Chicken Burgers & Couscous

So I know that the title of this post may not draw you in (chicken burgers, really?), but it is a seriously good meal. Seriously. We just ate it tonight and were both very pleasantly surprised at how much we liked it. The flavors were so different than what we usually eat (couscous, for one, and dried cranberries, for another), but we loved them. And did you notice -- not one ounce of cheese in either recipe! Ha!

I found these recipes the other day I was flipping channels and saw Giada on Food Network. I stopped and watched for a while and this is the meal she was making. At first I was a little leery of chicken burgers, but like I've said before, we're fans of burgers, and I am always on the hunt for something new to try, so I figured we'd give it a whirl and see how we liked it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Well, Giada, you've done it again. The chicken burger was moist and full of flavor, and the couscous was nutty, hearty and flavorful. We had never eaten couscous before, but we both loved it. Patrick and I kind felt like we were eating California food ... I don't really know what that even means, but it's how we felt!

We've eaten regular beef burgers, turkey burgers and now chicken burgers. I'm thinking next might be bison burgers. What's your favorite burger, and do you have any non-beef burger recipes you like?


Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (we used whole-wheat buns)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup arugula, divided

For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.
For the burgers: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.
Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.
To assemble the burgers: Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.

Israeli Couscous with apples, cranberries and herbs
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Israeli couscous (or barley or orzo)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium green apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, see Cook's Note

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before using.

I've read that Israeli couscous is different than regular couscous, but I couldn't find it at Publix so I just used the regular, plain, boxed couscous, and since I don't know anything different, I thought it was great! I also used dried herbs instead of fresh cause I was being lazy and cheap. I pretty much used 1 teaspoon dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh.