Jarlsberg Spicy Chicken Bacon Burger

Thank goodness for Jarlsberg cheese. They quite often run recipe contests and I am so happy they do. It inspires Sue and I to think outside the box for ways to use their delicious cheese. This year they ran "The Jarlsberg Burger Recipe Contest" (Link HERE) and Sue and I both came up with our own creations. I'm sharing Sue's today - everyone went completely crazy for hers. I'll share mine next time - it wasn't quite the hit hers was but it's still pretty fancy schmancy (if I do say so myself!). (UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO SEE MINE)

Sue used Jarlsberg cheese twice in her recipe and.... I will give her credit.... she knocked it out of the park with this one: soft brioche bun, a layer of spicy apple chutney, lettuce, a Jarlsberg cheese crisp, crunchy fried chicken, more Jarlsberg cheese (melty this time), crispy bacon, and a bit more spicy apple chutney. 

Drooling yet? 

This is one burger you are going to want to try.... more than once...

Jarlsberg Chicken Burger

Ingredients

Spicy Apple Chutney

3 medium onions

2 Tbsp oil

3 medium apples, peeled and cored

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

pinch cinnamon

1 tsp mustard

2 - 3 Tbsp Sriracha (or to taste)

Crisps

Jarslberg Cheese, shredded

Fried boneless chicken pieces, cooked

lettuce

Jarlsberg cheese, sliced

bacon, cooked

brioche buns

Directions

Prepare the chutney - Caramelize the onions in the oil. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of the cider vinegar and pour the onions and the deglazing liquid into a large pot.
Add the apples, and sugar, and the rest of the cider vinegar. Bring them to a rolling boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the mixture, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Add the lemon juice, curry powder, salt, cinnamon, mustard, and Sriracha. Raise the heat slightly and continue cooking and stirring at a high simmer for another 5 minutes.
Let the mixture cool before putting in an airtight container. The mixture should be kept refrigerated and is best eaten cold. Will last for a couple of weeks refrigerated.

Prepare the Jarlsberg crisps - Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (NOT foil!). Place little mounds (about 2 - 3 Tbsp) of shredded Jarlsberg several inches apart on the parchment paper. they will spread so don't place them to close together. Cook in preheated 350 oven until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool before removing. Set aside. (Can be made ahead and stored in fridge until needed.)

Just before assembling your burger - place fried chicken pieces into a hot oven and top with slices of Jarlsberg cheese. Heat until cheese is melted. 

Assemble burger: Place the bottom of your brioche bun on a serving plate. Top with a generous amount of the spicy apple chutney.

Top with a a piece of lettuce and a Jarlsberg cheese crisp.

Top with the fried chicken and melty cheese.

Now add the crispy, cooked bacon.

Spread a little more of the spicy apple chutney onto the inside of the top bun...

Admire your handiwork...

And then jump right in there.

So good!

The Jarlsberg cheese adds a wonderful nuttiness to the flavor... and the spicy apple chutney pairs so well with the chicken and bacon. All those flavors! All those textures! 

A burger lovers dream come true. For real though.

We haven't heard you won the contest yet but will be sure to update when we do. Sue definitely deserves to be in the running with this recipe. 

Don't tell Sue but I think she may have beat me out in the creativity dept. When I post my recipe I will add a link (update: LINK HERE) so you can click over and check out mine. I went a completely different way. 

Her addition of a Jarlsberg crisp AND the melted Jarlsberg was genius.... not to mention the spicy apple chutney. Maybe a bit of a pain to get everything ready but you can make most of it up ahead of time and TOTALLY worth the effort. 

NOTE - when adding the Sriracha use as much as you like. Less if you are a bit of a wimp (like me), more if you want to bring the heat.