A Successful Chicken Burger

I promised you more chicken recipes... and I always keep a promise.

I had some leftover ground chicken and needed a good recipe to use it up.  In general, I'm not a huge fan of chicken burgers.  I feel like they have a funny taste that turkey burgers or regular burgers just don't share.

I love chicken parmesan, so this chicken parmesan burgers sounded really interesting to me.  Heck, I'm willing to try anything once.  (Except fish.  I'm pretty convinced I'm not interested in fish even without trying every kind out there.)

I was taking double the chance here.  First with the whole chicken burger thing, but also - have you ever made chicken parmesean with ground chicken?  Me neither. 

This came together really easily though.  Even easier than I thought it would be given that I completely forgot to toast the bread.  And then I forgot to slice the bread for the sandwich part.  I got a little over eager about using these rolls I had picked up.  No harm, no foul.

No matter what you may deviate from, or mess up on, there is one thing I must insist on.  It's something I always insist on - make sure you're using fresh mozzarella.  The fresher the better!  (I'm such a snob when it comes to cheese!)

 Turkey (or Chicken) Parmesan Burgers (From the March 2010 issue of Bon Appetit, as seen on Oishii)

10 1/2-inch-thick slices French bread (4 inches in diameter); 8 slices toasted, 2 slices (crust removed) diced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided, plus 12 large basil leaves
3/4 cup purchased marinara sauce
3/4 lb. ground chicken (white meat) or ground turkey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
4 large radicchio leaves

1. In a food processer, pulse diced bread and Parmesan to form fine crumbs. 
2. Transfer to pie dish; mix in 2 tablespoons minced basil.
3. Mix marinara and 2 tablespoons basil in small saucepan. Transfer 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce to large bowl. 
4. Add chicken, 1/2 tablespoon oil, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. 
5. Sprinkle with pepper; blend. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; coat with crumbs. 
6. Heat sauce over low heat.
7. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until bottoms are crusty, 4 minutes. 
8. Turn patties over; top with cheese. Cook 3 minutes. Cover; cook until cooked through and cheese is melted, about 1 minute.
9. Assemble burgers with bread, radicchio, basil leaves, and warm marinara.