A better-for-you burger and slaw is dinner on a bun! When the family is craving comfort food, this sandwich will make everyone happy. Not just your run-of-the-mill hamburger, it’s packed with flavor from the tomatoes and chilies, the cheese, garlic, and chipotle chile pepper.

When we whip up this recipe for dinner, we often make a double recipe. The burgers keep super in the freezer, and the slaw is delicious as leftovers for lunch as a salad – or tucked in a pita pocket.

The grassy, sharp and pungent flavor of cilantro makes a wonderful complement to the chilies and the smoky chipotle powder. When you use cilantro you are adding Vitamin K to your body. It also has trace mineral manganese and vitamins A and B-9, known as folate, each at 1 percent of the recommended daily intake.

Spicy Chicken Burgers with California Slaw

Burgers

1 Can Tomatoes and Chilies, (like Rotel), Drained well, divided

1 LB Lean Ground Chicken

½ Cup Light Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Garlic Clove, grated

1 Tsp Chipotle Chile Pepper

1 Tsp Sea Salt

Whole Wheat Buns or Lettuce Leaves

Avocadoes as Garnish if Desired

Slaw

4 Cups Shredded Napa Cabbage

2 Cup Shredded Carrots

1 Cup Shredded Jicama (or radishes)

¼ Cup Chopped Cilantro

¼ Cup EVOO

1 TB Dijon Mustard

Reserved ¼ Cup Tomatoes and Chilies

2 TB Orange Juice

1 TB Lime Juice

1 Tsp Honey

Step One Scoop ¼ Cup of the Tomato and Chile mixture out of the can and set aside.

Step Two Place the chicken, cheese, garlic, pepper and salt in a bowl. Mix together gently. Form into patties and cook in a cast iron skillet until browned on both sides. Slide into a 350F oven for about 5 minutes or cooked through.

Step Three Toss the cabbage, carrots, jicama and cilantro together in a bowl. In a jar, (or with a small bowl and whisk), combine the EVOO, tomatoes and chilies, orange juice, limejuice and honey. Shake well and drizzle over the salad. Use the slaw to top the burger and as a side.