Finally I can get this post up! I’ve been wanting to post about these gorgeous burgers ever since I made them a few weeks ago. They turned out fab and I’ve been dreaming about them ever since. Of course, true to Columbus’s personality, the weather turned cold again and grill time has not happened.
I love chicken burgers! And turkey burgers! And also burgers made from veggies and beans. I just really like burgers and while I can dig on a beef burger, my heart belongs to poultry or veggies. I had been wanting to make chicken burgers for a while and had an idea running through my head about adding wine to the burgers.
There was the rub.
Ground chicken is already really moist and not “dry” like a ground beef. Ground chicken breast is a little bit “dryer” but not by much and I personally like a mix of white and dark meat ground chicken. Which meant that I already had a really moist base to work with. I knew adding some wine to that would make things sloppy or way too soggy.
What to do? I was also going to add some apples to the mix just for a twist because I had done that with turkey burgers and really liked the outcome.
Then it hit me.
Let the apples soak in chardonnay, then add the apples to the ground chicken. I got to work busting out my plan which resulted in probably our favorite burger yet!
Andrea’s Chardonnay Chicken Burgers
- 1lb Ground Chicken (I like a mix of dark and white meat which I can purchase at Whole Foods or North Market)
- 1/2C Chardonnay (may need more)
- 1/2 A Green apple, finely chopped
- 1/4C Red onion, chopped
- 1 1/2tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2tsp Poultry Seasoning
- Pinch Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp each for me)
In a small mixing bowl place the chopped apple and cover with the chardonnay. You want the apple pieces to be fully submerged so make sure there is enough wine to cover them. Gently stir and set in the fridge. Allow to hang out for several hours. At least four to five so the apples have time to absorb some of the wine.
When the hours have passed, drain the apples but don’t throw away the wine! You want to keep that. Trust me!
In a large mixing bowl add all other ingredients, including the apples. Gently mix with your hands. Form into four patties and place on a plate or whatever you’re going to use to transfer them for cooking. These burgers will be very soft and moist, so handle them very gently so they do not fall apart on you.
Allow to sit for about 20 minutes or so before cooking. If you are cooking these on a skillet, add a bit of olive oil to the pan, about half a TBSP. Heat over medium heat and very gently place the burgers in the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes each side. Do not touch until ready to flip. As the burgers cook, they will start to firm up and be easier to handle.
If you’re grilling, same cooking time applies, about 5 minutes on each side. Top burger with good quality extra sharp cheddar (I used Cabot) and maybe a smidge of dijon mustard. Serve and enjoy!
The best part about these burgers is that not only are you getting some wine flavor in your burger, but now you have flavored wine! Because you can totally drink that as your burgers are cooking. Add a bit of seltzer and you’ve got yourself Sparkling Green Apple Spritzers. You can really taste the green apple flavor in the wine too, it’s very tasty and refreshing.
I used green apple because it doesn’t oxidize as quickly as sweeter red apples. Soaked in wine, the apple really holds its crisp white color very well. Green apples are also a more sturdy apple and holds its shape during cooking.
I try to plan things out with cooking so that everything sort of gels schedule-wise. I’m a distance runner and my long runs are Sunday mornings. For Sunday Supper, I try to plan a meal that has some animal protein in it. I have the time to make it on Sunday and I can use the extra protein to help with muscle recovery after my long runs. That’s the long winded explanation just so I can tell you how I blew through two of these burgers in one sitting. My original plan was to have leftovers but that didn’t work out since both Scott and I ate up all four burgers. Mmm mmm!
If you’re looking for something a little different to do with your burgers, give these a shot!
Have fun guys and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!
Other burger recipes: Cran-Apple Turkey Burgers