chicken parm burgers
with baked sweet potato fries
I’ll keep this week’s ramblings brief because George left me ALONE with the monsters this weekend and THE WHEELS ARE FALLING OFF, PEOPLE!
To kick the month of May off and get this summer started on the right foot, I developed a burger recipe that rivals The Great Cholula & Cheddar Turkey Burgers of 2019. Those burgers are one of my most beloved recipes that you guys tell me you make over and over again. My friend Allie’s mother-in-law has the recipe printed and laminated in her kitchen, always ready for action. My cousin Marlea makes them for her family at least once a month. Are you a CCTB lover too? Let us know in the comments!
Not in the mood for burgers? You still have to make the recipe. Just make the chicken patties and serve them with a side of roasted vegetables or over a salad for an exciting new lean protein option!
chicken parm… in burger form
Chicken Parm freaking rules. No explanation needed. It is not, however, a *light* dish, and it also takes for-freaking-ever to make. So I decided to cram all of those delightful chicken Parm flavors into a compact ground-meat package — chicken Parm burgers! They are delightful. Really truly delicious and fun and different.
Make them on the grill or bake them in the oven (yep — it’s way easier than cooking them in a skillet and I liked them just as much). Worried that they’ll stick to your dirty grill grates but really want to grill? Grease up a baking sheet and cook them on the baking sheet on the grill! There are many ways to skin this cat — just don’t skimp on the tomato mayo.
the secret to not-dry turkey and chicken burgers
I had to make this tip its own section because it is very important intel. The secret to not-shitty turkey and chicken burgers is making the patties REALLY THIN. Think: Wendy’s burger. This way you can cook the burgers really quickly and they won’t dry out! Trust.
let’s talk about baked “fries”
Listen, these sweet potato fries are baked. They’re not fried. No baked fry is ever going to be as crispy and crunchy as a fried fry. These are absolutely delicious, but they are, in fact, roasted sweet potatoes cut into a fry shape that I am calling “fries.” OK? Let’s just get that out there and enjoy these delicious baked-sweet-potato sticks for what they are! P.S. Yes, you can make them in your air fryer instead.
OK, gotta go rescue Mattis from the chicken coop and Calum from whatever stool he’s wedged himself under.
MAKE THIS MEAL! Make it today! It’s Sunday! Fire up the grill! Oh, and if you haven’t subscribed yet…
in other news…
I’m teaching a CINCO DE MAYO class this Wednesday! Come make carnitas with mango salsa and jalapeño slaw with me at 10 am PST / 1 pm EST. I know, it’s in the middle of the day. I planned this class before the world decided to suddenly go back to normal, OK!?
Don’t forget to sign up for my Mother’s Day class benefiting my local foster care system! Saturday, May 8, at 10 am PST / 1 pm EST.
chicken parm burgers with baked sweet potato fries
Serves 2 to 4 (Sometimes I eat two burger patties, sometimes I eat one. Each burger is about 3 ounces of cooked meat.)
Tools:
Outdoor grill OR rimmed baking sheet
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
2 large mixing bowls
Ingredients:
Baked Sweet Potato Fries:
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Chicken Parm Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry or oil-packed — just squeeze out the oil if using oil packed kind)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 to 4 burger buns (preferably potato buns)
Optional: mozzarella (melt on top if you want more cheese!), thinly sliced red onion, romaine leaves with the tough rib stripped out, etc.
Tomato Mayo:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
Kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 425°F and place your largest rimmed baking sheet in the oven.
Cut 2 large sweet potatoes into long 1/2 inch-thick rectangles (fry shape!). Toss the cut potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika in a large bowl. That’s right — no salt yet! Salt draws out moisture and we don’t want that! Set aside for now.
In another large bowl, combine 1 pound ground chicken or turkey, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Divide the meat into 4 equal patties that are slightly wider than your burger buns (that way when they shrink while cooking they’ll become the perfect size!).
