Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh, Recipe Developer and Food Blogger, Healthyish Foods
Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Serves: 4
Brighten up your week with these chicken apple sliders. They are juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor. Topped with caramelized onions, tart green apple and melty cheddar cheese, these sliders are the perfect way to kickoff Spring. Perfect for brunch or as a fun after school snack, these mini burgers are guaranteed to be a family favorite.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Apple Sliders
1 lb Smart Chicken ground chicken
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 large green apple, peel the skin, grate the apple, and then press out any moisture using a paper towel.
1 large egg
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon salt
Few turns of cracked black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil , for shallow frying the sliders
Buns, Caramelized Onions and Toppings
12 King’s Hawaiian potato rolls , sliced in half
¼ cup salted butter , used to toast the buns
2 large white onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons red wine , I used cabernet sauvignon
Pinch of salt
1 green apple for garnish, sliced thin
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grab an 9×11-inch baking dish and gently spray it with cooking spray. Set it aside.
Gently spray and 11-inch skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat add the sliced onions and allow them to sweat in the pan. Stir frequently. Once the onions are translucent and begin to brown, add the red wine and a pinch of salt. Stir well and simmer over medium low heat until they are dark in color and well caramelized. Set aside.
Peel the green apple an grate it into small pieces. Using a paper towel, squeeze out all excess moisture. Set the pressed apple aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 2% milk, spices, and the pressed green apples. Mix well and form sliders. I was able to get 14 slider patties from my mixture. This will vary depending on how large you want your sliders to be. Grab an 11-inch skillet and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, you can begin to sear the sliders on the outside. I cooked mine over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Once all of the sliders are golden brown, add them to the prepared baking dish. Top them with cheddar cheese and cover with foil. Cook the sliders for 20-25 minutes or until they are fully cooked through. Cooking time will vary based on the size of your sliders.
While the sliders are cooking in the oven, heat a large skillet over medium / low heat. Smear the butter on the inside of the potato rolls. Place the rolls butter side down on the pan allowing them to get golden-brown and toasted. Once they have a golden-brown color, remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Place the toasted buns on a baking tray. Add one chicken slider per roll. Top the slider with some of the caramelized onions, sliced green apple and the top of the roll. Serve warm. You can also add them back into the baking dish and warm them in the oven.