Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Who says that grilling is just a summer staple activity?  In my book, it’s done in cold weather, too.  All you need is a grilling pan.  Or, in our case, all we have is a grilling pan since we live in an apartment and that is the closest thing to a grilling mechanism that we can get our hands on.  Besides, I love to put my always reliable grilling pan to work when arctic temperatures are still looming just to get a slim whiff of what warm weather would be like, or better yet to trick myself into a summer state of mind!

These homemade Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise are a year-round mouthwatering indulgence!  They were without a doubt the best part of this year’s Super Bowl.  And the fact that I cooked them on an outside grill, in freezing temperatures and a menacing snow storm made them that much more delicious and the experience way more exciting than the actual game.  Bottom line – my burgers were unbeatable, just like the Seattle Seahawks! 

These burgers will rock your house!  They are simply lip-smacking, piney and fresh, their pleasant lightness countered by the garlicky richness of the mayonnaise.  You may think that adding a disturbing amount of garlic-rosemary mayonnaise mixture to burgers is a despicable crime, but it works like a charm.  The burgers are so juicy, dressed with big flavors and nestled in between toasty challah buns smeared with more hefty dollops of the sinful mayonnaise sauce and topped with crisp mixed greens.  One word: phenomenal!     

These chicken burgers were my dinner of choice for the Super Bowl and, wait for it, Valentine’s Day.  I know, I know… a very unconventional dinner option for such a holiday but it worked beautifully and paired with this cake for dessert, it was truly unforgettable! 

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients for Mayonnaise:

·         1 cup mayonnaise

·         Scant ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

·         1 clove garlic, minced

Ingredients for Burgers:

·         1 pound ground chicken

·         Heaped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (I found that challah buns work particularly well)

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         1 cup mixed greens, divided

Instructions for the Mayonnaise:

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary.  Set aside.

Instructions for the Burgers:

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. 

In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, salt, pepper and half of the mayonnaise mixture.  Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties.  Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes on each side.  Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes. 

Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and about 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture.  Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.  

Instructions to assemble the Burgers:

Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns.  Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns.  Top each with ¼ cup of the mixed greens and finish with the top half of the bun.  

P.S.: I’ll be back on March 25!  It’s time for our annual trip to Romania, so Adrian and I are off to see our families for the next couple of weeks.  I won’t be able to post while away but I’ll return with stories and new recipes from good ol’ Transylvania!  Until then…

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)