Tonight’s burger was delicious. I totally thought I was eating a chicken parm sub the entire time. That’s exactly how it tasted! It was easy to make and a healthier version of chicken parmesan since I did not fry the meat.
Start by getting the breadcrumb mixture ready:
- In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons Italian-style breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of minced fresh basil. (The bowl I used was slightly bigger then the size burgers I made, which worked perfectly.)
- Add about 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
- Mix well.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 3/4 cups marinara sauce (I used Bertolli brand…feel free to use your favorite brand or to even make your own if you have time.) with 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil.
- Once the sauce bubbles, lower the heat and keep warm.
Preheat a grillpan (or your Cuisinart Griddler) to medium. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Now you’re ready to make the burger patties:
- In a large bowl, add 1 package of ground chicken.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of the marinara sauce.
- Grate in 1/2 of a small onion and 2 cloves of garlic. (Grating helps evenly distribute the flavors. Be careful of your fingers though!)
- Add 1 tablespoon EVOO and 1/4 teaspoon each of s&p.
- Mix with your hands to combine all ingredients.
- Score the meat into 4 equal sections.
- Roll each section into a ball. Then flatten into a patty.
- Press both sides of each patty into the breadcrumb mixture so that you coat both sides.
- Cook about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for about 4 more minutes.
- Add a slice of mozzarella to each burger for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
When you serve the burgers, put some marinara sauce on the bottom of the bun. Then add the burger, some more sauce, and some basil leaves.
I used a fresh whole wheat bun from my supermarket’s bakery delivery service. Delicious! Serve with a salad (or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese like me. I know it’s a terrible pairing, but I have a weakness for it!!!)
Enjoy!
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