Chicken Burgers - Know What You're Eating!

I may have already mentioned it in a previous post, but one of my good friends gave me the ingenious idea of grinding up my own chicken in the food processor.  No need for the grinder attachment of a Kitchenaid (neither of which I have...hint hint Brandon, if you're reading...)!  I now do this every time I make something involving ground chicken or turkey.  I haven't tried it with beef or pork yet, as I'm not sure if the processor is strong enough to handle those - or if it would grind it finely enough.  I'll try it sometime soon!

With all the hype lately about "pink slime", it raises doubts about what's really in our food.  To some extent I trust stores like New Seasons, but I can't always afford to shop there.  Fred Meyer carries hormone-free chicken, which I buy boneless/skinless whenever I see it.  It's perfect for grinding up.  Plus it doesn't take much for a few burger patties.

2 or 3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 T parsley - or cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely minced
S/P - heavy handed dose of each

You can really cut the fat out of the finished product by trimming all evidence of fat from the breasts before grinding, but these are pretty low fat as it is.  Just removing the skin alone is a huge help.  You can add an egg to help with binding, but I found these really don't need it.  Just chop the breasts into pieces small enough to fit into the food processor tube, add the rest of the ingredients, and pulse til the chicken gets to the consistency you want.  I like a pretty fine chop.  You may need to process in batches.  Transfer all to a bowl, finish mixing in the onion, garlic and parsley til thoroughly blended, and form into patties.  Grill on the BBQ or fry in a cast iron skillet.
*These will cook much faster than regular store-bought ground chicken or turkey, so watch carefully.