Teriyaki Chicken Burger

 

Try fitting your mouth around this!  My all-time, without a doubt, forever, most favorite burger is Red Robin's Teriyaki Chicken Burger.  I think this is the only thing I can honestly say I've had cravings for..........well??  We lived in Vernal, Utah for four years- if you know where that is, congrats!  Let's just say that Red Robin doesn't exist in Vernal :(  So I created my own version to satisfy the withdrawals.   

RECIPE

4 Potato Hamburger buns

2 large chicken breasts (marinaded with recipe below)

lettuce

tomato

fresh grilled pineapple (see tip below)

4 slices Swiss cheese

onion rings

mayo

teriyaki sauce (Recipe below)

Marinade: 

6 oz can pineapple juice

1/3 C. soy sauce

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. oil

2 TBL apple cider vinegar

1 tsp mined garlic

2 tsp molasses

Teriyaki Sauce:

1/2 C. chicken broth

2 TBL white cooking wine

1 TBL Rice Vinegar

3 TBL soy sauce

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp Kosher salt & 1/8 tsp pepper

1 TBL cold water

1 TBL cornstarch

*Cut both chicken breasts in half so you have four 1/2" thick pieces.  In a gallon Ziploc bag, mix all the marinade ingredients together.  (Zip up the bag and really mix it so all the sugar dissolves).  Add chicken and marinade overnight or at least 8 hours.  Take the chicken out of the fridge an hour before grilling.  Grill on medium-low heat for 7 minutes on each side, or until juices come out clear.  Grill the pineapple for 2-3 minutes on each side.

For the sauce: Mix water and cornstarch together and set aside.  Place remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Boil for 2-3 minutes until all the sugar is dissolved.  Add cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Let it cool while you grill the chicken and pineapple.  I mix 1 TBL mayo and 1 TBL sauce together (don't actually measure it- just estimate) to spread on the buns, and then dunk the chicken in the sauce also- so the whole sandwich is oozing with teriyaki goodness!  

Once the sauce is made, and your chicken and pineapple are grilled, it's just a matter of building your burger.  (Don't forget to dip your chicken in the sauce)  Lettuce, chicken, cheese, pineapple, tomato, onion rings, mayo/sauce on a toasted bun!      

Tips:

• I don't rub my pineapple with salt or sugar when I grill it.  I'm sure most people do, but it's one less step and the pineapple still tastes awesome.  I cut the top/ bottom/ then sides off the pineapple.  Cut it into slices about 1/2" thick.  I used a paring knife to cut the hard center out so I was left with pineapple rings.  You can cut them thinner but they'll break apart when grilling.  I love pineapple, but my husband said he wouldn't want his any thicker.  If fresh pineapple isn't an option, use canned- use all the juice for the marinade and grill the rings.
• Get the Swiss cheese at the deli so you buy as many slices as needed-this will be a lot cheaper.  
• I make onion rings when the chicken and pineapple are grilling.  (I'll do a post for those in the future.)  Buy some onion rings if that's easier or omit them from the recipe.
• You'll have some sauce leftover- I usually grill some more chicken the next day,  warm up the sauce and toss them together.  Eat it with some steamed rice- makes a yummy lunch.