Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese

Name: Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) ground chicken (dark meat or 93% lean blend), cold, straight from the fridge; ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs; 3 tbsp (45 ml) buffalo hot sauce; ¼ cup (30 g) celery, very finely diced (about 1 small stalk); 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (avocado or canola); 3 oz (85 g) blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup); 3 tbsp (45 g) mayonnaise; 3 tbsp (45 g) sour cream; 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted; 4 (280 g) hamburger buns, split; 2 tbsp (30 ml) buffalo hot sauce, for brushing on cooked patties; 4 large leaves (60 g) crisp lettuce leaves (romaine or iceberg), washed and dried; 1 stalk (40 g) celery, thinly sliced on a diagonal (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy pan-seared chicken patties spiked with buffalo sauce and studded with crunchy celery, then topped with a tangy blue cheese spread and crisp lettuce. All the flavor of buffalo wings in a burger, ready in about 35 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 52 min
Makes: 4 burgers

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the patties
1½ lb (680 g) ground chicken (dark meat or 93% lean blend), cold, straight from the fridge
½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp (45 ml) buffalo hot sauce
¼ cup (30 g) celery, very finely diced (about 1 small stalk)
1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (avocado or canola)
For the blue cheese spread
3 oz (85 g) blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
3 tbsp (45 g) mayonnaise
3 tbsp (45 g) sour cream
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
For serving
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
4 (280 g) hamburger buns, split
2 tbsp (30 ml) buffalo hot sauce, for brushing on cooked patties
4 large leaves (60 g) crisp lettuce leaves (romaine or iceberg), washed and dried
1 stalk (40 g) celery, thinly sliced on a diagonal (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless steel)
Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper
Instant-read thermometer
Fish spatula or wide metal spatula
Lid or baking sheet to cover the skillet

Steps

Before you start

Use ground chicken that is not extra-lean (thigh or a dark/white blend is best); lean breast-only meat makes dry burgers.
Keep the chicken cold until you shape the patties; the mixture is sticky, so wet your hands with cold water.
Patties need 20 minutes in the fridge to firm up, so plan for that time.
Buffalo sauce brands vary in heat and saltiness; Frank's RedHot-style sauce is assumed here.

1
Make blue cheese spread
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth.
- Fold in the crumbled blue cheese, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Cover and refrigerate while you make the burgers.
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Ready when: Creamy and thick with visible blue cheese chunks
Tip: Blue cheese is salty, so don't add salt to the spread.
2
Prep the celery
- Finely dice 1 small celery stalk into pieces about ⅛ inch (3 mm) so they disappear into the patties.
- Thinly slice the optional extra celery stalk on a diagonal for topping.
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Ready when: Diced celery is tiny and uniform
Tip: Large celery chunks can make the patties crumble.
3
Mix the patty mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the panko, 3 tablespoons buffalo sauce, diced celery, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Let it sit 2 minutes so the panko absorbs the sauce.
- Add the cold ground chicken and mix gently with your hands for about 30 seconds, just until evenly combined.
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Ready when: No dry streaks of panko; mixture is sticky and uniform
Tip: Overmixing makes the burgers tough and rubbery.
4
Shape and chill
- Wet your hands with cold water and divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (about 6 oz/170 g each).
- Shape each into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, pressing a shallow dimple in the center of each.
- Place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cold to the touch
Tip: The dimple keeps the patties from puffing into domes as they cook.
5
Sear the patties
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add the patties with space between them and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan.
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Ready when: Deep golden crust, patty releases from the pan without sticking
Tip: If the patties stick, give them another 30 seconds; they release once the crust forms.
6
Flip and finish cooking
- Flip the patties, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the skillet with a lid.
- Cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the center reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear.
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Ready when: Center reads 165°F (74°C); no pink remains
Tip: Ground chicken must reach 165°F (74°C); don't rely on color alone.
7
Toast the buns
- While the patties cook, brush the cut sides of the buns with melted butter.
- When the patties are done, transfer them to a plate, wipe out the skillet, and toast the buns cut side down over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Cut sides golden brown and lightly crisp
Tip: Watch closely; buttered buns brown quickly.
8
Sauce the patties
- Brush the top of each cooked patty with about 1½ teaspoons of the remaining buffalo sauce.
- Let the patties rest for 2 minutes so the juices settle.
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Ready when: Patties glisten with sauce
9
Assemble and serve
- Spread a generous spoonful of blue cheese spread on both halves of each toasted bun.
- Layer a lettuce leaf on the bottom bun, then the patty, then the diagonal celery slices if using.
- Close with the top bun and serve right away with extra spread on the side.
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Ready when: Burgers are stacked and hot with cool, creamy spread
Tip: Put the lettuce under the patty to shield the bun from sauce and keep it from going soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Chilling the patties is the key to keeping them intact in the pan; don't skip it.
Press only once when shaping, and don't press down on patties while they cook, or you'll squeeze out the juices.
For more heat, add ½ teaspoon cayenne to the patty mix or toss the finished patties in extra buffalo sauce.
Use a thermometer; ground chicken goes from juicy to dry quickly past 165°F (74°C).

Make ahead

"Make the blue cheese spread up to 3 days ahead. Shape the patties up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate on parchment, then cook straight from the fridge."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked patties and spread separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze cooked patties, wrapped individually, for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat patties in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes, until steaming hot at 165°F (74°C)."

Substitutions

ground chicken (dark meat or 93% lean blend) → ground turkey. Use dark-meat or 93% lean turkey; cook to the same 165°F (74°C).
blue cheese → ranch dressing or feta. For a milder spread, use 6 tablespoons ranch, or crumbled feta in place of blue cheese.
panko breadcrumbs → plain dry breadcrumbs. Use 6 tablespoons (about 35 g); the texture will be slightly denser.
sour cream → plain Greek yogurt. Same amount; gives a tangier spread.