Bake the sweet potato fries on the lowest oven rack for 15 minutes, then flip the fries (yep — this is a pain, but worth it) and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
To grill burgers: Refrigerate the patties for at least 10 minutes before grilling. Preheat the grill to 400°F. Clean the grill grates very well. Spray the tops of the burgers with cooking spray and place them on the grill, sprayed-side-down. Close the lid and cook for 4 minutes. Spray the tops of the burgers carefully (don’t spray the flames with oil — bad plan!) and flip them over. Cover and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Smear a light layer of mayo on the cut sides of the burger buns. Remove the burgers and quickly toast your burger buns on the grate for about 1 minute with the grill lid open. Watch them CLOSELY! Buns like to burn.
To bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through. They will look FUNKY — lots of liquid will ooze out. Don’t worry, that’s normal! Once your fries are finished baking, quickly broil your burger buns by spreading a thin layer of mayo on the cut sides, placing them cut-side up on a baking sheet, and broiling for 1 to 2 minutes. Sit on your butt and watch them closely — again, buns BURN QUICKLY!
To pan-fry: Heat your largest nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes. Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil and swirl to coat the pan. Cook the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes per side (you can probably only cook 1 or 2 at a time… hence why baking is an easier option).
Meanwhile, make the tomato mayo by stirring together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and the juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon). Season with salt to taste.
Smear the mayo on both sides of the toasted bun. Throw a burger patty (or two!) on there. Sprinkle with a bit of Parm and top with whatever toppings you’re feeling. I like mine with just tomato mayo. Devour.
link to printer version
Notes:
Make ahead: Form the patties and refrigerate them, covered, on the baking sheet for up to 48 hours. Same goes for the fries.
Freezer friendly: Burgers are a great stock-the-freezer meal! Go ahead and cook the extra patties to make reheating easier. Once cool, wrap them individually in plastic wrap or tin foil and store in an airtight container (or you can pop them individually in sandwich-bag size Ziplocs). Thaw them in the fridge for a few hours before mealtime, then cook them as directed above.
Special ingredient: Yep, sun-dried tomatoes 2 weeks in a row! If you missed it, we also used them in last week’s one-skillet chicken and orzo.
What to cook when you really don’t feel like cooking: Buy a bag of frozen sweet potato fries. Skip the tomato mayo and go for straight up mayo and ketchup instead.
Make it into meatballs: Make 8 to 10 meatballs with the same mixture. Bake at 425°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until 165°F internally.
Vegetarian: Use 1 pound of Impossible Burger or other plant-based meat!
Dairy-free: Use Mykonos dairy-free Parmesan. It’s great!
Gluten-free: Make a lettuce bun by chopping the sides off of a head of iceberg lettuce and using that as the bun!
Substitutions:
Ground chicken or turkey: You can use ground beef or pork as well, but they’ll be fattier and won’t bake as well. I recommend grilling them if you go that route.
Egg: You can leave it out, if needed — it just helps add moisture to the lean meat that can otherwise be a bit dry.
Parmesan cheese: You can use cheddar or any other hard cheese here.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes either dry or packed in oil work. Or you can sub in chopped roasted red peppers.
Basil: Equal parts parsley, 2 teaspoons oregano or Italian seasoning
Tomato paste: There’s not a great substitute so just omit it from the burgers and use ketchup for the sauce.
Garlic: 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Burger buns: Serve the patties with a salad instead!
Mayo: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead, or even mascarpone for a more decadent burger
Lemon juice: Lime juice, or any type of clear vinegar
Love this recipe. It’s been in repeat this month. I dice my patty and throw it and the warm sweet potatoes over lettuce and make it a salad. 10/10
Quick question – I am working on making this a double batch tomorrow. I wanted to freeze the extra burgers. But I am confused by the make ahead directions and whether I should freeze the burgers cooked or raw. The beginning part says to cook them to make things easier before freezing. But the End of the make head instructions also says to thaw them And cook them — but aren’t they already cooked? Thanks!!