Leftovers: BBQ Chicken Burgers with Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
I made it one day without working out. That’s because my quads were tearing apart. But not working out is kind of boring. And JB bored = high consumption of nut butters. I don’t know why it plays out like that, but it does.
I think I might take up running. Spice up my training. Yeah, I know, it sounds awful. Unless you’re one of those freaks that enjoys running. If that’s the case, you’re weird. I’m kidding. Everyone has their niche. Mine is not running. And when I say I’m going to take up running, that means I’m going to try to run 2-2.5 miles a day. To most that’s easy, to me that’s pure hell. My ankles, sorry I mean kankles, begin to cry out in pain within 2 minutes. I hate the first minute because it’s just a tease. In the first 30 seconds of running, I’m stoked because I think that I’m going to feel that good the rest of the run…how naive of me.
I’m sure you were totally wondering, but my face has finally stopped peeling. It pretty much took an entire week. I still have acne though. I don’t look like Jessica Biel like I hoped. It’s bullsh*t. But I also no longer look like Benjamin Button, so I guess I can’t complain. I still have acne though. I can’t wait til I make acne my b*tch. Someday acne, someday.
So this recipe is a leftover. Meaning I made it before, back in the day, and took a stupid picture so I had to remake it and spread the word to all of you of it’s deliciousness. AND the recipe didn’t transfer over well when I moved the website soooo half the ingredients list is messed up. Not that any of you care, but I had to tell you anyways. SO CARE OK?
My sports bra is so stupid tight. I can’t breathe. I think I’m suffocating.
I took this picture while standing on a small ant hill. I was bummed to figure that out. My naked feet were as well.
PrintLeftovers: BBQ Chicken Burgers with Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Ingredients
For the chicken burgers
- 1–1.5 lbs US Wellness Meats Grassland Ground Chicken
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking the burgers (unless you grill them)
For the BBQ sauce
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water or broth
- 2 tablespoons apple butter (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard (the kind in the jar, not powder)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- a pinch or two of ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- splash of hot sauce, to taste
For the fries
- 1–2 sweet potatoes, thinly sliced to french fry thickness–let’s go with McD’s thickness, not Wendy’s (don’t act like you’ve never tried their fries you paleo purist freak)
- 2–3 tablespoons avocado oil*
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Start with the fries
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- First, slice up your sweet potato (keeping the skin ON). Slice them to desired thickness but remember that the thinner they are, the more likely the are to be crisp!
- Put sweet potato fries into a large bowl and add your avocado oil and salt. Stir them up a bit until they are completely covered and glistening happy as can be.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (always have better results AND better clean up with parchment paper) and add fries on the sheet. Space out the fries so they are not overlapping–you may have to use 2 cookie sheets depending on the size of your sweet potato!
- Add to the oven to cook for 25-30 minutes of until desired crispiness occurs!
- While the fries cook, whip up your BBQ sauce! In a pot, add some olive oil (or other fat) and brown the onion–about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir together to cook a bit more.
- Add all other ingredients and mix together, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you have time-I usually want to eat as quick as possible).
- Once the BBQ sauce is simmering, finish the meal off with preparing your burgers!
- Grab the same bowl you used to coat your fries, and add your chicken, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (right off of the stove!), spices, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Heat up a large skillet over medium-high heat and add your olive oil.
- Form your burgers into 4-5 patties and add to hot skillet. Cook for about 8 minutes/side.
- While the burgers begin to brown up, grab a small skillet out and add a bit more olive oil to it and add your sliced onions and some salt to saute up and caramelize a bit. This will take about 10 minutes, just be sure to push the onions around a bit and cover them if you want them to cook a bit faster.
Notes
*You do not NEED to use avocado but I do RECOMMEND it!! These were the first fries i’ve been able to get crunchy and I think it is based upon the fact I used avocado oil instead of olive oil. But don’t worry, i’ll be testing this theory almost every weekend! Single = mass quantities of sweet potato fries made!
Oh, Hi! I’m Juli.
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41 thoughts on “Leftovers: BBQ Chicken Burgers with Crispy Sweet Potato Fries”
Props on the first picture with the whiff of heat rising off. Way better than any iPhone picture for sure.
Those look super de-lish. Will have to make them…my son luvs anything chicken! As for the running…that’s my freakness. Gonna do my first full marathon in 16 days. Go me! But oh how i wish i could raise a 70lb dumbbell over my head…40 freakin’ times!! Now who’s the freak?! J/k Seriously, I envy you…gotta get on that strength training train and build some sexy muscles like you! Way to go at your regionals!! 🙂
Running is not my thing either. I have about 20 pounds of boob weighing down on my diaphragm, limiting my breathing, and these little stubby legs, so I end up taking 2-3x the number of steps “normal” people do. Whatevs. I’m pretty good at box jumps, so screw running!
