BBQ Chicken Burgers on Portobello Buns

This is one of the oldest recipes in my arsenal. One of my first Rachael Ray experiments and when I learned, I can't make any of her 30 minute meals in 30 minutes because I think too much. You can find the original here. I have made this both inside in a skillet and outside on the grill. It's way better on the grill, but still great inside. On the grill, we do use our cast iron insert on the Webber, because chicken burgers can fall apart pretty easily. This is the recipe that taught me the key to making poultry burgers delicious and juicy is mixing a bunch of stuff in it. We also ditch the bun and do marinated portobellos as a bottom. It just allows the burger flavor to sing a little more. The portobello, burger, slaw topper combo is a hearty meal, and we usually do a  simple salad on the side. When i take the leftovers to work for lunch, I don't even bring a side because it's plenty! 

BBQ Chicken Burgers on Portobello Buns 

For burgers:

• 1/2  tablespoon butter
• 1/2 small red onion finely chopped (you'll use other half in slaw)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon  hot sauce (I use Louisiana hot sauce and add more when I am feeling spicy)
• 1 pound ground chicken (I have used turkey in a pinch too)
• 1 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

For slaw:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• juice of one fresh lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 rounded tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or Cole slaw mix
• 1/2 of a red onion thinly sliced 
• Salt and pepper

For Portobello Buns:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning mix
• 4 Portobello mushrooms

1. Create marinade for mushrooms by combing oil, Worcestershire, soy, garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Pour over mushrooms in a shallow dish. Allow to marinate while you get everything else ready.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped onions, chopped garlic and tomato paste. Cook the onions until they soften and are cooked through. Sprinkle with sugar and remove from heat. Put them in a bowl big enough to combine the rest of the ingredients to make your burger patties. Allow them to cool 5 minutes before adding other ingredients.  
3. Add Worcestershire, and hot sauce to onions and combine.
4. Add chicken and steak seasoning and use your hands to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Then form 4 patties from the mixture.
5. If you are making inside:  heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers about 10 minutes each side until they crisp on the outside but don't burn. If you are making outside: if using a grill pan, Add a smidge of oil to it. Again cook about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.
6. Add Portobello's to grill when you flip the burgers to grill them. Again if making inside, and you don't have room in the pan, throw in the pan after the burgers are cooked. Flip once during cooking.
7. To make the slaw: combine honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Add cabbage, sliced onion and relish.
8. Layer a mushroom, a burger and top with slaw!

**Makes 4 servings