Healthier Sliders, Three Ways


Traditional, restaurant-style sliders can have 350 calories and 15 to 20 grams of fat per slider--one little patty on a roll. But sliders are cool, so I found a way to enjoy them guilt-free. With these slimmed-down gems, you can enjoy two sliders for the nutrient price of one restaurant slider, without sacrificing flavor.
In fact, there's more to these burgers than meat, cheese and a bun: The chicken version is embellished with feta cheese, fresh parsley, oregano and cumin; the pork sliders are brimming with Asian flavors, including soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic; and the beef burgers are smoky and spicy thanks to chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. The flavors work for all three slider varieties--meaning, you can use ground chicken for the Asian burgers, ground pork with the feta cheese, and so on.
And have fun with the rolls: Select whole wheat, whole grain, flavored, or even the new pretzel rolls.
If desired, spread Dijon mustard on the rolls before adding sliders.
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, feta, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 8 sliders, each about 3/4-inch thick. Add the sliders to the hot pan and cook for 3 minutes per side for medium. Arrange the sliders on the rolls and top with tomato slices. Serves 4
Note: If you can't find ground pork loin, ask the meat department to grind the loin for you.
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine the pork, cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 8 sliders, each about 3/4-inch thick. Add the sliders to the hot pan and cook for 3 minutes per side for medium. Spread 1 teaspoon of the mustard on the top half of each roll. Arrange the sliders on the rolls and top with red cabbage.
If desired, spread the chile sauce on the rolls before adding sliders; or top the burgers with salsa before topping with lettuce.
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine the beef, chipotle chiles, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 8 sliders, each about 3/4-inch thick. Add the sliders to the hot pan and cook for 3 minutes per side for medium, adding the cheese to the top of the sliders for the last minute or so of cooking. Arrange the sliders on the rolls and top with the lettuce.