Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmesan Crisps

Hey there. I have some MAGICAL burgers to share with you today. Seriously. These are a dinnertime game-changer!

When I need to throw all caution to the wind and really indulge, there is nothing that satisfies me as much as a big, juicy pub burger, smothered in cheese and piled with crispy bacon. There's something about a great burger that can help melt all your other troubles away. I love when food can do that!

While these burgers are not quite THAT indulgent, they are jam packed with flavor, super juicy, and completely satisfying. Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmesan Crisps are here to stay on our weeknight dinner rotation!

You may be wondering why I'm gushing so much over a chicken burger...well, there are a lot of reasons, so let me try to be succinct. First, they are essentially giant, fluffy meatballs. Lots of flavor gets packed right into the ground chicken, starting with creamy Caesar dressing, minced garlic, onion powder, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, Adding the dressing means we need something to help bind the burger together, and panko breadcrumbs are perfectly light and crisp--they keep our burgers together without weighing them down. The best part though--like, best times infinity--is the homemade parmesan crisps!(!!!!) These are ADDICTING and so simple to make, and it took every ounce of willpower I have to not eat the entire pan before the burgers were ready. They are great for snacking, so definitely make more than you need. 

The final touches are just as important as the major players for this meal. A lightly buttered, grilled whole wheat bun is the perfect place to slather on extra creamy Caesar dressing. Fresh, crisp romaine lettuce is necessary to any and all Caesar salads, so pile some on your burger to lighten it up! We enjoyed these alongside a simple salad, but would a plate of fries or some kettle cooked chips be good too? OH. YEAH.

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Cheeseburger Casserole

So, here's the deal. I'll keep it short and sweet.

Because it's Friday, and because I love you guys, we are going to take my favorite burger and make it into a casserole.

Stay with me because things are about to get crazy. You want this--nay, you NEED this in your life. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I dreamed up this recipe, but if I were this creative all the time I like to think that I'd be in a pretty good place in life.

This Bacon Mushroom Swiss Cheeseburger Casserole is essentially a really delicious deconstructed burger. We are taking bold flavors and we are being bold.

I took some inspiration from my Mom's Macaroni and Cheese recipe, namely by creating a simple cheese sauce by melting a block of cheese into condensed soup. Only this time, we will melt swiss cheese into mushroom soup. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Bacon is baked until crispy, ground beef is browned and crumbled, and the whole kit and caboodle gets mixed together with orecchiette pasta then topped with crispy french fried onions! Bam! Burger casserole.

By the way what does the phrase kit and caboodle actually mean? Where the heck did it come from and who was the first soul to utter the phrase? I'm not sure how I feel about it...

I digress...

Chicken and Sausage Spinach Burgers

Happy First Day of Summer! Could this weekend look to be any more beautiful? This will be a refreshing change from the rainy and cloudy weekends we've been seeing here in the Boston area.

In honor of summer, I wanted to celebrate with a delicious burger recipe that is sure to impress your friends and family at your next barbeque or cookout. I would even go so far as to say this burger is a great summer dinner party dish -- it's everything you want in a burger with a surprising twist.

I got the idea to make this burger from a restaurant in Boston's theater district called Rock Bottom. Hilarious name and surprisingly good bar food along with their own craft beers. This is a win-win-win situation.

These Chicken and Sausage Spinach burgers are packed with flavor and beg to be eaten atop a soft potato bun with all the fixings. I personally enjoyed mine with lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and a touch of canola-oil mayo. Cory gobbled his up in no time, and decided to make it a cheeseburger by melting on a slice of provolone cheese. I have a feeling these burgers will be a regular in our dinner rotation!

What makes these burgers so special? Let me show you.

It starts off with a simple and lean base of ground chicken. Into that, we mix in 2 links of sweet Italian sausage--TRUST ME on this one. It's not enough to be overpowering but just enough to turn the white palette of ground chicken into something delicious.

For an additional boost, baby spinach is sliced into thin ribbons. The spinach is soft and tender, a lovely and healthy way to stretch your dollar. For extra flavor, thinly sliced green onions and fresh chopped parsley go in to brighten up each burger. To keep the burgers all together, the finishing touches include a small handful of whole wheat breadcrumbs as well as a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. I mean, COME ON! Burger paradise.

The burgers are best grilled on a BBQ or indoor grill pan or in a cast-iron skillet. All of these tools will give the burgers an irresistibly crunchy crust and moist, juicy center. I used my trusty cast-iron skillet lightly coated in olive oil over medium heat.

Recipe below will serve 4 large burgers or about 8 generously sized sliders. For a low-carb option, these burgers are flavorful enough on their own and are just delicious alongside a marinated cucumber and red onion salad!