Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Burgers
SERVES 4
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chicken burgers never seem to measure up to their ground beef brethren in texture or taste. Since fat delivers flavor, the leanness of poultry burgers usually means a decrease in flavor, too. Our goal was to create a chicken burger with no excuses. First, we added richness and moisture with oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. The tomatoes gave the patties a big bump in flavor, plus we now had a flavorful oil that we could use to cook the burgers. Many burger recipes call for bread crumbs to keep the patties moist and tender, but we opted for a panade made from a hamburger bun and a little water. Finally, rather than put our cheese on top of the patties, we put it inside. Crumbled goat cheese, mixed into the burgers, guaranteed creamy, tangy bites throughout. Be sure to use ground chicken, not ground chicken breast (also labeled 99 percent fat free), in this recipe. You can substitute ground turkey if desired. Serve with your favorite burger toppings. See the Test Kitchen Tip that follows the recipe.
|
5 |
hamburger buns |
|
⅓ |
cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1 tablespoon oil |
|
Fresh basil |
|
|
1 |
shallot |
|
1¼ |
pounds ground chicken |
|
½ |
cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese |
1. Tear 1 hamburger bun into pieces, then using fork, mash into paste with 2 tablespoons water in large bowl. Chop tomatoes coarsely and add to bowl. Chop 2 tablespoons basil, mince shallot, and add to bowl.
2. Add chicken, goat cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mix until uniform using hands. Divide meat mixture into 4 portions, form each into loose ball, then pat lightly into 1-inch-thick burger.
3. Heat tomato packing oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Lay burgers in skillet and cook until lightly browned and crusted on first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip burgers and continue to cook until second side is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and continue to cook until burgers register 160 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Serve on buns.