Chicken Parm Burgers

Combine chicken, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, and 1/4 cup marinara sauce in a food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is finely ground, forms a ball, and starts spinning around in the food processor. For best results, scrape down the sides of the bowl during the process.

Stop the food processor and transfer chicken mixture into a bowl; cover and chill for about 30 minutes. You can proceed without chilling, but shaping patties is much easier if the mixture is cold. Using wet hands, shape mixture into 4 equal-sized patties. Wrap each patty in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled or until you are ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with foil.

Stir soft butter, crushed garlic, parsley, and pinch of salt together in a small bowl. Place burger buns on the prepared sheet pan, and spread with garlic butter. Dust tops with about 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if desired. 

Toast in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. 

Press patties out to the same size as the bun. Apply panko breadcrumbs to each patty, pressing into both sides of the patty, about 1 tablespoon each.

Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, transfer in the patties, and cook until a golden brown crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over and cook 1 minute, then spoon a little hot marinara sauce onto each. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese over each burger, cover the pan, and cook until the temperature of chicken measured with an instant-read thermometer reaches 150 degrees F (66 degrees C), 2 to 3 minutes more. Rest for 3 minutes, covered, before assembling burgers.

Spoon some hot marinara sauce on the bottom of each bun, and top with chicken Parm burgers, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and the other half of bun. Serve immediately.