Sometimes it is nice to change things up from the norm. This burger and pesto recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe that I tried a while back. Ground chicken with homemade basil pesto, grilled tomatoes, and melted mozzarella, all on a fresh toasted, buttered bun. YUM! My kids LOVED these. These are super easy to make and taste delicious. Making homemade pesto may seem over the top, however, I promise it only takes a few minutes to make and tastes MUCH better than jarred or pre-made. Plus, any unused pesto can be frozen or used for other meals! Pair these burgers with a light salad and it is a great weeknight or weekend meal.
Prep Time:
Yield:
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PinIngredients
1/2 cup fresh basil pesto (1/4cup for patties and ~1/4cup to spread on buns)
1–1.5 pounds ground white-meat chicken
salt/pepper
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
4–6 Buns, halved (I use fresh bakery buns)
Butter (for toasting the buns)
Olive or grapeseed Oil (to oil grates on the grill)
Grilled Tomatoes:
1 tomato cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt/pepper
extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make homemade basil pesto (if needed)
- Heat a grill to medium-high heat
- While the grill is heating up, slice tomatoes and brush them with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Set to the side
- In a medium-large bowl combine the ground chicken, 1/4cup pesto, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and form 4-6 patties (about the size of your palm) Be careful not to over mix or over handle the meat.
- Butter the halved buns and toast in the broiler for a few minutes until nicely toasted.
- Brush and lightly oil the hot grill.
- Grill chicken patties, covered, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and top with mozzarella slices and continue cooking about 4-5 minutes more. Add the sliced tomatoes to the grill and flip when lightly charred.
- Cook the burgers until internal temperature reaches 165° and/or they are completely cooked through.
- Assemble burgers with pesto, patties, and grilled tomatoes
Notes
I doubled this recipe so we would have leftovers!
I love using fresh-baked buns or bread. It really makes a difference in the overall flavor!
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