The Special Method To Ensure Garlic Chicken Burgers Stay Together

There's no such thing as a bad time for a burger, and fortunately for lovers of the iconic sandwich, Tasting Table developer Jennine Rye has a talent for creating fresh varieties. Her recipe for a Garlic Chicken Burger, for example, has several things that set it apart from a typical burger. For starters, there's the meat at the burger's center.

"I love a burger, I really do!" Rye says. "Burgers are one of my all-time favorite foods, and this recipe gives me a different way to enjoy them. It is also healthier while not sacrificing flavor. Instead of using red meat to make the beef patty, chicken mince is used, which is healthier and also lower in fat." Her new burger recipe is so healthy, in fact, that Rye recommends pairing it not with french fries, but rather with salad or coleslaw.

It isn't just chicken mince and garlic, however, that distinguish Rye's recipe. The easy to prepare Garlic Chicken Burger is cooked in a frying pan rather than on the grill, and its first step involves a special method that is critical in helping to hold the burger together.

Rye's bread crumb and mayonnaise based panade is what gives her Garlic Chicken Burger its consistency and helps hold the patty together. According to the Tasting Table recipe developer, her panade, which includes garlic and onion powders, oregano, and Dijon mustard, also provides abundant flavor and gives the burger the fat and moisture it needs to stay tasty throughout the cooking process. "It's a surefire trick to make sure your chicken burgers aren't tough or dry, which is quite a risk when cooking with chicken mince," Rye explains.

Rye calls the panade a special method, and making it is the first step (after ingredient gathering, that is) in preparing her Garlic Chicken Burger. The chicken mince is added to the panade before the patties are formed and subsequently pan fried. The burger's signature garlic mayo sauce is then whipped up and added alongside tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and, of course, the buns (lightly toasted).

Rye doesn't advocate keeping chicken mince for leftovers. Instead, she recommends preparing the precise number of patties desired and eating them when fresh. The patties may be made and stored a few days in advance, however, so long as they are kept covered while being stored in the refrigerator.