No ordinary chicken burger, these Buffalo chicken breast burgers are tender, juicy, spicy and packed with flavor! Topped with cooling ranch or blue cheese dressing, they are as perfect for Game Day as they are for a summer BBQ.
Whenever I can find a new way to use Buffalo wing sauce, I’m a happy girl. So when I was debating between burgers or chicken wings for Super Bowl Sunday, combining them seemed like the inevitable answer.
I looked around online for some ideas and most of the recipes I came across used ground chicken for the patties.
But to be honest, ground chicken has always kind of grossed me out. I can handle ground turkey, like in these Asian meatballs, but something about the pink sliminess of ground chicken doesn’t work for me.
Anyway… I do love a whole juicy chicken breast burger just as much as a beefy burger. Maybe more. And these Buffalo chicken breast burgers were the ultimate chicken burger for me.
And they are super simple to pull off. Here’s how I made them!
How to make Buffalo Chicken Breast Burgers
Start by pounding the thicker ends of your chicken breasts a little, using a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin. The idea is just to get them to an even size. This helps them cook more evenly and more quickly, which helps keep them from drying out.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour, shaking off the excess. This creates a bit of a crust for the sauce to cling to, otherwise the sauce tends to slide off while baking. And we don’t want that Buffalo sauce going anywhere!
Whisk together some cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter to make Buffalo wing sauce. (Alternatively, use the pre-made Buffalo Wing Sauce.). I’ve always used and loved the ubiquitous Frank’s Red Hot.
Sear the chicken breasts on both sides and pour the Buffalo wing sauce over them.
Transfer the pan to the oven till the breasts are just cooked through (about 20 minutes).
Cover each breast with a slice of provolone (or other cheese of your choice) and return to the oven for a minute to melt the cheese.
Voilà! Just add your favorite burger toppings, and some ranch or blue cheese dressing to cool things down a bit. I would put these around “medium” on the spicy scale. And “high” on the delicious scale!!
Enjoy xx
Buffalo Chicken Breast Burgers
Ingredients
- 4 small skinless boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 4 burger buns
- ranch or blue cheese to taste
- 4 slices provolone or mozzarella
- optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, red onion
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts a bit, just to even out the thickness.*
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Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pan (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat.
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Sprinkle the flour on a plate or shallow dish. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.
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Add chicken breasts to the hot pan and sear for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
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While the chicken is searing, stir together the hot sauce and melted butter. Pour sauce over the chicken breasts and transfer the pan to the oven. (Note: if your pan is not oven safe, transfer the chicken breasts to a baking dish before pouring on the sauce and placing in the oven)
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Bake chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes, until just cooked through. Add cheese slices to the tops and return to the oven to melt for a minute or two.
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Top each burger bun with a chicken breast, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and additional toppings of your choice.
