I've been developing recipes for 18 years and written two cookbooks, and this is me putting that reputation on the line: turkey burgers can be juicy, bold, and absolutely worth making. Let me prove it to you.

Why These Are the Best Thai Turkey Burgers

When I rediscovered these recently, my kids, now (mostly developed) humans with opinions, declared it one of the best burgers I've ever made. And honestly? It reminded me why I started making turkey burgers in the first place.

When you do them right — fresh ginger, garlic, shredded carrot, and a peanut sauce that goes both IN the patty and on top — they are anything but dry and boring. It's what you put in the patty that makes all the difference, like in my Shawarma Turkey Burgers that have shredded zucchini.

Ingredients

For the Turkey Burger Patties

• Ground turkey: Very lean, but needs help. You can also use ground chicken which has slightly more fat + flavor. If you use ground pork, I'd suggest doing half pork, half turkey/chicken so avoid the burgers being too greasy.
• Shredded carrot: Buy it pre-shredded or pull out the grater and get a good arm workout for 2 minutes.
• Fresh ginger: Please don't use ground ginger. Pro tip: keep your ginger in the freezer so it's always fresh to use and microplane it FROZEN. Better yet, buy frozen ginger cubes. I get them at Trader Joe's, but I've seen them in other grocery stores.
• Fresh garlic: Same as above. Please use fresh or at least pre-minced in the jar.
• Chili garlic sauce: Like sambal oelek or sriracha, if you want a little more kick
• Sea salt: Makes the world go round.

For the Thai Peanut Sauce

• Peanut Butter: I use natural peanut butter from Costco. Smooth.
• Rice vinegar: Gives it that tang we all love
• Honey: Whatever you have will work
• Fresh ginger: Grate the ginger for this at the same time as for the patties.
• Soy sauce or tamari: Use tamari if you need the sauce to be gluten free
• Chili garlic sauce: Like sambal oelek or sriracha, if you want more kick.
• Turmeric: Gives it some warmth and brightens the color.
• Sea salt: Must have.

For Serving

• Buns or lettuce wraps: Depends on how you'd like to serve these. I've even made them into rice bowls and mmmmmm.
• Marinated Cucumbers: Just thinly sliced cucumber slices in a brine with rice vinegar, water, salt, & sugar. Simple, but makes a big impact.

How to Make Thai Turkey Burgers

Make the Peanut Sauce First

This will go on the burgers AND in the patty so you'll want to get this prepped first. I do this over the stove so the peanut butter blends with everything else really well and the flavors meld. Just whisk everything together with some water, adjusting as needed to make it as thin or thin as you prefer.

Mix and Form the Patties

Blend the ground turkey with the other patty ingredients. Be gentle, and don't overmix. If your hands are wet it'll keep them from sticking to the turkey as much. And if you like, you can make a slight indentation in the center of each patty to prevent them from puffing up.

Cook the Burgers

Grill the burgers on a BBQ grill or grill pan on the stove. Or even in a skillet. Cook, flipping once or twice until you reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Let it rest for a few minutes before building your burgers.

Assemble

Add peanut sauce to your bun, top with the patty, more peanut sauce and a pile of marinated cucumbers.

The Secret to Juicy Turkey Burgers

After nailing turkey burger after turkey burger, I've figured out how to make them juicy and flavorful!

• Add something with moisture. This might seem obvious because moisture adds moisture, right? Adding shredded carrots (or zucchini, or another quick cooking shredded veg that makes sense here) adds moisture, sweetness, and substance.
• Add a little fat. Adding some of the peanut sauce gives the meat a little richness lacking because turkey is so lean.
• Don't overcook them. Use a meat thermometer! Pull them from the grill when they reach 160F and let them rest. They should land at 165F a few minutes later.

Serving Ideas and Variations

Bun vs. Lettuce Wrap

If buns aren't your thing -- whether you're paleo/Whole30 or eating gluten free and gluten free buns make you sad (honestly, same), try wrapping them in iceberg or leafy green lettuce.

