A New Day, A New Burger

Seems like everybody and their brother has a recipe for buffalo chicken burgers ... and now, so do I.

This one was inspired by a locker room conversation between my swim partner, Becky, and I. We were doing what we do best ... chatting ... while drying our hair and, naturally, the conversation turned to food. It always does. Becky was telling me about some amazing chicken burgers she'd created the other night, and mentioned that she included a fair amount of hot sauce in the mix. It got me thinking about chicken wings, which I really don't enjoy, and how I might easily combine all the ingredients and flavors of classic wings into a yummy new burger. And so I did.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Burgers:

• 1 pound of ground chicken breast
• 3 tbsp. minced red onion
• 1 small stalk of celery, from the heart, leaves included, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup shredded granny smith apple*
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• pinch of Kosher salt
• generous grind of fresh black pepper
• 2 tbsp. wing sauce, Texas Pete, or whatever hot sauce you like*
  
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
  
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh chives
• 1 large egg
• 2 to 3 tbsp. plain, instant oatmeal

• some crumbled blue cheese, use something of good quality, I used Cabrales here

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients - except the cheese - and mix well until fully incorporated. Use your judgment with respect to the oat meal, adding at least 2 tablespoons, and up to 3, if needed, depending on how wet the mixture is. (You will neither taste nor see the oatmeal in the finished burger, but it will help to keep things moist.)

Heat a grill pan over high heat and brush it with a bit of oil. When the pan is good and hot, but not yet smoking, form the chicken mixture into patties and grill over medium-high heat, turning once, about 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until done. Chicken burgers should be firm to the touch when done and fully cooked throughout. Top the burgers with some crumbled blue cheese, cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt. Serve and enjoy!

As written, this recipe will yield 4 to 6 devilishly spicy burgers, depending on how large you make the patties.

*Yes, there's apple in my recipe. Why? No one really knows, except that apple pairs well with with chicken, is divine with blue cheese and, more importantly, will make the finished burger incredibly moist. You won't even really taste it but, trust me, its there doing its thang and lending interest to the mix.

**As for the hot sauce, the choice is up to you. I happened to have some Jim Beam hot sauce on hand, so that's what I used here, though any brand would work. For those who would prefer a more pronounced wing flavor, I'd suggest brushing the finished burgers with additional wing sauce prior to adding the cheese.

One again, I've skipped the bun and the ketchup. You don't need either. In stead, I've topped them with a fresh tomato relish that you can read about at the end of this post here.

These burgers are so incredibly flavorful, so moist and juicy, you'll have a hard time believing they're made from skinless ground chicken breast. They have all of trappings of a platter of wings ... minus the grease and fat. Bonus! I loved them so much I want to eat them every night. Really. They're just that good.

I hope you'll try them!

Bon appetite!