeter profile, thanks to the addition of teriyaki sauce. You could, of course, leave the kale out, but why? There is no better place to hide vegetables than a burger, my friend.
- 1 package Ground chicken (i.e., 16 ounces)
- 2 stalks Kale
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Mayonnaise
- Teriyaki sauce
- Dried chives
- Dried cilantro
- Buns
- Remove leafy ends of kale from stems; discard the remaining fibrous parts of stalk. Chop or chiffonade the kale into small bits and place into a large bowl.
- Add chicken meat, breadcrumbs, herbs, a small spoonful of mayo, and a generous pour of teriyaki sauce into the bowl; with your hands, mix and mesh until all the components are combined into one meld. Seal bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a large saute pan to Medium High, adding a small pool of oil once hot.
- Scoop out a handful of the meat mixture and form into a round; place onto hot stove. Smash ball down until in patty form; repeat until pan is filled but patties are not touching each other. Cook for two minutes, then turn temperature down to Medium and cook for an additional two minutes.
- Flip patties over, then repeat process for other side: two minutes on Medium High, followed by two minutes on Medium. Remove from heat.
We often treat this like a burger for our toddler: put it on a bun, slather it in favorite condiments, and cut into the appropriate sized pieces. But it’s great for an infant served straight up–plenty flavorful on its own–and can be stuffed into a myriad of finger foods: empanadas, dumplings, and so on.
Don’t have, or don’t want to use, teriyaki? You could substitute with pretty much any sauce: BBQ, ranch, etc. My recommendation: pour in some leftover “green sauce” (p.xx)--feel free to hold the kale–and you’ll get a creamy, unctuous burger in its own right. Trust me, it’s great–and your child won’t know the difference.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