What to Serve with Thai Turkey Burgers

Here are a few things that would go really well with these burgers!

Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Hot Honey

Thai Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot Garlic Ginger Rice

Make It a Bowl

Make a rice bowl! Serve the patty over jasmine rice with the peanut sauce, cucumber, and shredded carrot. I love doing this with all kinds of burgers. You could even make a salad out of it if you're watching your carbs or counting macros.

Make Ahead and Storage

Turkey patties can be made ahead of time and stored raw for a couple day for cooked for about a week. The peanut sauce keeps for about a week or so, too. You could do a really great meal prep situation with these because the cucumbers keep getting better as the days pass.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Turkey and Burger Recipes

Here are a few more of my favorite turkey burgers and other types of burgers!

Turkey Burger with Zucchini (love the Shawarma Seasoning in this one!)

Green Chile Turkey Burgers

Bison Brie Burgers

Bacon Burger (don't skimp on the Bacon Jam here)

Smash Burgers Recipe

Caramelized Onion Burger

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Thai Turkey Burgers with Peanut Sauce

Yield: 4 burgers

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These Thai-inspired turkey burgers have ginger, garlic, and shredded carrot mixed right into the patty for moisture and flavor. The creamy, sweet peanut sauce plays double duty in the patty AND as a condiment to take it over the top.

Print

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or sriracha
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the burger patties

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
• 1 medium carrot, grated (about 1 cup packed)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, grated or minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For assembly

Toggle ingredient group

• Marinated cucumbers or thinly sliced English cucumbers tossed in rice vinegar
• Buns or lettuce for wrapping

Instructions

1. Combine all of the peanut sauce ingredients in a small saucepan with ½ cup of water. Whisk and heat on medium until the peanut butter has been incorporated into the mixture and thickens.
2. Preheat your BBQ grill or stovetop grill pan. Put the ground turkey in a medium bowl, add the grated carrot, ginger, garlic, salt, and ¼ cup of the finished peanut sauce. Use your hands to gently mix everything together and form 4 patties.
3. Grill the patties for about 5-6 min on each side -- until the internal temperature reaches 160-165F. Remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes.
4. Build your burgers by putting some peanut sauce on the bottom, add the patty, more peanut sauce, and a pile of marinated cucumbers.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1 burger
Amount Per Serving Calories 712Total Fat 51gSaturated Fat 11gUnsaturated Fat 40gCholesterol 122mgSodium 1179mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 4gSugar 13gProtein 43g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Thai Turkey Burger with Peanut Sauce (Juicy, Never Dry) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Why You'll Love This Recipe 

• Only a few ingredients
• FIVE minutes prep (yes, actually)
• Super versatile -- it goes well with nearly everything
• Makes an extra flavorful meal prep addition

Ingredients

• Rice: I use jasmine rice, but you can use basmati, or any other type of white rice. You may use brown rice or a wild rice blend, but you'll have to adjust the water and cook times. I made a note about this in the FAQ below.
• Oil: Use any type of oil that you'd use for sautéing. Avocado oil works well for me.
• Ginger: I highly recommend using fresh or frozen ginger.
• Garlic: Same goes for this. Fresh garlic is definitely recommended
• Sea Salt: pink salt is my bestie

Frozen Ginger Hack

My favorite way to store ginger is in the freezer. I prefer buying the cubed, crushed frozen ginger (at Trader Joe's, but I've seen it in other grocery stores) since it's SO easy.

My second favorite way is to keep a big knob of ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer. You can use a Microplane grater on it straight out of the freezer and you don't even have to peel it. (The best part, really.)

How to Make Garlic Ginger Rice in the Instant Pot

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Use the Saute setting to sauté the garlic, ginger, and rice in the oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add salt and water. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
3. Let it naturally release for about 5 minutes, then use the quick steam release.
4. Fluff the rice with a fork, then cover it with the lid or a tea towel until ready to serve.

