Chicken Chesapeake Burger

Pairs well with:

Pinot Grigio

You won’t need a bouquet of flowers when you share our Pinot Grigio. This crisp wine with floral aromas is a wonderful way to make an entrance.

“Maryland is for Crabs” is our unofficial state motto. (and we mean that in the good way) Most people around here can’t wait for crab season to get fresh whole crabs. We’ll sit and pick them for hours. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with friends and family. Since there is an abundance of prepackaged picked crab in the supermarkets we are able to have crab year round. Seafood and poultry producers are two of the largest economic industries in our area so it’s natural that we eat a lot of both.
This recipe is an adaptation of a local favorite recipe called Chicken Chesapeake which is similar in ingredients but uses chicken breast served over pasta.

Ingredients:

Patties:
2 lb ground chicken
1/2 lb lump MD blue crab
2 tablespoon Old Bay
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots

White Wine n Bellas Sauce:
8oz sliced baby bellas
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups white wine – SutterHome Moscato
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoon beurre manie (2tablespoons butter worked to a paste with 2 tablespoons flour)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing on the grill rack
6 good quality Kaiser rolls, split

Instructions:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Patties: Thoroughly mix the ground chicken with chopped shallots and Old Bay seasoning. Next gently fold in the crab meat. Form into 6 equal patties sized to fit the rolls. Loosely cover and refrigerate while sauce is begun.

Sauce: Over med-high heat, in a fire proof saucepan, combine broth, wine, shallots, mushrooms, parsley, Old Bay and white pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and gently simmer liquid until reduced to half.

While sauce is reducing start grilling patties.

Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the burgers on the hot grates. After one minute turn grill to medium and grill for about 4 more minutes. Turn grill to med high and gently turn burgers. (brush with more olive oil if necessary) Grill one minute then turn to medium and grill for about 4 more minutes. (be sure to cook chicken thoroughly!)

Place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly during the last 2 minutes of grilling.
Once sauce is reduced to half, remove from heat and immediately swirl or whisk in beurre manie to thicken sauce. Use immediately. (To hold the sauce, set the pan in a larger pan of lukewarm water.)
Place pattie on grilled bun and generously top with wine and mushroom sauce.