Add A Saucy, Cheesy Italian Twist To Your Next Chicken Burgers

While there's definitely a time and place for those delicious, time-consuming Italian dishes you know and love (we're looking at you, homemade stuffed pasta), there are also those moments when you want to enjoy a fast and easy Italian entree. Enter: the chicken parmesan burger. This tasty dish is made with a simple ground chicken patty that's seasoned similarly to a classic chicken cutlet and topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella. It's a unique take on the beloved Italian-American dish while upgrading a summertime classic, elevating your backyard BBQ and transporting you to Europe... kind of.

Something we love about this fusion of cuisines — since we're also just people who are obsessed with chicken parm – is that it's a fun and unique way to enjoy all the flavors of the Italian dish, in a fraction of the time it would take to bread, dredge, heat up the oil, and fry a cutlet. And while chicken parm sandwiches are obviously a thing, the benefit of using a ground chicken patty is the quick preparation process and cook time — simply toss these on the grill alongside your regular beef-based burgers and call it a day.

When crafting the perfect chicken parm burger, you want to start by prepping your chicken with seasonings and spices that will resemble the flavors of a classic Italian chicken cutlet. Add ingredients to the ground poultry that will add depth of flavor, including grated parmesan cheese, Italian-style breadcrumbs (or panko if that's what you have on hand), fresh herbs like chopped parsley, and ground spices like garlic, onion powder, and black pepper. No one likes a bland burger, so be sure you season each patty well before cooking. 

As for toppings, the classic pairing for chicken parmesan burgers is, of course, a spoonful of marinara sauce and some low-moisture mozzarella cheese. Make note that you don't want to use fresh mozz here, as it contains a high water content which can cause the burger to become too soggy. If you're cooking your burgers inside, set it under the broiler for a few minutes to get the cheese nice and browned in spots. If you're using the grill, you can just melt it on the barbecue or, if you're feeling fancy, use a kitchen torch to char up the cheese to your ideal level of melted. A touch of fresh basil and some freshly grated parmesan can also add an extra zing of flavor to the top of your chicken parm burgers, sandwiched together by your bun of choice. Buon appetito!