Buffalo Chicken Burgers

It's football season!  Finally, it's time for Saturday's spent at the stadium, tailgating, cooler weather, sweatshirts... the list goes on and on, I love fall.  While summer is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, sunshine, and pool time, it also requires (at least in my world) air conditioning and bug spray.  While summer is great while it lasts, by August I'm always impatiently waiting for fall to make an appearance.

To kick off the home football season this year (sort of, technically I missed the first game - college football shouldn't happen on Thursday nights) I brought buffalo chicken burgers to our tailgate.  These burgers were pretty tasty - so much so in fact that I made them again just a couple nights later.  Full disclosure - the speediness was partially so I could take the picture that I forgot to take in the parking lot but it was also at the request of my husband.  For tailgating, I made these as sliders (aka mini burgers) but at home I made them full size.  Take your pick, although I prefer the sliders, just because they are more fun in my opinion.

In my mind there are two choices for condiments when it comes to buffalo chicken, ranch or blue cheese.  If you side with me on this one, top your burgers with a dollop of ranch dressing and a slice of cheddar cheese.  If you disagree, top them with some blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

Burgers:
1 lb ground chicken
3-4 green onions, diced
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (plus more for serving)
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 slices day old bread or 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
Ranch and/or blue cheese salad dressing
Frank's Red Hot sauce
Cheddar cheese slices or crumbled blue cheese
Pickles
8 small rolls or 4 hamburger buns

Prepare grill to medium heat or preheat a cast iron skillet if cooking indoors.  If you are using day old bread, quickly tear into chunks and pulse in a food processor to make crumbs.  In a large bowl, add all of the burger ingredients and gently mix until just incorporated.  (Don't skip the egg and breadcrumbs, they will really help the patties stay together.)  Form into four patties for full size burgers or eight small patties for sliders.  Make each patty slider larger than the bun and slightly thinner in the center (this is more important for full size burgers.)  Cook finished patties about five - seven (three to four for sliders) minutes per side (you want these cooked all the way through since it's poultry and not beef but don't overcook them or they will be dry), flip once and cook through.  Just before the finished, top with cheddar slices if desired.  Serve on hamburger buns topped with condiments of your choice.

Chipotle Chicken Sliders

Well here's an idea of how far behind I am on blogging -- I actually made these sliders for the Superbowl.  The fact that it's a month later and I'm just now getting around to posting them says nothing about the quality of these sliders but is really just an idea of how crazy my life has been.  Truthfully, I've got even more recipes to post that I made well before these. 

I love sliders -- they are the perfect size for a party so you don't have to commit to just eating a burger.  I quickly made these sliders because I had an open can of chipotles in adobo from my chipotle chicken pasta that I wanted to use some more of rather than freezing.  I used a nice sharp cheddar cheese to top these but I think a monterey jack or pepper jack cheese would also be delicious.  Get some nice fresh rolls from a bakery for these - I used some sourdough rolls that were great.  A little red onion and a cilantro lime mayo are the finishing touches for a great little sandwich.

Chipotle Chicken Sliders

Burgers:
2 T olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped + 1 T of the sauce
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg
8 rolls
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
8 thin slices of red onion

Mayo:

1/2 cup mayo
1 T lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro
Chop cilantro finely and stir into mayo with lime juice and set aside. 


Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat and add oil.  Combine all remaining ingredients except rolls, cheese, and onion slices in a large bowl, gently mix until just combined.  Divide mix into eight equal portions and form into small patties, thinning just slightly in the center.  Transfer patties to hot pan, cooking about 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through. 

Meanwhile preheat broiler on low.  On a large sheet pan, cut rolls in half and lay out evenly.  Add burgers and cheese to bottom of rolls.  Broil until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown.  Spread tops of rolls with mayo and top burgers with onion slices and serve.

Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

First of all, sorry for my absence - my little sister got married this past weekend and I intended to have some posts scheduled but with the travelling, last minute wedding details and all the fun we had in Texas, it just didn't happen. But I'm back and I've got some great recipes to share with you coming up.


I've been eyeing the fresh pineapple every time I walked through the produce department for a couple of weeks. Finally I decided to buy one. I have to admit, I have never bought a fresh pineapple before thinking it would be way too much work to cut up. If I bought it fresh, I would buy the already cored and cleaned pineapple for way too much money that comes in a little plastic cup. But that means I over paid by about 5 times. For something that is really very easy. So if you have this same trepidation about purchasing a whole fresh pineapple, check back tomorrow for a how-to post and learn just how simple it is. If you want to, you could also use canned pineapple to make these burgers, but fresh pineapple grilled better and make sure you buy the pineapple in its own juice not heavy syrup.


For now, let's talk about these burgers. These were absolutely delicious. I had a chicken sandwich at a restaurant once (although I cannot remember what restaurant) that had pineapple, pepper jack cheese, BBQ sauce and chicken breast. I wasn't a big fan of the BBQ sauce, but I loved the combination of spicy cheese and sweet pineapple. I had some ground chicken breast at home and since I had finally decided to buy the fresh pineapple, I decided to make my own version. I think the pineapple is juicy enough and as long as you don't overcook your burger, the sauce is unnecessary but if you wanted to add something, a little chipotle mayo would be my recommendation. I would also throw a couple slices of red onion on these next time but I didn't have any on hand this time. As you can see in the pictures, I served these burgers with some chipotle corn on the cob that was a great match, so check back for that recipe later this week.


Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

2 pounds ground chicken
6 pineapple rings (or equivalent slices, cut about 1/2" - 3/4" thick)
6 slices pepper jack cheese
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce, 1/2 the paprika, 1/2 the chili powder, seasoning salt, cumin, and garlic. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 6 even balls. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle and sprinkle with remaining paprika and chili powder. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Coat grates lightly with oil. Grill burgers over medium heat about 6 minutes per side. The burgers should flip easily when they are ready to turn, if they want to stick, give them another minute. Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to rest. Grill buns if desired.

