Chicken sliders — or how I learned to love the chicken burger

I have had a long-standing love/hate relationship with chicken burgers for almost as long as I can remember. Okay, I’m exaggerating — it was a one-sided, full-on hate relationship. My mom insisted, when I was a kid, that chicken burgers were tasty and healthy. I insisted right back that they were boring and flavorless, an opinion that stood for years.

Many folks will argue that there is a very specific definition of a slider, but in recent years, the general populace have (to the outrage of those other folks) come to accept the word as a definition of any small, not-quite-bite-sized version of a burger. That’s the definition we’re going with today — although I’ve never had a genuine slider, and I should probably add that to the ever-growing list of things I want to make this summer.

When I found slider buns at my local grocery store, I was excited to buy some — with no real, immediate plans for what I was going to do with them. But I also had a dying freezer (yes, another one, this time the one attached to our fridge!) full of chicken breasts purchased at a deep discount, and a brand new meat grinder, so the answer presented itself pretty quickly, even though I was reluctant to it at first. Then I realized that I didn’t have to limit myself to boring ground chicken patties topped with the usual burger fixings; I could reimagine some of my favorite chicken dishes.

For my first two recipes, I hand-formed the patties. They were not terribly uniform, bulgy in the middle, and generally a mess, albeit a tasty one. There are lots of things you can use to form and shape a slider (or any burger) but I highly recommend buying a press if you plan to make them frequently. It’s a time-saver and, frankly, a game-changer. Look for an inexpensive plastic one — I bought mine, a two-cavity, three-piece press, for $1.88 at Big Al’s in Wiscasset.

Each of these recipes makes about twelve burgers, which is four servings of three each — perfect for a small family meal, or dinner and leftovers the next day for a couple.

curryslider

Photo by Ian J. Marquis

Chicken Curry Sliders

  • 2 chicken breasts, ground
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder (plus 1 teaspoon for mayo)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • lettuce
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Major Grey’s chutney
  • 1 package of 12 slider buns

In a bowl, combine ground chicken breast with curry powder, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Form into patties and cook in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides and firm in the middle. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine mayonnaise with remaining curry powder. Place burgers on buns atop lettuce, then top with curry mayo and chutney.

cordonbleuslider

Photo by Ian J. Marquis

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders

  • 2 chicken breasts, ground
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard (plus 1/4 cup for mayonnaise)
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 pound shaved deli ham
  • 1/4 pound sliced swiss cheese, cut into smaller squares
  • lettuce
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 package of 12 slider buns

In a bowl, combine ground chicken with tarragon, garlic, black pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Form patties, coat lightly with bread crumbs, and cook in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides and firm in the middle. Before removing from heat, top with a piece of shaved ham (use your discretion to not overwhelm the burger with ham) and a small square of swiss cheese. Cover and allow cheese to melt before removing to a bun with lettuce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine mustard and mayo for topping.

parmslider

Photo by Ian J. Marquis

Chicken Parmesan Slider

  • 2 chicken breasts, ground
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (plus 1 teaspoon for bread crumbs)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus 1/4 cup for bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 pound sliced mozzarella, cut into smaller squares
  • your choice of tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 package of 12 slider buns

In a bowl, combine ground chicken with basil, oregano, garlic and parmesan cheese. In another bowl, combine remaining garlic and parmesan with bread crumbs. Form patties and coat with bread crumb mixture. Cook in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides and firm in the middle. Top with squares of mozzarella and cover until cheese has melted. Spoon tomato sauce onto both halves of each slider bun and sandwich patties between them.

For more recipes from my kitchen to yours, please visit http://www.forkable.net.

Fia Fortune

About Fia Fortune

Fia Fortune is a home cook who enjoys gardening, creating recipes for her two blogs, cooking for herself and her boyfriend, and trying to keep up with their blended family of four cats.