BBQ Chicken Cheddar Burgers with Spicy Slaw

Cheeseburger. Cheeseburgers. That seems to be all I can think about these days. I finally know how Jimmy Buffett felt when he wrote his slightly annoying but catchy little ditty "Cheeseburger in Paradise." He was obviously in the middle of his own cheeseburger obsession and also probably really stoned, so maybe I don't Totally know how he felt, but I finally get this whole cheeseburger thing.

Born and raised in California, I was fortunate to be well accustomed to the whole In n Out burger phenomenon, but I was always more interested in their animal fries than their double doubles. I just was not a burger girl, ground beef really wasn't my thing . Maybe I had just never had a really good one? Maybe I just preferred having tri-tip at bbqs? Who knows, but thankfully (and not so thankfully to my wallet & waistline) I've had the privilege of tasting some delicious burgers in recent months, and this has turned me into an unabashed cheeseburger lover. Where I live in Portland, Oregon there seems to be a bit of a burger boom right now, which has only been aiding in my burger addiction. My ultimate favorite place to get a cheeseburger is at Lucy's Original food cart. My favorite menu options are the Messenger (blue cheese, apple butter, bacon, & arugula) and the Pineapple Express (cheddar, grilled pineapple, bacon, sriracha mayo, & peanut sauce). Insanely good. For a little finer dining, the burger at Tasty N Sons & Toro Bravo is top notch. If I'm in the Pearl, and in the mood for a more fast food type atmosphere, I also really like Little Big Burger (think perfectly cooked french fries spritzed with truffle oil!).

Have I made anyone hungry yet? Where are your "best" burger places? At home, what are your favorite special toppings or condiments?

BBQ Cheddar Chicken Burgers with Spicy Slaw
Adapted from Rachael Ray
I can't always go out for a burger, nor can I successfully recreate the above burgers at home. So when I am wanting cheeseburgers, I will usually make this version at home. The spicy slaw is really what makes this burger feel special. It would also work great on a french roll with some grilled chicken too, a la "bahn mi" style.

For the Spicy Slaw:

1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (if you don't like cilantro, substitute Italian parsley)
1/2 small red cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
In a bowl combine all ingredients and set aside. Season with salt and pepper.

For the burgers:

2 pounds ground chicken
1/2 cup bbq sauce
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into tiny diced pieces
4 kaiser rolls or pub buns
In a bowl combine chicken, bbq sauce, cheese, and salt and pepper. mix together and divide mixture into 4 patties. They should be about 1 inch thick. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat (electric skillets work great for this) Drizzle with olive oil if necessary to keep from sticking. Cook burgers about 7 minutes on each side until cooked through. Toast buns, top with burgers and spicy slaw!