Tips for Fluffy Rice Every Time

• I don't rinse the rice in this recipe, but you can do it to remove excess starch. It works especially well for shorter grain rice which has a higher starch content.
• Use a 1:1 ratio for rice to water. Since the Instant Pot is sealed, there isn't any water lost during cooking, so you need less.
• Fluff the rice and then cover it again to let it further steam for a few minutes.

Variations

Coconut Ginger Rice 

You could create a hybrid of this recipe and my Instant Pot Coconut Rice by replacing some of the water in this recipe with a can of coconut milk and omitting the garlic.

Sesame Ginger Rice

Saute the rice in sesame oil and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on the rice after it finishes cooking

Stovetop Version

Follow the directions for sautéing using a large pot on the stove. Add ½ cup more water, and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water has cooked off. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for about 10 minutes to finish steaming.

What to Serve with Ginger Rice

Ohhhh, lots of things. It would go especially well with my Grilled Moroccan Chicken (especially in a meal prep situation with my Marinated Cucumbers. Yum.)

Any type of stir fry or curry would be delicious with this garlic ginger rice. Here are my top suggestions:

Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Salmon Rice Bowls

Chicken Teriyaki Rice bowls

Thai Beef Skewers

Thai Shrimp Stir Fry

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Make Ahead & Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

How to Reheat Without Drying Out

My favorite way to reheat rice is to put it in a lidded glass container with a splash of water and microwave for 3-4 minutes.

If you'd rather not use a microwave, put it in a skillet with a splash of water, cover, and cook on medium for a few minutes, stirring a few times. Add a little more water if it starts to stick or get too toasty.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes on Perry's Plate

Here are a few more of my favorite rice recipes!

Instant Pot Cilantro Rice

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Instant Pot Lemon Herb Rice

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Instant Pot Garlic Ginger Rice Recipe

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This is the rice that replaced plain rice in our house. Jasmine rice toasted with fresh garlic and ginger in the Instant Pot until fluffy and fragrant — simple enough for a Tuesday night, good enough to eat alone. (Which is why we have zero leftovers.) Fresh garlic and ginger are non-negotiable here (frozen works great too)

Print

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or 3 cubes frozen)
• 1 Tablespoon freshly grated or minced garlic
• 3 cups jasmine rice or long grain white rice
• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

Instructions

1. Turn on the Saute setting and add the oil. When it gets hot, add the garlic, ginger, salt, and rice. Cook, stirring occationally, for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water.
2. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Make sure your valve is set to "sealing".
3. Let it naturally release for about 5 minutes, then use the quick steam release.
4. Fluff the rice with a fork, then cover it with the lid or a tea towel until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1 generous cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 172Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gSodium 417mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 3g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Instant Pot Garlic Ginger Rice appeared first on Perry's Plate.

If you're worried about burning the sweet potatoes before they cook through -- that's a legit concern. I made batch after batch and figured out the best way to get these to turn out beautifully every time. I've got your back. It's easier than you think.

Why You'll Love These Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges

• Grilling sweet potatoes is unique and something most people don't do!
• They'll add variety to your grilling sides.
• They can hang out in your grill while you cook other things. Love multitasking.
• They go well with a lot of different toppings. If you don't like hot honey, I'll give you other suggestions.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes (aka Yams?)

You'll need sweet potatoes that have straight sides for easier and more uniform cutting. Round, bulbous ones may be really thick on the edges and make it harder to cook evenly.

The Hot Honey

Hot honey is having a moment right now, and I'm loving it. If you've never had it, it's honey that has been infused with some sort of spicy element, like chili peppers. I have a similar recipe here on my blog for a Cilantro Hot Honey, if you're wanting to DIY this.

Hot honey is available in most grocery stores these days. I'm particular to Trader Joe's hot honey which has a mild heat level. Hive House Hot Honey a new one that I'm loving! They infuse theirs with Calabrian chilis and it has a slight vinegary taste. It's different from other hot honeys I've tried and REALLY good on these sweet potatoes. Also pizza.

The Oil + Salt

You'll want to use heat-safe oil, like avocado for these, since you'll be putting them on the grill. I use only salt because I want the sweet potato & hot honey to shine here.

