Pesto Chicken Burgers

Ingredients

For Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
¼ c Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin Olive oil

For patties
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
¼ c. dried minced onion
½ c. loose basil leaves
¼ c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
½ t. salt
¼ t. fresh ground pepper
Olive oil to coat patties and brush on bread
6 slices of Ciabatta bread
18 cherry tomatoes

Instructions

Prepare pesto using the food processor with blade. Place basil leaves, ¼ c. Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and 3 garlic cloves in food processor and pulse until chopped and blended. Drizzle in the ½ c. of olive oil while food processor is running. Set aside. Clean food processor and blade.

Cut chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in food processor with blade until you have a very coarse ground. Add onion flakes, basil, bread crumbs, garlic, 3 T. olive oil and ¼ c. Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper. Pulse just to mix and until basil is chopped.

Shape into six patties and chill for 1 hour before grilling.

Preheat grill. Coat patties with olive oil before grilling. Grill about 4 minutes per side.

Brush Ciabatta slices with olive oil and grill until toasted.

Remove burgers from grill. To assemble, place one piece of grilled Ciabatta on serving plate. Place burger on top. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of pesto. Arrange three cherry tomatoes on pesto. Serve open faced.