no. 134: spinach-feta chicken burgers
With roasted sweet potato fries and DILL AIOLI!
My BFF Marley has so graciously flown in from Chicago to assume caregiving responsibilities while I continue to recover from surgery. I have to say, I love living alone, but I really love having someone stay in my apartment who can fetch me my knitting project when it’s in the other room, and I don’t feel like getting up.
My physical therapy journey has begun, and the only thing tougher than these straight-from-hell exercises is the harsh reminder that literally no one cares about the flexion and extension of my knee. Despite this cold hard truth, I will proudly share out that I can officially bend my knee 90 degrees (brag), thus inching me one step closer to the tennis court.
Aside from making batch after batch of Katie Miller’s brown butter banana spelt cookies, here are some other things I’ve been loving this week.
Cold Therapy Ice Machine
This is a niche recommendation for my fellow Hobble Squad members, but this (in addition to my swanky brace) was something that they sent me home with from the hospital after my surgery. Doctor?!! More like, SANTA! I knew I would be getting a new ACL, but gifts?! I blush.
I don’t think I have iced a limb on my body since I was in high school (also, brag), but this thing is pretty incredible. Caretaker Marley has been incredibly efficient at swapping out frozen water bottles to keep this thing icy and strong. If you’re curious how your email finds me, it’s likely hooked up to this thing while I’m gripping my knitting needles for dear life.
If your knee isn’t injured at this time, might I recommend an Ikon pass? You’ll be on the couch in no time!
Merit Beauty Minimalist Complexion Stick
I am not wearing much make up these days, but I was influenced to buy this product from a TikTok that I, of course, cannot locate for the life of me. The woman used this brush to apply it, so I bought that too. It’s somewhere between foundation and concealer, so I like using it for everyday make-up that doesn’t feel like full coverage. I am in the THICK of my winter uglies, but this has helped.
Spinach-Feta Chicken Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries and Dill Aioli
Serves: 4
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
I’ve been slowly but surely back on my feet this past week, which means I am hobbling around my kitchen and doing the thing I love most—COOKING!
After surgery, my doctor and physical therapist both recommended that I place an emphasis on eating protein during my recovery. Little did they know that I am an insufferable private chef who’s entire personality revolves around making homemade chicken broth and consuming inappropriate amounts of cottage cheese.
While my mom was in town to take care of me, the urge to make some poultry burgers came over me and I couldn’t shake the thought. So, I made these spinach-feta chicken burgers, and they were *very* juicy and delicious. I am not a nutritionist, but my rough calculation says that each of these burgers is packing about 25 grams of protein.
You can definitely serve these on a regular ol’ hamburger bun, but I felt strongly compelled to wrap a crunchy iceberg lettuce blanket around these. It’s a little messy, but I found it to be extremely satisfying. Protein style, baby!!!!
The dill aioli is a bright, herby condiment to go along with these Mediterranean-inspired burgers. Dried dill is perhaps not a dried herb that is in everyone’s spice cabinet, but I happen to love it. You could swap in fresh dill or any dried herb of your choosing.
If you’re eating a burger, it’s only right that you have them with some fries, and my preferred tuber these days is a Japanese sweet potato. The key to getting them nice and crispy in the oven is making sure they’re spaced out on your sheet pan, cooking them in the lower third of your oven, drizzling the pan with a little bit of water (to help them steam) and giving them plenty of time to crisp up.
For the fries:
3-4 medium Japanese sweet potatoes, scrubbed cut into ½-inch thick wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the burgers:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 (8 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground chicken
½ cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried dill (can sub 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill)
1 tomato, sliced
Sliced peperoncini, for topping
Iceberg lettuce, for serving (option to use burger buns)
For the aioli:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon peperoncini liquid
1 garlic clove, grated
1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 450 and place a rack in the lower third. Line a sheet pan (you might need 2 if the pan feels too crowded) with parchment paper.
Add sweet potato wedges to prepared sheet pan(s) and toss with olive oil, dill (if using), salt and pepper. Arrange wedges with a cut side in contact with the sheet pan. Drizzle the pan with ¼ cup water. Bake until deeply golden brown on both sides, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating pan(s) and flipping wedges half way through.
Meanwhile, make the burgers. In a large cast iron or non stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until heated through, another 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant,1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer spinach mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Wipe out the skillet.
While the spinach is cooling, make the dill aioli. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once spinach has cooled slightly (it’s ok if it’s a little warm, but it shouldn’t be steaming hot), add ground chicken, feta, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and dried dill. Using a rubber spatula or your hands, mix to combine. Divide mixture into 4 even portions (about 6 ounces each) and flatten into a 1-inch thick disc.
In cleaned-out skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat to coat skillet. Add burgers, working 2 at a time and let cook, uncovered and undisturbed, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom, 3-4 minutes. Flip the burgers, then reduce heat to medium and cover skillet, cooking until remaining side is golden brown and burgers are cooked through, another 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining 2 burgers and remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
To serve, use a couple iceberg lettuce leaves to act as a “bun.” Spread with the dill aioli and serve with the burgers, tomato slices, and peperoncini. Serve hot with fries immediately.