How to Make Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges

1. Preheat your grill to medium heat (roughly 450F)
2. Cut sweet potatoes into wedges (see details below!)
3. Toss them in oil and salt.
4. Grill on direct heat, covered, for 3 minutes per side to get some good grill marks.
5. Move the wedges to indirect heat and cook for another 8-10 minutes, covered, depending on how thick your potatoes are. Check on them after 8 minutes or so and adjust heat as needed. They should be fork tender.
6. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with hot honey.

How to Cut Sweet Potato Wedges

Guess what? No par-boiling or pre-cooking needed! You're very welcome.

I usually prefer to peel my sweet potatoes, but in this case I'd recommend leaving the skin on. It gives them stability when you're flipping them on the grill so they don't squish when you pick them up with a pair of tongs.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut them in half lengthwise and keep cutting to form wedges. Try to make them as uniform as possible. It's hard with sweets because their sizes and shapes vary wildly.

Grilling the Wedges

I lay mine right on the grill. You can also use a grill pan if you prefer or if you're worried about losing them between the grates.

I leave them there for a short time to give them grill marks and then move them to indirect heat to make sure they're cooked and soft all the way through. Try not to move them around too much since they'll get really soft.

Adding the Hot Honey

Drizzle on the hot honey right after they come off the grill and serve! If you like, you can sprinkle on some finishing salt (like flaky sea salt), but really... they're super delicious as is.

Tips for Perfect Grilled Sweet Potatoes

• Try to find potatoes with straight sides and aren't too round. This will make them easier to cut into uniform wedges.
• Try to get the wedges roughly the same size for even grilling.
• If your potatoes are getting too dark too fast, turn the heat way down. Grills can get really hot, really fast. Especially if the cover is on.

Serving Ideas

What goes with grilled sweet potatoes? Um... LOTS of things.

• Great alongside BBQ grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, smash burgers, bison burgers
• Serve as part of a summer BBQ spread alongside potato salad, grilled zucchini, marinated cucumbers
• Pairs well with a simple green salad, cucumber coleslaw, or sweet kale salad.

Variations

• Add a spice rub before grilling (like my sweet potato fry seasoning or a basic steak seasoning)
• Air fryer version: If you're more of an air-fryer than a griller, toss them in your air fryer at 375F for 15-18 min.
• Swap out the hot honey for a different drizzle! My burger sauce is REALLLY good on sweet potatoes. Some homemade ranch dressing or my roasted red pepper sauce or green goddess dip would be delicious, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Here are a few more of my favorite sweet potato recipes!

• Sweet Potato Fries (plus the best Sweet Potato Fry Seasoning!)
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Shredded Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Foil Packet Sweet Potato Tacos (great for camping!)
• Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Chili-Orange Butter
• Vegetarian Paleo Sweet Potato Chili

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Hot Honey

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Thin sweet potato wedges grilled until tender and caramelized, then drizzled with hot honey for a sweet, smoky, just-a-little-spicy finish. Five ingredients, no parboiling, and it all happens right on the grill alongside whatever else you're cooking.

Print

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Avocado oil
• ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
• 3 Tablespoons hot honey

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium heat (about 450F)
2. Leave the skins on the sweet potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Then cut them into wedges lengthwise. Try to make them as uniform as you can with the wide parts no bigger than an inch.
3. Toss the sweet potatoes in the oil and salt.
4. Lay the wedges on the grill. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Flip them and cook another 3 minutes covered. By now they should have some good grilled marks.
5. Move the potatoes to an indirect heat area on your grill. Either over a portion of the grill where the flames aren't running or on that little rack above the main rack -- if your grilll has one.
6. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Check them after 7-8 minutes. If they're getting too dark and aren't cooked through, then turn the heat down. They should be fork tender and very soft with some crisp edges.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with hot honey before serving.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Hive House Hot Honey

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 3-4 wedges
Amount Per Serving Calories 290Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 19gSodium 833mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 0gSugar 26gProtein 0g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Hot Honey Drizzle (Easy Summer Side) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

What are Animal Style Fries?

