Wade, my good friend and coworker for many years, joined me at a fancy restaurant in Las Vegas in honor of our friend Lucky’s birthday. He saw me cringe as he politely asked our server to request that the chef prepare a “Chicken Caesar” for him. The broad menu of culinary creations just struck him as too complicated for a late-night-following-a-long-workday meal. I rolled my eyes and the server gave a bit of a twitch. In hindsight, I have rarely been so ashamed of my own behavior: me, an Upstate New York blue-collar girl, suddenly acting too haughty to even sit with someone who would request a Chicken Caesar outside of a highway pit stop. Chef Eric Klein at SW at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel made Wade a fabulous free-range roast chicken Caesar salad. Eric was neither shocked nor insulted by the simple request. Instead, he made a humble visit to the table to remind us all of the Golden Rule of food: the customer is always right. Wade, this burger is for you. Viva Chicken Caesar!
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of the cheese, a pinch of salt, a generous amount of pepper, the Worcestershire, parsley, and lemon zest. Score the mixture and form 4 oval, rather than round, patties.
Step 2
Heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, once around the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Step 3
Preheat the broiler and toast the rolls on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. When they are lightly golden in color, remove the sheet from the oven and rub the breads with the cracked garlic clove. Drizzle the bread with EVOO and sprinkle with the remaining handful of cheese. Return the sheet to the broiler for another 30 seconds, then remove it and let it stand.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine the Dijon, lemon juice, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper. Toss the romaine in the dressing.
Step 5
Place the patties on the roll bottoms and top them with a pile of dressed romaine, sliced tomatoes, and the roll tops. Serve the burgers with chips alongside.