For the pineapple, if you are using rings, grill directly on the grates over medium heat. Carefully turn after 1-2 minutes. If you are using pineapple slices or chunks, thread onto skewers and grill skewers in the same fashion. Assemble burgers and enjoy.

Ginger Soy Turkey Burgers

I found an Asian sesame ginger salad dressing by Ken's Steakhouse in the grocery store the other day that sounded pretty good - unfortunately it contained high fructose corn syrup and since I'm cutting that out of our diets, I decided to leave it at the store. But it was still in the back of my mind when I decided to make these turkey burgers for dinner. I'm not positive this is the exact same result but it turned out to be really good.

I served these with some sweet potato fries with salt and thyme and steamed edamame sprinkled with a little garlic salt for an easy, healthy meal.

Ginger Soy Turkey Burgers

1 pound lean ground turkey (I use 93/7)
2 T sesame oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
1-2 cups baby spinach
4 T feta cheese

Preheat grill on medium low heat. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. Add garlic, ginger, and black pepper and stir to combine. Remove about 1/3 of the mixture and set aside. Add ground turkey and bread crumbs and lightly mix with your hands until just incorporated, be careful not to over mix. Form into 4 patties and transfer to grill. Cook about 5-6 minutes and flip, grill an additional 5 minutes until cooked through. Grill buns for last minute of cooking time to warm.

To assemble, either top each burger with spinach and feta and drizzle on remaining sauce or combine spinach, feta and dressing in a bowl and toss to coat. Top each burger with "salad" and serve.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

A sandwich version of an Italian classic. This is perfect for summer when you don't want to heat up your kitchen using the oven or stove. Just put these on the grill and serve them up with a light Caesar salad. This requires very little prep time so it's perfect for a weeknight meal too.


Chicken Parmesan Burgers
Recipe adapted from Elly Says Opa

1 pound ground chicken
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4-6 slices mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup marinara sauce
4-6 hamburger buns
1 T butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder


Transfer ground chicken to a large bowl, add bread crumbs, egg, parsley, Parmesan and minced garlic. Work together until add-ins are distributed but do not over work. I find its easiest to mix with my hands. Divide the meat into 4 - 6 equal pieces, depending on how big you want the burgers to be. Form into patties, making a slight indentation in the centers so when they plump up the burgers will be even. Transfer to a plate and set in the freezer for about 15 minutes while the grill preheats. (If you are in a hurry, you can skip this step, but I think it helps the patties hold together better and not get misshapen when transferred to the grill.) Preheat the grill and grease lightly with oil (I like to use Pam for Grilling).

Grill burgers for about 6-8 minutes per side until cooked through. Add cheese slices for the last minute or so of cooking to melt. Meanwhile, spread buns with butter and sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast lightly on the grill. Assemble burgers and top each with marinara sauce and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes.

Caribbean Jerk Turkey Burgers

First I have to apologize because I don't have a "finished product" picture because we had friends over for dinner and I forgot to get a picture once I put these together. However, don't let that stop you from trying them. These burgers are absolutely delicious... and healthy. Although the method seems a little unorthodox, it really does work. I thought the outsides of the burgers would be nice and seasoned and the insides would be dry and boring but that was not the case. This really worked out well. I topped them with a little guacamole and red onion and they were fantastic.

Caribbean Jerk Turkey Burgers
Recipe adapted from Good Things Catered
Makes 4 burgers

1 lb ground turkey breast
4 T soy sauce
4 T red wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp thyme
3/4 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger
4 hamburger buns
Guacamole
Red Onion

In a shallow bowl, mix together soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. On a plate, mix together all spices. Divide meat into 4 equal portions and form into patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle. Roll patties in spice mixture until coated on all sides. Dip patties into soy sauce mixture and transfer to a plate or rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate about 1 hour. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Cook about 5 minutes on first side until browned. Don't try to flip to early or they will have a tendency to stick. Cook on remaining side about 5 minutes more until cooked through. Toast buns under the broiler for a couple minutes until golden brown. Top burgers with a tablespoon of guacamole and a couple slices of red onion.

Game Time

I love college football... best time of the year. Yesterday was a great day for a game. The weather was sunny and warm but cooled off for the game and it worked out perfectly.







I changed my tailgating menu a little bit after we decided to grill. Instead of the chicken, I made burgers at my husband's request. He named them "Todd's famous double stuffed bacon cheeseburgers" - not exactly a nickname and since it was the first time I've made them, I'm not sure they qualified as famous but they are now. They were a huge hit.

Todd's Famous Double Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers
(Serves 8)

2 pounds hamburger (I used 93/7)
1 pound ground turkey (again 93/7 - use any combination you like)
1 egg
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
1 tsp black pepper
6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese
8 slices pepper jack cheese

Mix the meat, egg, bread crumbs and spices. Form into 16 equal size patties, making the middles slightly thinner then the edges. On half the patties, place crumbled bacon and cheddar in the center. Top with the remaining patties and pinch the edges closed. Grill approximately 5 minutes on each side. Add the pepper jack slices to the top and cook until melted with the grill closed (about 1 minute). Do not press down on the burgers with the spatula while cooking or cheese is likely to squeeze out. Serve on fresh hamburger buns/rolls.

I also made crab dip for the game. It was very simple and easy to throw together at the last minute.


Spicy Crab Dip

1 package lump crab meat, diced
1 package cream cheese (I use FF)
1 cup sour cream (I use FF)
1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 jalepeno, seeded and diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, if necessary

Blend softened cream cheese and sour cream until mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.