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Spiced Chicken Burgers

5.0

(3)

chicken burger on a colorful plate on pink surface with a blue backdrop and basket in the background
Photograph by Maria Be, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua

These burgers are inspired by chicken tikka kebabs, which are usually skewered and cooked in a tandoor oven. Here minced chicken is mixed with aromatics and chopped Amul cheese before being formed into patties and grilled until juicy on the inside and golden on the outside. The cheese oozes and forms a slight crust (the best part!). Serve between toasted potato buns with spicy mayo and the usual burger fixings (lettuce, onion, tomato). Chef Chintan Pandya assures this is THE burger you want all summer.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 10

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. hot sauce
7 oz. Amul cheese or sharp cheddar
2 lb. ground chicken, preferably dark meat
1 medium red onion, very finely chopped, plus more sliced for serving
6 green Thai chiles or small serrano chiles, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. ground turmeric
10 potato rolls, split
2 Tbsp. (or more) vegetable oil
Lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Stir together 1 cup mayonnaise and 2 tsp. hot sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

    Step 2

    Pulse 7 oz. Amul cheese or sharp cheddar in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. (Or chop very finely with a chef’s knife.) Transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 lb. ground chicken, 1 medium red onion, very finely chopped, 6 green Thai chiles or small serrano chiles, finely chopped, 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, one 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. garam masala, and ½ tsp. ground turmeric; mix until combined. Divide mixture into 10 portions; form into patties.

    Step 3

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Place 10 potato rolls, split, cut sides down, on grate and toast until golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer to plates.

    Step 4

    Place a large cast-iron griddle or skillet on grill. Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in pan until you can see wisps of smoke. Working 2 or 3 patties at a time and adding more oil between batches if needed, cook patties, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on other side and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into center should register 165°), about 4 minutes. (Some cheese will ooze out and that’s okay.) Transfer patties to a platter as you go.

    Step 5

    Spread bottom halves of rolls with reserved spicy mayo. Build burgers with lettuce leaves, patties, sliced red onion, and sliced tomatoes.

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