Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Burger - A lean chicken burger seasoned with basil pesto, grilled and topped with fresh mozzarella.
I feel a bit behind on burger recipes this year. Last summer I was pretty pleased with my burger creativity (Apple Chicken Burger, Meatloaf Burger, Chicken Parm Burger and Jalapeno Turkey Burger to name a few). I just haven't had a good burger idea in a while. Certainly nothing as good as my Turkey Taco Burger that you guys seemed to love....UNTIL NOW.
I had some extra mozzarella in the fridge from the other night's Naan Pizzas and I started to Google Mozzarella Burgers for some ideas. I found that almost all burgers with mozzarella are stuffed. I have never had any luck with stuffed burgers. No matter what I do, the cheese is always oozing out before the burger is ready and by the time it's done there is virtually no cheese left. So after looking at this Pesto-Mozzarella Turkey Burger on Taste Of Home, I decided I had to transform this stuffed burger into something, well, for lack of a better term, unstuffed!
While I loved the idea of pesto in a burger, but I didn't want to limit myself to just a little bit in the center, so I mixed pesto right into the meat. Also, I thought chicken would be a good healthier option. And instead of shredded mozzarella in the center of the burger, I chose fresh mozzarella to melt all over the top. How can you beat all that ooey gooey mozzarella?
Printable Recipe Card
Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Burger
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb ground chicken
- 1 T steak sauce
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- ¼ C pesto prepared
- 1 T olive oil
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
- 4 basil leaves fresh
- 4 hamburger rolls
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- In a bowl, combine chicken, steak sauce, garlic, salt, pepper & pesto. Form into 4 patties.
- Brush patties with oil to avoid sticking on the grill.
- Place patties on grill and cook about 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through.
- Place mozzarella on top of patties and close cover of grill for 1 min to help cheese melt.
- Toast buns on the grill if desired.
- Place patties on buns and garnish with torn basil leaves if desired.
Notes
lizzy says
OH MY GOODNESS, pesto and mozzarella and burger in the same sentence!? Oy! This looks so amazing - just in time for 4th of July!
Sandra - The Foodie Affair says
Oh, man does this look like a good burger. I just put some ground chicken in the freezer because I wasn't cooking it up fast enough. Now I have a tasty reason to unthaw it 🙂
Erica (@Erica's Recipes) says
Wow this sounds really really flavorful. Outstanding!
Janette@culinaryginger says
Now this is a burger with flavor. I love a good chicken burger and I need to try this recipe.
April J Harris says
I love your Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Burger, Christine! It's super fresh and delicious for summer!
KC the Kitchen Chopper says
Pesto on a burger is inspired tastiness! I'll remember this in the future.
Joy @ Joy Love Food says
Yum, I love everything in this, sounds like one delicious burger!
Healing Tomato says
That is a very delicious looking burger. The mozzarella brings everything so well together.
foodyschmoody says
Thanks Rini. The way I see it, you can't go wrong w/ oozing cheese....ever!
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets) says
What a fabulous burger recipe. Makes me hungry just to look at your photos.
foodyschmoody says
Thanks Sandi!
Patty Haxton Anderson says
Lots of flavor in these chicken burgers - you've done a great job uplifting boring ground chicken!!!
Angela says
I love everything about this! I love chicken burgers and this one with pesto and mozzarella is right up my alley!!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
I have yet to make my own chicken burgers. Yours look amazing! I love the addition of pesto!
foodyschmoody says
Thank you, Cathleen!
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
This sounds great! I love pesto!
Joanne T Ferguson says
These burgers look and sound terrific! Wish I could try one now! Pinned and shared!
Debra @ Bowl Me Over says
I can just visualize biting into that burger and the long delicious strands of cheese! Boy howdy does this look good!
foodyschmoody says
Thanks Debra! Yes that cheese gets perfectly stringy. No looking pretty while eating this baby!
Carlee says
This does look amazing! It is hard to keep the cheese in the burger sometimes... putting it on top is just as good!