Animal Style French fries refers to an item on In-N-Out Burger's "secret" menu. It's a basket of fries with melted cheese, grilled onions, and their super delicious burger spread.

Honestly... I have a fraught relationship In-N-Out fries since they give me a stomach ache if I eat more than half of them. But, I always forget that fact when I can see them in the restaurant. Thus, my desire to make them at home.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's all from scratch, so you know exactly what goes into them.
• You don't have to peel the potatoes OR soak them in water beforehand.
• The fries aren't deep-fried. (Unless you want them to be!) They're oven baked!
• The spread is my own copycat In-N-Out burger spread and it's pretty clean for a burger spread.
• No drive-thru required.

Ingredients You'll Need

You can find everything you need at just about any grocery store.

For the Oven-Baked Fries

• Potatoes - I use small russets because they crisp up well in the oven, they're inexpensive (hello, Idaho!), and they're easier to cut into small fries. More on this later. You can also use red or Yukon gold potatoes. Or even sweet potatoes.
• Avocado oil - I use this because it has a high smoke point.
• Sea salt - potatoes need salt. Period.
• Cheese - In order for these to taste like In-N-Out animal fries, you'll need to use American cheese. (I KNOW. Please don't @ me.)

For the Caramelized Onions

• Sweet onions - I use regular sweet onions at the grocery store. Yellow onions would work well, too, or Vidalia, if you can find them. Those make excellent caramelized onions.
• Oil & Salt - like above, I use avocado oil. You can also use butter here.

For the Burger Spread

The recipe for my Copycat Burger Spread is linked here and in the recipe card below, but here are the ingredients you'll need. You can also use store-bought burger sauce/fry sauce instead.

• Mayonnaise - I use avocado oil mayonnaise.
• Dill relish - Yes, dill and not sweet. You could use sweet relish if you prefer that flavor.
• Ketchup - It's necessary, yes.
• Mustard - Just regular yellow mustard. Nothing fancy.
• Worcestershire - Just a little to give it some depth.
• Onion powder - Pulls it all together. It's delicious.
• Sea salt - or table salt. Either is fine.

How to Make Animal Style Fries

See these in action on my YouTube account!

Step 1 Make the Fries

Cut the potatoes into thin planks -- no more than a half inch thick. Then cut those planks into strips. Toss them in oil and salt and bake them for about 20 minutes at 450F until they've crisped up.

Step 2 Caramelize the Onions

Dice the onion and cook in a large skillet with oil and salt over medium-high heat until the onions have softened and start to brown a little. Turn the heat down to medium or medium low, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until deeply caramelized, but not black.

Step 3 Make the Burger Spread

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 4 Assemble

Push the baked fries together on the pan (see below). Lay the cheese slices on top of the fries and then scatter the onions on top. Return the pan to the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Then take it out and drizzle the sauce over the top.

You might need a fork. And you'll wish you had an extra pan.

Tips for the Best Animal Style Fries

• Cut the potatoes thinly and don't crowd the pan if you want crispy fries. Split the batch into two pans if necessary. It's worth it.
• If you want, use frozen French fries. I won't judge you.
• Take your time with the onions. If you try to rush it, they'll be scorched and not as sweet. You could even get those started before cutting your potatoes to give them ample time.
• Use American cheese, but please, for the love, don't use the individually wrapped cheese slices. Find some sliced American cheese in the grocery store deli. It'll taste better. I promise. If you're firmly anti-American cheese (I get it) just use shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese.
• Do some prep the day before! You can caramelize the onions and make the burger sauce ahead of time. I like to plan a burger night where I make extra of both so I can make animal fries later in the week.

