Spicy Cheesy Chicken Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground chicken
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (from about 4 cloves)
• 3 Tbsp diced jalapeño pepper (from about 1 pepper)
• ½ cup panko
• 3 Tbsp milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• Olive oil, for brushing grill or pan
• 4 brioche rolls (or rolls of your choice), toasted
• 4 leaves Butter/Boston Lettuce
• Cheese Sauce (recipe below)
• Caramelized Onions (recipe below)

Cheese Sauce

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (or cheese of your choice)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cayenne

Caramelized Onions

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Instructions

• Add chicken, garlic, jalapeño, panko, milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne to a large bowl. Use your hands to combine. Form 4 patties with mixture.
• Add 1 Tbsp oil to grill pan or skillet (or oil grill grates) over medium heat. Place chicken patties in pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until cooked through (internal temperature of burger should be 165 degrees).
• Place a leaf of lettuce on each toasted brioche bun. Top with chicken burgers. Spoon cheese sauce over burgers and top with caramelized onions.

Cheese Sauce

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir flour into mixture and cook for about 1 minute.
• Whisk in milk and simmer for about 2 minutes to thicken a bit. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in cheese, until melted and smooth. Stir in salt and cayenne.
• Place chicken burgers on brioche rolls and spoon cheese sauce over them. Top with caramelized onions.
• Add butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onions. 
• Continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until onions are well caramelized. Stir in salt and pepper.