Bacon & Ranch Turkey Burger

I was looking through the Rachel Ray Express Lane Meals cookbook and the "Bacon and Creamy Ranch Chicken Burgers" sounded intruiging to me and thought Adam would like them for lunch. Rachel's recipe calls for ground chicken breast and dill havarti cheese but neither ingredients were at the store I went to so I substituted the ground chicken with ground turkey and the dill havarti with farmer cheese. I also reduced the seasoning it calls for.

The cheese is actually incorporated into the burger - a concept I love!

You can grill them outside - what I did - or in a skillet.

This is my version:

8 bacon slices, cooked
1 package (approx. 1.25 pounds) ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 small onion, grated
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 pound farmers' cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice (but I think your favorite cheese would work too!)
1 teaspoon poultry season
the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
4 English muffins (I accidently bought Honey Wheat muffins and they actually tasted good!)
Ranch dressing
8 slices beefsteak tomato (optional - I didn't use)

In a large bowl mix together the ground turkey, garlic, onion, parsley, cheese chunks, poultry seasoning, the lemon zest & juice, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal mounds, then form the meat into large, thin patties, about 1 inch thick. Drizzle them with vegetable oil to coat.

Cook on a medium-high heat grill until done. Or in a skillet on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side.

Toast English muffins and spread Ranch dressing on both sides. Arrange the burger on the muffin bottoms, top each burger with 2 slices of bacon, 2 slices of tomatoes, if using, and finish with English muffin tops.



We ate our burgers with sweet potato fries! Yum!