Chicken Burgers

Prep Time: 20 minutes                           Cooking Time: 15 minutes per pan
Yield: 4 burgers

 Ingredients:

1 large egg
1 tablespoon (15 mL) heavy cream, light cream, or whole milk
1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) finely grated, firmly packed, lemon zest
1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Dijon mustard

1 pound (454 g) freshly ground chicken breast meat*

3 tablespoons (45 mL) finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Kosher salt
125 mL (1/2 cup) bread crumbs

85 – 125 mL (1/3-1/2  cup) panko crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

 *Either ask your butcher to grind up fresh chicken breasts for you, or do it yourself. Cut up the chicken breast into large chunks.  In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, pulse the chicken breast chunks just until it is coarsely ground. Be careful not to over-process.

 Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and mustard.
2. Add ground chicken breast and gently incorporate the egg mixture into the chicken.
3. Gently fold in the green onions, thyme, parsley, pepper, salt, and bread crumbs.
4. Using a ½-cup measuring cup, form mixture into 4 burgers. Gently press down on the burgers to make them about 1 – 1 ½ inch thick.
5. Refrigerate burgers (1/2 hour) to firm them up.
6. When ready to cook, place panko crumbs in a shallow plate. Coat each burger with crumbs, gently pressing on the burger so that the crumbs adhere to the burger.
7. Preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter.
8. Add 2 of the burgers to the pan (don’t crowd the burgers) and cook for about 5-7 minutes; flip to the other side for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Reduce the temperature a little and cook on the first side for an additional 2 minutes; flip to the other side for 2 minutes. Check for an internal temperature of at least 170⁰F.
10. Place cooked burgers in a warm oven while the remaining burgers are cooked.  Use extra oil and butter to cook the remaining burgers.
11. Serve on a toasted bun with sautéed onions, and fresh tomatoes.   … or all by itself with a green salad.