Variations and Serving Ideas

• Sweet potato version - Follow the recipe the same, but use sweet potato fries instead!
• Air fryer version - Put your fries in the air fryer for 20-30 min at 400F and shake halfway. You could even assemble them in there with the cheese and onions and put it back in for a minute. And might as well eat out of the basket, too.
• Serve with burgers! (Duh) Smoked burgers would be good here since they can hang out in your smoker for 45 min while you work on the fries. Or Smash burgers.
• A big green salad would probably balance these out the best since they're still pretty rich.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Copycat Recipes You'll Love

Here are a few more of my favorite copycat recipes!

Chipotle Barbacoa Beef

Chipotle Pork-Chicken Chorizo

Cafe Rio Mint Limeade

Chevy's Grilled Salsa

Costco Sweet Kale Salad

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Animal Style Fries

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These homemade animal style fries start with crispy oven-baked fries piled high with melty cheese, sweet caramelized onions, and my copycat In-N-Out burger spread. Skip the drive-thru! This from-scratch version is easier than you think and honestly? Way better.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 pound potatoes
• 4 Tablespoons avocado oil
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large sweet onion
• ½ batch Copycat In-N-Out Burger Sauce
• 3 oz sliced American cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Cut the potatoes into thin planks -- no more than a half inch thick. Then cut those planks into strips. Add them to the sheet pan, toss them in 2 Tablespoons of oil and ½ teaspoon salt and bake them on a low oven rack for 10 minutes undisturbed. Flip them around and bake for another 10-12 minutes until they're toasty brown.
3. Meanwhile, dice the onion. Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and ¼ teaspoon salt to skillet. Cook until the onions have softened and start to brown a little. Turn the heat down to medium or medium low, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until deeply caramelized, but not black.
4. Whisk together the burger sauce if you haven't already.
5. Push the baked fries together in the center of the pan. Lay the cheese slices on top of the fries and then scatter the onions on top. Return the pan to the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.
6. Take the fries out and drizzle the burger sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 327Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 17mgSodium 709mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 3gSugar 7gProtein 7g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Animal Style Fries - Homemade Copycat with Oven-Baked Fries appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I started making these on busy weeknights when I wanted something a little more exciting than another skillet of taco meat. Ground chicken is mild enough to work with all kinds of flavors, and baking the meatballs means you can cook a whole batch at once while you deal with the rest of dinner.

After years of tweaking meatball recipes, I’ve found a few simple tricks that keep chicken meatballs from drying out — the right binder, a little added moisture, and baking them just long enough to stay juicy. They’re great with pasta, tucked into rice bowls, or dunked in your favorite sauce for an easy appetizer.

You Will Love These Ground Chicken Meatballs!

I love these meatballs because:

• Quick to prep
• Meal prep friendly!
• Good source of protein
• Easily adaptable
• They're gluten free and egg free
• Pairs with LOADS of things
• My kids inhale them

Chicken Meatball Recipe Ingredients

• Ground chicken (or turkey): I highly recommend using ground chicken here instead of turkey because the flavor is so much better and it has a slightly higher fat content which also adds more flavor.
• Shredded cheese: This is your binder. Sneaky, right? You don't even need the egg + breadcrumb situation. Plus the cheese kinda leaks out a little and gets crispy on the pan which is my favorite part.
• Parmesan cheese: To add more flavor!
• Granulated Garlic: You can also use a fresh microplane garlic clove or some garlic powder.
• Salt & Pepper: black pepper and sea salt

How to Make Baked Chicken Meatballs

1. Combine the ground chicken with the cheeses and seasonings. Mix them gently.
2. I use a cookie scoop to shape them since ground chicken is a little goopy and hard to roll into balls.
3. Bake them on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400F for 15 minutes.
4. Serve!

Chicken Meatballs Recipe Variations

Make them spicy: The original recipe had minced fresh jalapeño in there and I LOVED them. I decided to take them out and suggest them as an optional add-in. You can add sriracha or pickled jalapenos for heat as well.

Swap out the meat: If you want to keep them light, but a little heartier, swap out half the chicken for ground pork. You could use ground beef for these, but the texture will be tougher and you may be better off finding a traditional beef meatball recipe.

Make them green: stir in some basil pesto or mix in some thawed & chopped frozen spinach (squeezed out really well!) or even a handful of chopped green onions.

