Name: Chicken Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Glaze
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar; 1¼ pound ground chicken; ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , chopped, plus 1 tablespoon packing oil; 1 shallot , minced; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano; ¼ teaspoon pepper; ½ teaspoon table salt; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 2 ounces goat cheese , crumbled (1/2 cup), room temperatur; 4 hamburger buns , toasted if desired; 1½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula

Why This Recipe Works

The tomatoes added umami and sweetness to the delicate chicken with the added benefit of providing a pleasing textural contrast to the meat. Adding some of the oil from the jarred tomatoes, along with a little butter, helped keep the chicken moist while the patties cooked. Minced shallot and some fresh oregano imparted an aromatic depth. At this point, we had the makings of a burger with a delicious Italian flavor profile; with that in mind, we reduced some balsamic vinegar to a concentrated glaze that popped with fruity acidity. The glaze cut through the tang of the creamy goat cheese, which we spread on the burger buns. A final topping of baby arugula added a peppery bite to our elegant-but-easy, full-flavored chicken burgers.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use ground chicken, not ground chicken breast (also labeled 99 percent fat free), or the burgers will be tough.

Instructions

Bring vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside.

Break ground chicken into small pieces in large bowl. Add tomatoes and packing oil, shallot, melted butter, oregano, and pepper and gently knead with hands until well combined. Divide chicken mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into ¾‑inch-thick patty. Using your fingertips, press center of each patty down until about ½ inch thick, creating slight divot.

Season patties with salt. Heat oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Transfer patties to skillet, divot side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Spread goat cheese on bun tops. Serve burgers on buns, topped with arugula and drizzled with balsamic reduction.