Some days, you just have to whip up a meal that makes a mess. A meal that gets all over your fingers and has you reaching for a roll of paper towels since one napkin will not suffice. A burger that you take one look at and wonder how you will manage to even take one bite because it is stacked high with toppings.

This burger is one of those that is not only messy, but it is literally packed with flavor. I don’t even feel guilty about eating one, since it is made with white meat turkey and topped with fresh veggies and avocado.

I think my favorite addition to this burger is the grilled poblano pepper. I absolutely love the taste of a poblano – to me, they aren’t overly spicy, but they add a bit of a smoky heat to the dish. We currently have about six or seven poblano pepper plants growing in our garden. Assuming I manage to keep them alive (so far, so good), I’m anticipating having some fun in the kitchen with them once they start producing! Recreating this burger might just be first on the list. Any other suggestions for recipes including poblanos?

And…is anyone else ecstatic about grilling season? I know that it is pretty much grilling season year-round here in Florida, but we have started to really kick it up a notch lately, and I am definitely a fan of that.

What is your favorite meal to make on the grill?

Poblano Avocado Turkey Burger

***makes 4 burgers***

Ingredients

For the burgers:

1 lb ground turkey breast

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/3 cup bread crumbs

For the toppings:

2 poblano peppers

1 Hass avocado, mashed

4 cheese slices (I used cream Havarti with jalapeno)

1 red onion, sliced into rounds

1 vine ripe tomato

Lettuce

4 hamburger buns

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill. Rinse/wash the poblano peppers, and place them on the grill once it is heated. Turn peppers every 3-4 minutes, until the skin is slightly charred and the pepper is soft (about 10 minutes). Remove from the grill and place on a plate to cool. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, carefully slice the top of the pepper off (by the stem), slice in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Set aside until you are ready to top your burgers.

2. Meanwhile, create the turkey burgers by combining the ground turkey breast, diced onion, and bread crumbs. Form into four balls of about equal size, then flatten them out to make a burger patty.

3. Place the turkey burger patties on the grill, along with the red onion rings. Cook the red onion on both sides until softened, then remove and set aside. Grill the burger patties until cooked through, about 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of your patty) and flipping half way through. When the burgers are almost finished, place the hamburger buns on the grill to toast (if desired).

4. When the turkey burgers are cooked through, remove them from the grill and place each on the bottom of a toasted bun. Add a slice of cheese on top, followed by the grilled onion, half of the poblano pepper, the mashed avocado, lettuce, tomato, and the top of the bun. Serve with a fresh salad – enjoy!