Smoking Chicken Meatballs

You can cook these on a pellet grill/smoker, too! Just pop them in for 30-40 min at 225F until the internal temp reaches 160. It'll add a smoky bit of flavor to make these even better. You could even toss some BBQ sauce on them like my BBQ Smoked Meatballs.

How to Serve Ground Chicken Meatballs

OH, lots of ways to serve these meatballs. My favorite way is adding them to a seasoned rice bowl with some roasted veg.

You could also chop them up a bit and throw them on a salad. Or in a wrap with some cool, crunchy greens and a drizzle of sauce.

Storing Leftover Baked Chicken Meatballs

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

You could make a LOT of meatballs and do a meal prep situation and have your meals portioned out for the week!

Also, they freeze well. Just pop them in the oven to reheat when you're ready to prep dinner.

More Meatball Recipes on Perry's Plate

Like these? Try another one of my popular meatball recipes!

Smoked BBQ Meatballs

Thai Peanut Curry with Ginger Chicken Meatballs

Easy Italian Sausage Meatballs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Baked Chicken Meatball Recipe

Yield: About 32

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

These baked ground chicken meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make — no pan-frying needed. Made with simple ingredients and a few key techniques to keep them tender, they’re perfect for pasta, rice bowls, or meal prep throughout the week.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 3 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly (but gently) with your hands.
3. Use a cookie scoop to portion them out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or two of space between them.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 160F. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. You can easily half this recipe if you don't need as many meatballs. My kids inhale these so I always make this much.
2. You can use ground turkey here, but ground chicken will give it better flavor. You could also use a combo of 50/50 ground chicken/turkey and ground pork.
3. I threw in a couple minced jalapenos once and I wasn't sad about it.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 4 meatballs
Amount Per Serving Calories 303Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 7gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 143mgSodium 624mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 32g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Best Chicken Meatballs appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Deliciously Juicy Bison Burger Recipe

I’ve developed enough burger recipes to know that lean proteins like bison need a thoughtful touch. Cooked properly, bison is tender and flavorful, but it can dry out easily. The creamy brie cheese adds some of that richness back into the meat. The maple-Dijon wasn’t an afterthought either,  it cuts through the richness and counters every bit with a subtle sweetness that plays off the bacon and onions beautifully.

This is the kind of burger you make when you want people to pause mid-bite and look at you. It feels restaurant-level, but it’s totally doable at home. I’ll show you all my best tips for nailing this burger on the first try. Mountain air not included, but adds a nice touch if you happen to be close.

Bison Burgers Recipe Ingredients

Here's what you need to make these fab burgers:

• Ground bison: Can also use lean ground beef. I recommend grass-fed to mimic the leanness of bison. Extra lean beef works well with brie -- otherwise it gets a little greasy up in there.
• Sea salt & black pepper
• Worcestershire sauce: I love adding a splash to my burger meat. It's a little secret umami weapon.
• Avocado oil mayo: I buy the Primal Kitchen or Chosen brand at Costco so I don't have to donate my first born at the grocery store to get it.
• Dijon mustard: Whatever kind you have is great. Whole grain mustard works well here, too. I don't recommend using yellow mustard.
• Pure maple syrup: No pancake syrup, plssss.
• Bacon: Pre-cooked slices are fine here!
• Onion: I like sweet yellow onions for this burger. You can use white or red, too, if you have it.
• Brie cheese: An 8-oz wheel works perfectly for this recipe.
• Burger buns: Or not! Honestly one of my favorite hacks is making a salad out of a burger. More on this below.

If you need a visual, check out my YouTube video on this Bison Burger!

How to Make The Perfect Bison Burger

1. Season the ground meat with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire, then form them into patties.
2. Preheat your BBQ grill or smoker.
3. Mix the mayo, dijon, maple syrup, and salt for the aioli.
4. Cook the bacon, if needed.
5. Toss the burgers on the grill.
6. Slice the onions and cook them in a skillet in the bacon drippings or any kind of fat/oil you prefer.
7. Slice the brie and top each nearly-finished burger with a couple of slices. Let it get melty.
8. Assemble burgers with plenty of aioli, onions, and bacon.

