Chicken Brunch Burgers + Tomato-Bacon Jam

Burgers for breakfast?? Yes, please.

I know there are so many good burger combos out there, but in my opinion nothing beats one topped with a crispy fried egg. There’s something about a runny egg that just makes a burger 10 times tastier. And even better, a burger topped with a fried egg, crispy bacon, AND fresh avocado.

I love turkey and chicken burgers - especially in the summer - but they tend to dry out a lot because of the lower fat content. When you’re using leaner meats - particularly poultry - to make a burger, the trick is to add an egg and a vegetable of some sort (I usually use onion, but carrot and zucchini work well too!) in order to keep it juicy and tender.

This burger can definitely be eaten for lunch/dinner, but you can also 100% get away with eating it for breakfast with all of its breakfast-y components. Honestly, it’s the perfect brunch burger. The tangy tomato-bacon jam adds a sauce and a little vegetation in there, as well as utilizing the excess bacon fat instead of throwing it out.

Breakfast Style Chicken Burgers + Tomato-Bacon Jam

• 1 lb. lean ground chicken meat

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 small onion

• 1 tbs. olive oil

• 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp. each: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked sea salt or regular sea salt, black pepper, dried basil, ground mustard powder

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

• 3 tbs. olive oil

• 1 tbs. butter - optional

• 8 strips of bacon

• 4 eggs

• 1 avocado - sliced

• 4 slices sharp white cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice)

• 4 burger buns

• Tomato-Bacon Jam (see below for recipe)

Tomato-Bacon Jam:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

• Reserved bacon fat from above

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

Sauté the onion with 1 tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat until halfway cooked. Add 1 tbs. balsamic, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

While the onions are cooling, prepare the tomato-bacon jam. Cook the bacon slices in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (no oil necessary) until crispy. Add the cherry tomatoes in and cook until they are blistered and begin to burst open. Transfer the tomatoes and bacon fat to a sauce pan, add the minced garlic, balsamic, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook until the garlic is golden-brown and softened. Then let simmer with a lid on until the tomatoes start to make a sauce (about 5 minutes). Uncover and smash the tomatoes to get rid of any whole pieces and stir on low until it thickens and becomes jammy. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the spices, ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, and cooled onion mixture together to form patties. The mixture should be firm enough to form into 4 balls, but still soft and light feeling.

Heat the 3 tbs. olive oil in the same large cast iron over high heat. Once the oil is sizzling, add the burger balls and smash them down gently with the back of a spatula to form patties. Cook until browned on one side, and flip. Add the 1 tbs of butter to the pan and swirl around. This part is optional but ensures that the burgers will be extra juicy and have a good crisp on the outside. Cook on the other side until the burger is fully cooked (about 4-5 minutes on each side) and reaches the internal temperature of 160ºF. Turn down the heat to low, top with the cheese slices and cover until the cheese is melted. Let the burgers rest while you prepare your toppings.

Fry your eggs in the same cast iron over high heat in either the leftover burger fat (it won’t be that much) or fresh oil. I like to fry mine really hot to get the bottom crispy, and then finish it by steaming for about 30 seconds with a lid on to fully cook the whites while still leaving the yolk runny.

To assemble, toast the buns, spread with the tomato-bacon jam, and top the patties with bacon, avocado, and the fried eggs.