Chicken Marsala Burgers

Every now and then I make a meal that I can't wait to make again and again.  This is one of those meals.  Matt and I have been enjoying using ground chicken when making lots of different types of burgers this summer.  We started with this recipe and have since been using different combinations of ingredients and toppings to make what we think are awesome burgers! 
This chicken Marsala burger is one of the best burgers I have ever had.  It has a ton of flavor from the Marsala wine topping and all the yummy ingredients that go inside.  and I like to think of it as the quintessential simple gourmet dish-it's very simple to make yet gourmet enough to serve when entertaining! 

Chicken Marsala Burgers

For the burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:
4 slices bacon
2 cups white, cremini, or mini portobello mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Marsala wine
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sliced cheese for serving (we prefer white or yellow American but you can also use provolone or Mozzarella)
Hamburger buns, for serving

Heat the grill to medium-high.  Combine all ingredients for the burgers (ground chicken through salt and pepper) in a medium bowl.  Mix together until well combined and form into 4 equal sized patties.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the topping, heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon to the pan and cook until bacon is brown and crisp.  Remove bacon from the pan and place on a paper-towel lined plate.  When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon into bite size pieces.  Add the mushrooms to the same pan and increase heat to medium-high.  Cook the mushrooms, stirringoccasionally and scraping the pan bottom, until liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and shallot; saute for 1 minute.

Add the crumbled bacon back to the pan and add the tomato paste.  Allow mixture to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Off heat, add the Marsala wine; return heat to high heat and allow to simmer vigorously for about 5 minutes, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  The sauce should thicken slightly and be reduced to about 1 1/4 cups.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Whisk in the butter until completely melted.  Keep the sauce warm over low heat until burgers are cooked. 

Grill the burgers until cooked through and no longer pink inside (160 degrees-about 4-5 minutes per side).  Top each burger with a slice of cheese during the last few minutes of grilling.  If desired, toast the burger buns on the grill until light golden. 
Place cooked burgers on the buns and spoon the Marsala wine topping over top.  Serve and enjoy!


Adapted from Annie's Eats, Williams Sonoma, and Cook's Illustrated