Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomato-Basil Chicken Burgers

I am still hung up on how delicious basil-goat cheese stuff pizza crust is. So much so that I decided to take that same stuffing and put it inside of a burger. And then what goes better with basil than tomato? Enter this fantastic creation, if I may say so myself ;-). It’s the same idea as a chicken Parmesan burger, but with some flair. Or maybe it’s like that stuffed crust pizza, but in burger form. It doesn’t matter what it’s like because it’s delicious all on it’s own.

(One of these days I’ll make my own burger buns to go along with such fabulous creations. For now I try to snag the next-day bakery items for $0.99.)

Would you like zucchini fries with that? Check back tomorrow!

Ingredients:

8 oz goat cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 lb ground chicken breasts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

4 slices fresh Mozzarella

Balsamic vinegar, for garnish (optional)

4 buns, toasted

Lettuce (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend together the goat cheese and basil in a small bowl, set aside.
   
2. In a medium bowl, lightly mix together the chicken, Parmesan, bread crumbs, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Let sit for 30-40 minutes then form into 4 rounds.
3. In the palm of your hand, make a hole in the middle of one round of meat, stuff with goat cheese mixture and pinch closed before flattening into a patty. Repeat for remaining rounds of meat.
4. Preheat a George Foreman grill (or outdoor grill, lightly greased). Grill the burgers for about 4 minutes, rotate then cook for another 3 minutes or until the juices run clear. Top each chicken  burger with a slice of Mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar is desired. Place on toasted buns with some lettuce.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original