I run on my lunch hour to keep from killing my coworkers. I don’t think they appreciate it, but it’s cheaper than therapy.
Don’t you hate it when you have a tough shoulder WOD and then getting out of your sports bra becomes the follow up WOD? My obit will say something like “got halfway out of sports bra, suffocated to death”
These look delish, but i’m eagerly anticipating Friday’s post!!!
O thank goodness it’s not just me, I thought I was the only loser stuck flailing around stuck in her too-tiny bathroom/water closet, with baby T-rex arms and her sports bra somehow wrapped around her neck, bumping into things.
In the least creepy way possible, next time this happens I’m going to pause, take a moment, and say “Well, wherever you are Tiff, may you be having better luck then I am today.” 🙂
AAhahahaha, Melissa, that’s awesome! T-rex is my nickname at the gym…I too, will wish you better luck 🙂
AAhahahaha, Melissa, that’s awesome! T-rex is my nickname at the gym…I wish you better luck 🙂
I don’t know how I used to run obscene distances. It’s completely a bore to me these days, I’d much rather be lifting!
These look amazing! On a completely different note: I, too, have issues with running. At one point, it was the love of my life. Then I met Crossfit. I occasionally cheat though, and run about 10 miles a week. Mainly, I just helps break everything up and keeps me from yelling at my husband. That poor man, Also, regarding acne, I have it too. The ONLY thing I’ve found that works is that new “Simple” line. I started using it a month or so ago, and my skin is clear enough that I can get by without makeup. That’s nothing short of a miracle.
Dude! Get the “Zombies, Run!” app if you have a phone (or ipod touch, I think) that is compatible with it. I read about it on The Clothes Make the Girl and bought it as a treat for myself. It’s AWESOME and has been getting me off my couch and out the door for a run/walk/sprint nearly daily. I keep adding more and more distance, so that I can learn more of the story. Sooo cool! (and sooo unheard of for me to willingly walk/run for more than the bare minimum I set for my work-out)
Here’s the link to a review of it:
http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/03/07/review-zombies-run/
So, about acne.. I used to have cystic acne and my face (WAS) all pockmarked and gross. I’ve been getting skin peels for over a year now – about once a month – and BOY-EE do they help out. The type I get aren’t insane, though (your whole face doesn’t peel off). They’re based on a brand of acid called PCA (check out pcaskin.com); I would try to find someone out there that does this & tell them you dont want insane peels, but you want them regularly. Oh, and you’re not supposed to work out the day or two after your peel 🙂 because it can pigment skin. Good luck!
First, the burger and fries look awesome, of course. I’ve been wondering about how to get them crispy so will be looking for the future posts re: the avocado oil.
Second, I can dig a little running here and there, usually 800s, 400s, 200s in our CF WODs. We’ll bust out a mile for time now and then. I consider this fun running. This morning we did sprint work (a nod to Mark’s Daily Apple). Wow. I don’t know if I’ve had a metabolic hit like that in a long time. Highly recommend going to the park this weekend and getting some of that. Way more fun than plodding a few miles (IMO).
I absolutely love your website…and your writing is very entertaining so I find myself spending a lot of time (when I should be working) reading your posts! Def a new addiction for me!
And btw loved the Again Faster piece! Nice!
“I took this picture while standing on a small ant hill. I was bummed to figure that out. My naked feet were as well.”
what picture? am i missing something?!?! haha.
Lol while I took those pictures, I was standing on an ant hill. I don’t take pictures of my feet. That’s a terrible idea
LOL! good call. 🙂 what was I thinking?!? obviously I wasn’t….
I scrapped the olive oil on the fries a few months ago and now use bacon grease. They get very crisp.
I empathize with the acne. I used to have terrible acne and hair loss. Eating Paleo helped tons. So did good skin care- finally found products that work for me after many years and thousands of dollars trying out all kinds of stuff. They aren’ as harsh and don’t make my skin red using them. People actually compliment me on my skin now. Good luck- so much of taking care or ourselves is trial and error.
About the acne: Have you tried cutting out the whey? I know whey has a lot of great advantages and wish I could take it, but every time I touch the stuff my face explodes. I had to take Accutane when I was a senior in high school and even when I was taking that nasty son of a bitch whey would make me breakout. I’ve tried many different kinds from low-quality to high-quality, and all of them have the same result on ma face. Just a thought. As for the recipe, can’t wait to cook it when I get home from college Friday. You da booomb dot.com!
