Open Face Pesto Chicken Burgers Recipe 455

Steps:

• Toss the cut-up bun with 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl; set aside 1 minute. Add the chicken, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; mix with your hands until combined. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Set aside 1 tablespoon almonds for the salad; transfer the rest to a blender along with the oil from the pan. Do not wipe out the skillet. Increase the heat under the skillet to medium high. Add the chicken patties and cook until no longer pink, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Meanwhile, add the whole tomato to the blender and process until smooth. Add the basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until almost smooth. Add the parmesan; pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the burgers on the buns; top each with a spoonful of pesto and a tomato slice. Toss the remaining pesto with the arugula, the reserved 1 tablespoon almonds and the lemon juice; serve with the burgers.

Steps:

• In a blender, combine the first eight ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Chill until serving. For burgers, in a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, pesto, garlic and salt. Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties., In a large skillet over medium heat, cook burgers in 2 tablespoons oil until a thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear, 5-7 minutes on each side . Top with cheese; cover and cook 1 minute longer., Meanwhile, brush bread with remaining oil; place on a baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat until toasted, 1-2 minutes on each side., Spread each slice of toast with 2 tablespoons avocado spread (refrigerate remaining spread for another use). Top with arugula, a burger and sliced tomato. Sprinkle with basil and pepper.

Steps:

• In bowl combine ground chicken, half of the pesto, the Parmesan, garlic, and salt. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick oval patties (to fit bread). Halve ciabatta horizontally. Brush cut side of ciabatta or both sides of Italian bread with olive oil; set aside (reserving any extra oil). For a charcoal grill, place patties on greased rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 13 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees), turning once halfway through grilling. Top each patty with a mozzarella slice. Cover grill; grill 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Add bread and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until toasted. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.) Arrange greens on toasted bread. Top with chicken patties and tomato slices. Stir any remaining olive oil into remaining pesto and drizzle over all. Sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree basil, spinach, garlic, walnuts, oil, and 1 tablespoon water. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Combine 1 tablespoon pesto, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and chicken and form into 4 patties. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill patties, covered, 4 minutes. Flip patties and top with cheese. Add tomatoes to grill and cook, flipping once, until tomatoes are lightly charred and burgers are opaque throughout, 4 minutes.
• Assemble sandwiches in focaccia with pesto, burgers, and tomatoes.

Steps:

• Shape beef into four 3/4-in.-thick patties. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook patties over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes on each side. , Top each burger with a slice of cheese, 2 tablespoons pesto and pepper strips. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve on buns.