Juicy ground chicken patties packed with red onion and bell pepper, piled high with crisp toppings and a tangy homemade vegan thousand island — this is your new go-to summer burger. Serves 4. For a vegan option, use the Abbot’s plant based burger-they are delicious and no scary ingredients.

Chicken Patties

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup bell pepper, finely diced – Red, orange, or yellow work great
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. onion salt
• 4 burger buns, toasted

Vegan thousand island

• ½ cup vegan mayo
• 2 Tbsp. sweet relish
• 1 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings

• Butter lettuce or romaine leaves
• Tomato, sliced
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Dill pickles, sliced

Instructions

Thousand island dressing

1. Whisk together vegan mayo, sweet relish, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and onion powder in a small bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve — it gets better as it sits.
   

Chicken patties

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, diced red onion, diced bell pepper, garlic powder, and onion salt. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don’t overwork it or the patties can get tough.
2. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties about ¾-inch thick. Press a slight indent in the center of each patty with your thumb — this helps them cook flat and not dome up.
3. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly oil the surface. Cook patties for 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through and the internal temperature reads 165°F. Do not press down on the patties while cooking.
4. While the patties rest, toast your buns cut-side down in the same pan for 1–2 minutes until golden.

Assemble

1. Spread a generous spoonful of thousand island on both cut sides of the bun. Layer on lettuce, a chicken patty, tomato, red onion, and pickles. Top with the bun and serve immediately.

Tips for juicy chicken patties

• Ground chicken is leaner than beef and can dry out quickly. Don’t skip the diced veggies — they add moisture from the inside as the patty cooks.
• A meat thermometer is your best friend here: pull them at exactly 165°F and let them rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Make it your own

The thousand island is fully vegan as written. For a dairy-free bun, check the label — most standard burger buns are accidentally vegan. You can also serve the patties lettuce-wrapped for a low-carb option.

More topping ideas

Build your perfect burger with any of these extras:

• Sliced avocado
• Pickled jalapeños
• Sprouts
• Hot sauce
• Caramelized onions
• Dairy-free cheese