Chicken Marsala Burger

Pairs well with:

White Merlot

Imagine sipping a lighter Merlot. This fresh, pale-pink wine is a nice change from traditional red or white wines.

I fell in love with chicken Marsala at a very young age.I also have a deep passion for Grilling and I needed a way to combine the two. So the Chicken marsala Burger was born, with the combination of ground chicken infused with marsala wine and spices, topped with grilled portabella mushrooms, spinach, romaine lettuce, tomato, and mushroom slaw finished with a parmesan spread. Here in Connecticut we have a large Italian population and when I introduced this concept I was scorned by my Italian counter parts but within one bite I turned skeptics into believers.

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS
Parmesan Spread:
¾ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cloves of Minced Garlic
¼ Tsp. Salt
½ Tsp. Cracked black pepper
Marsala Slaw:
2 cups Julienne Spinach
4 packed cups of Julienne Romaine Hearts
1 medium Diced Roma Tomato
4 Chopped Green Onions
2 cloves of Minced Garlic
3 TBSP. Florio Sweet Marsala wine
¾ cup Mayonnaise
1 ½ Tsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cracked black pepper
Portabella Mushrooms:
3 large gilled Portabella mushrooms (remove underside gills)
2 garlic cloves minced
2 TBSP. sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Florio Sweet Marsala wine
Patties:
2 pounds ground chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves minced
½ cup Florio Sweet Marsala wine
1 Tsp. Course ground black pepper
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Instructions:

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

To make the Parmesan spread combine thoroughly the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper cover and set aside.

To make the Slaw, mix mayonnaise, Marsala wine, garlic, green onion, salt & pepper in mixing bowl. Then add spinach and romaine hearts and coat with mixture and cover and set aside.

To make the portabella mushrooms mix garlic, sugar, olive oil, and Marsala wine with whisk in mixing bowl. Coat the Portabella mushrooms with mixture, cover and set aside.

To make the patties in mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly, and divide into 6 patties, shape to fit the buns. Cover with wrap and set aside.

When grill is ready, brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties and the portabella mushrooms on the rack, cover and cook, turning both of them once until done about 10 to 12 minutes. Place buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly during the last few minute of cooking.

To assemble the burgers, slice the mushrooms into ¼ inch slices and set aside, spread a generous amount of the parmesan spread over the cut side of the top of the bun, on each bun bottom, place a grilled patty, followed by an equal portion of the slice portabella mushrooms and the Marsala slaw, add top and serve.