Grilled Caprese Chicken Sliders

** *It’s offi cially Summer and that means two things to me - juicy, vine-ripe tomatoes and fi ring up the grill! FOOD Grilled Caprese Chicken Sliders MY FAVORITE WAY TO ENJOY BOTH of these pleasures is to make Grilled Caprese Chicken Sliders. Simply top grilled chicken parmesan patties with traditional Caprese toppings - fresh mozzarella, basil pesto, and a juicy tomato slice. Serve in a ciabatta roll, and boring grilled chicken becomes a hand-held Italian summer treat! ese little sandwiches have all the avor of their Italian salad inspiration, and their petite size is perfect for little ones, or as a starter, and they are super easy to make ahead of time. However, you may nd yourself wanting a larger portion, as the ground chicken, parmesan, and herb mixture creates such a juicy, avorful patty. is recipe makes 6 slider-size patties, or 4 full-size patties. w

Kathy Dicken lives in Huntersville and is the author of the food blog, “ e Tasty Bits.” For more meal ideas that are simple and delicious, you can follow her blog at www.thetastybits.com or on Instagram @thetastybits.

*INGREDIENTS 1 lb. ground chicken 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil + more for garnish 2 tablespoons - chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove - minced ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella - sliced 2 Roma tomatoes - sliced ½ cup refrigerated prepared pesto 4 count - ciabatta rolls - sliced & cut in half

CAPRESE CHICKEN SLIDERS

SERVINGS: 6 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 12 MINUTES

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken, basil, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt. Use a fork to mix thoroughly. Form into 6 patties, drizzle with olive oil, and turn to coat. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, if not cooking right away.

Next, prepare garnishes. Slice mozzarella into ¼ inch slices. Then, use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out cheese to fi t the patties. Similarly, slice Roma tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. Finally, remove pesto from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature while the chicken cooks.

NOTES:

*For ease of slicing, make sure mozzarella is cold and use a serrated bread knife.

*When making a slider-sized burger, the smaller Roma tomatoes are a good choice for garnish.

*Add extra fl avor by adding the tops and bottoms of ciabatta rolls to the grill for the last couple minutes - just until you see a little char develop.

*To keep with the Italian theme, we

used ciabatta rolls, but really any small roll would work. Note, for small sliders, you may want to cut the rolls in half.

When ready, preheat a grill or greased grill pan. Cook patties over indirect or medium heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until patties reach 165 degrees. Then, top each patty with a slice of mozzarella, cover the grill, and cook 1 minute more while the cheese melts. Remove from the grill.

Finally, transfer the sliders to ciabatta rolls. Top each chicken patty with 1 tablespoon pesto, 1 slice of tomato, basil, and additional parmesan.