bbq healthy burger with onion rings

We love to have burger parties and we experiment different kinds of burgers. This recipe is one of Nat's favorites. It's healthy because we use ground chicken and tofu :-). The combination of the chicken burger and crunchy onion rings with your favorite bbq sauce make this burger one of a kind. With this never-fail burger bun recipe, you'll be very happy with the end result!

Ingredients:

[Chicken burger]

Ground chicken - 1 pound (you can use half chicken/pork, or you can use beef, too)
Bread crumbs - 1/4 cups
Onion - 1/2 cups (minced)
Tofu - 1/2 cup (cubed)
Brown sugar - 3 TBS
Garlic - 3 cloves (minced)
Egg - 1 (beaten)
Salt - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp 
Paprika - 1 tsp

your favorite BBQ sauce - 1 cup
Chicken stock - 3/4 cup 

[Onion rings]

Onion - 1 big (sliced in rings)
Flour - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp

Egg - 1
Buttermilk or milk - 1 cup

Bread crumbs - 2 cups  

[Burger buns]

Buttermilk or Milk - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup
Butter - 2 TBS

Yeast - 1 packet (or 2 and 1/4 tsp)
Sugar - 4 TBS
Salt - 1 tsp
Bread flour or regular flour - 5 and half cups

Egg - 1
Sesame seeds - for garnish
Italian seasoning - for garnish

Prep:

[Chicken burger]

1. Put all the ingredients (except BBQ sauce and chicken stock) in a bowl. Mix (it's fun to do it with your hands!) until well blended. 
2. Take about 1/2 cup full, and make a burger patty. Lightly pat from one hand to the other. 

[Onion rings]

1. Cut the onion 1/4 inch thick and separate into rings. 
2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Coat onion rings in them. Set it aside on a plate.
3. In the same flour bowl, mix in egg and milk/buttermilk (I personally prefer buttermilk gives more thick coating). Mix until it forms a batter. 
4. Dip each onion ring in a batter, then onto bread crumbs (See TIPS). Set it aside until ready to fry. 

[Burger buns]

1. In a saucepan, combine milk/buttermilk, water and butter. Warm up until butter melts. Turn it off.
2. In a big bowl (or in Kitchenaid, if you have), combine yeast, sugar, salt and flour. 
3. Add in the milk mixture (it should be quite warm, but not boiling hot) into flour.
4. Knead for 8 minutes with Kitchenaid (with kneading hook) or for 10 minutes by hand. The dough should be warm and smooth.
5. Take dough out of the bowl, put some oil inside a bowl, then put the dough back in a bowl. Cover with kitchen towel and let it rise for about an hour. 

Cook:

 [Chicken burger]

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a frying pan, melt some butter (or olive oil, if you prefer). Fry the burger for 2 minutes, flip over and fry for another 2 minutes. The burgers will not be cooked thoroughly. Set it aside and repeat with all the burgers.
3. In the same pan, pour your favorite BBQ sauce and combine with 3/4 cup chicken stock. Let it simmer until bubbles form. 
4. Put the burgers back in the bbq sauce mixture. Let it simmer in it for a minute. Place the burger in an oven-safe pan. Pour the remaining bbq mixture on the burgers. 
5. Cover the burgers with foil, then put in the oven for 30 minutes. 
6. Take the foil out after 30 minutes, and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes. 

Frying burgers

BBQ sauce + chicken stock

Ready to go in the oven!

Burger soaked in bbq sauce

[Onion rings]

1. In a pot, heat up the oil. Test if the oil is ready by sprinkle some bread crumbs in the oil and if it floats up with bubbles (not sinking down), it's ready! 
2. Fry onion rings until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. 

[Burger buns]

1. After rising for an hour, take the dough out. Separate into 12 portions. Knead for a minute. Make a ball and put on a baking sheet (with parchment paper or foil). 
2. Let it rise for 20 minutes. 
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. After rising, flatten the dough with your palm.
5. Brush each bun with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Italian seasoning. 
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 5-7 minutes - until the top is nice and golden brown. Take it out and let it sit on the baking sheet for few minutes. 

One eaten by my daughter :-)

Serve: 

1. Cut the bun in half. Put one (or two) burgers on top. Put onion rings on top. Pour more bbq sauce on it. (See TIPS)
2. Serve with salad.  

TIPS

• Onion ring - for bread crumbs, you can use Italian bread crumbs (finer) or Japanese bread crumbs. I personally like Japanese bread crumbs because it's crunchier. 
• You can toast/grill your half-cut-burger with butter. 
• Burger buns - For sweeter bread, you can add more sugar.