I love you JB you make me laugh so hard most days that I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t post the crazy sh*t you post. Hey there is a great organic brand of health products called Aubrey Organics. They are carried at most health food stores. Check them out online. I have been using them quite successfully for the last 15 years.
I have officially stopped making the things you put up due to the level of difficulty. Hopefully soon I’ll give it another shot.
To be honest I just visit the site to read your hilarious rants
Difficulty? I would say this is one of my more difficult recipes, but most aren’t. Definitely aren’t.
Thanks for the recipe, I had a lb of ground chicken in the fridge and had no idea what to do with it, these came out great!!
I just wanted to say that your website is the first one I go to everyday. You have been a big part of me sticking to paleo and crossfitting. I always get a laugh at your posts and we think alike. Also i usually am using a variation of one of your recipes several times a week. Which is a compliment to you Bc my bf and me are foodies and I am a culinary grad. Anyways this is long and just saying thanks!:) I have a problem with nut butter’s too.;)
I love your posts. You are hilarious. Also I made the sweet potato loaf this week, and it was a big hit at the office and with my non-paleo husband. DEEEEELICIOUS.
These look amazing..definitely on my to do list.
I am having major issues with my skin. I just can’t seem to kick the acne. Do you read a blog called Cavegirleats? Liz swears by greenpasture.org fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend. I need to buy it to see if it works for me.
Thanks for your awesome blog 🙂
Juli, I really enjoy reading your posts and I can’t wait to try your recipes! I am a beginner CrossFitter and am totally addicted! I saw your tent at regionals last weekend and didn’t even realize you were competing until I read your blog! Go you! I have so much respect for CrossFit competitors!
So, as for the acne- my mom, of all people, turned me on to this stuff called Cera Ve. You can get it at Walgreens/Walmart and it comes in a big pump for $14. They have cleanser and mosturizers. Since I’ve been using it, skin has looked great! Maybe give it a try?? <3
Hey little lady!
I have been following your blog since like januaryish, my boyfriend laughs at me cause I will seriously be lol-ing. He says your like my twin, we both have the same sense of humor and pure randomness of thought processes. Wanted to say I love it reading your blogs and have made most every recipe you’ve posted since he turned me paleo. Your a great cook!
I use to suffer from acne so I totally feel your pain. It’s just plain shitty. No one understands unless they have expierenced it. I finally ended up doing a few cycles of acutane. I’ll tell you what, it really freaking works! I used to get peels all the time too. My hormones were all jacked up come to find out thats what caused the cystic acne on my face. Ouch!!!
Also, I’m trying out an free cross fit workshop tomorrow at GPCrossFit, I’m scared to shit, I’m going to be flailing around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Probably going to look like a complete idiot and embarrass the poo out of myself too….dangit!!! I’m doing it though.
I totally second the cod liver oil comment. I had bad cystic acne and it works WONDERS for your skin. It’s cheaper in the long run than spa treatments so thats a bonus. Check it out !
http://beautyeditor.ca/2010/09/02/the-single-best-product-evah-for-your-skin-is-not-in-fact-an-actual-skincare-product/
I’m still struggling to make crispy sweet potato fries…did you decide if it was because of the avocado oil?
I loooove your blog. It’s a lifesaver for me right now!
Is it possible to use regular potatoes instead of the sweet potatoes and get the same delicious results?
it will taste a bit different since regular potatoes don’t have the same sweetness, but not necessarily a bad thing!
I made this last night. My husband freaked out over the fries and BBQ sauce. like, seriously, he wouldn’t shut up about them. I have a feeling these will be on our menu regularly (weekly if he has his way) now. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
where do buy applebutter or is it something you can make?
I just get mine at whole foods in the baking section. or sometimes by the nut butters
i made the chicken burgers tonight and they were AWESOME! best i’ve ever had.. okay, i’ve never had chicken burgers until now – but they really were delicious. definitely will make them again! thanks so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Made this tonight – SOOOO good!! I’m so glad I had about 8 patties leftover so I can eat all week and share with friend. Just one friend. I don’t want to give them all away.
Yummy the whole family said I should have doubled the recipe for leftovers!!
★★★★★
Delicious! Awesome little spicy kick!
★★★★
I’ve tried countless times to make sweet potato fries crispy and they always turn out soggy. Help?
★★★★★
Really good!!!
Didn’t have apple sauce, used honey!!!
nice and spicy!!
If you’re still having issues with acne, try using Selsun Blue with the RED cap. Put a small amount in your hands and apply it to your face and let it sit there for about 30 minutes. It’s the ONLY thing I’ve found that works for me. It’s also helped my friend out with her adult acne that took over her life for five years. Anyway, it may not work for everyone, but it’s worth a shot.
★★★★★