Bison Burger Recipe Variations

Use your smoker: If you have a smoker or a pellet grill, I highly recommend smoking your burger patties. Cook them at 225F for 40-45 min (gives you plenty of time to prep the rest of your toppings!)

Make a burger salad: Instead of using buns, take your cheese-topped burger, chop it into chunks and put it on a bed of salad greens along with some chopped grilled onions, bacon crumbles, and a drizzle of aioli. You're welcome.

Swap out the cheese: Another creamy, buttery cheese would work well here. I recommend fontina, Swiss, or gruyere.

Tips For Making Bison Burgers

• Make the patties really flat. They'll shrink up a little during cooking -- you don't want to end up with meatballs.
• Make sure you don't leave the brie in the grill too long. I made this mistake and ended up with brie rinds on my patties with the cheese collected at the bottom of my grill.
• Prep ahead: If you want to prep ahead, you can form the patties, cook the bacon, grill the onions, and mix the aioli a day or two in advance. Just store chilled until ready to use.

How to Keep Bison Burgers From Falling Apart

I didn't have an issue with my burgers falling apart, but if you're concerned, make sure your patties are really pressed tightly. Handle them carefully on the grill, too.

Bison Burgers Recipe Serving Suggestions

I highly recommend sweet potato fries to go alongside this burger. I seasoned them simply with salt, pepper, and garlic salt so they wouldn't compete with my burger. The sweetness complimented the bacon and aioli -- perfect match!

You could also serve this with a simple salad. My Sweet Kale Salad or Spring Mix Salad with Berries would be delicious here.

Storing Leftover Bison Burger

Heaven forbid you have leftovers. It happens though. I recommend storing the burgers and their components separately, covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Delicious Burgers on Perry's Plate

Here are a few more of my favorite burgers!

Jalapeno Onion Smash Burgers

Burger with Bacon Jam

How to Smoke Burgers

Turkey Shawarma Burgers

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Best Bison Burger Recipe

Yield: 6 burgers

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A flavor-packed bison burger with melty brie, smoky bacon, sweet onions, and a maple-Dijon aioli. It's got gourmet vibes, but totally doable at home.

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Ingredients

For the burger patties:

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• 2 pounds ground bison or beef
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the aioli:

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• 1 cup avocado oil mayo
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

For the burgers:

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• 8-10 slices cooked bacon
• 1 large yellow onion
• 8 ounces brie cheese
• 6 buns

Instructions

1. Preheat your BBQ grill to high heat or turn on your smoker (see notes below for pellet grill/smoker instructions).
2. Put the ground meat in a medium bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix carefully with your hands. Divide the meat into six patties, roughly 5.5 oz each. Set aside.
3. Mix the aioli ingredients well in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. If you need to cook your bacon, do so now. Peel and slice the onion into ¼-inch rings. I like to cook the onions in the bacon drippings, but you can use any typs of cooking oil/fat you prefer in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned on both sides and soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if they darken too quickly.
5. Slice the brie into ½-inch planks.
6. Put your burger patties on the preheated grill. Cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side until they reach an internal temp of 150-160F.
7. Lay a couple slices of brie cheese on each patty and move the burgers to an indirect heat source so the cheese can melt. Don't let them sit too long or you'll lose most of your brie to the depths of your grill.
8. Assemble burgers by smearing some aioli on both sides of your buns (toasted if you prefer!), add a burger patty, grilled onions, and a slice or two of bacon.

Notes

Smoker instructions: Smoke the burger patties at 225F for 40-45 min until they reach desired temp. Add cheese at the end.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1 burger
Amount Per Serving Calories 996Total Fat 77gSaturated Fat 22gUnsaturated Fat 55gCholesterol 165mgSodium 1046mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 48g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post How to Make Bison Burgers appeared first on Perry's Plate.