Portobello Mushroom Burger with Grilled Balsamic Chicken

Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Grilled Balsamic Chicken are easy to make, healthy and delicious!  I'm so excited to have discovered these amazing no-carb/gluten-free/high-protein/big-taste "burgers" using a roasted portobello mushrooms as a bun. Both the chicken breasts and portobellos were marinated in a balsamic dressing and grilled. I added caramelized onions, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves for the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It was meaty and juicy like a good portobello mushroom burger should be. I love a healthy recipe that seems like foodie heaven. I hereby name them "Chickabellos".

Portobello Mushroom Burgers are also very adaptable for different diet needs.  For vegetarians, just replace the chicken with avocado, grilled eggplant or marinated tofu. You can also make them without using any olive oil or fat for anyone on a no-fat diet, and they still taste great. Try a quick mist of olive oil on each mushroom for very limited fat. If you want the calories or the fat for a Keto diet (yes, some people really do), then use lots of olive oil in the marinade, and caramelize the onions in butter.

For a healthier version of caramelized onions, sliced onions can be caramelized in a non-stick pan with just salt and a little water! Cook slowly, and in about 15 minutes you will have beautiful brown onions.

Please comment below and let me know if you try this fabulous Portobello Mushroom Burger!

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Chicken Portobello Mushroom Burger

Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Grilled Balsamic Chicken are easy to make, healthy and delicious.  These no-carb/gluten-free/high-protein/big-taste "burgers" using a roasted portobello mushrooms as a bun. Both the chicken breasts and portobellos were marinated in a balsamic dressing and grilled. Add caramelized onions, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves for the perfect balance of sweet and savory. 

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 8 large portobello mushrooms trimmed and cleaned (remove the dark gills with edge of a spoon)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
• 4 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup caramelized onions see note below
• ⅓ cup Balsamic Glaze store-bought bottle

Balsamic marinade

• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓   cup white balsamic vinegar red balsamic vinegar also works
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey optional

Instructions

Marinate the chicken:

• Whisk all the ingredients for the marinade together. Place the chicken breasts in a ziplock bag, and pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Roast the portobello mushrooms:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the cleaned portobello mushrooms with olive oil on both sides. Season the cap with a light dusting of salt and pepper.  Place the portobellos cap-side down on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Roast the portobellos for 15 minutes or until a golden brown. Remove from oven and set the mushrooms aside. These can roasted ahead of time since they will be warmed again on the grill with the chicken.

Grill the chicken and portobellos

• Preheat the grill to medium high.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and place on the hot grill.  Cook for about 5  minutes on each side with the lid closed for the first 5 minutes.  Use a digital thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Cook the chicken until 150 degrees.  Do not overcook.  The chicken will continue cooking after it is removed from the hot grill.
• During the last 5 minutes of grilling the chicken, place the portobello mushrooms on the grill stem-side down. Brush some balsamic glaze on top of each portobello cap. Flip once for some grill marks.

Assemble the Portobello Mushroom in this order:

• Place one gilled portobello cap side down, drizzle of balsamic glaze, grilled chicken breast, caramelized onions, basil leaves, fresh mozzarella slice, drizzle of balsamic glaze and top with a portobello mushroom cap-side up.
• Note: Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, after grilling, you can slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make a thinner and more even chicken breast for easier eating on the burger.
• Note: To make caramelized onions, slice 2 medium onions and cook in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat for about 15 minutes with 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt until golden brown. Add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to prevent sticking.