Chicken Chorizo Patty Melts

Awhile back I made a big batch of Mexican-style chorizo using my friend Melissa's recipe. I froze it in 8oz portions and then pretty much forgot all about it. SP has been bugging me to do a better job of keeping the freezer at a manageable level so I asked him to find some recipes using fresh chorizo. When he sent me the link for these Chicken Chorizo Patty Melts I knew I had to try them ASAP.

Man oh man, people, words cannot describe these sandwiches. The chorizo isn't spicy but it has great flavor. You can top anything with caramelized onions and I'll be a fan. And the melted cheese just brings it all together. I especially love that these are served on flat breads. I'm a big fan of flat breads. We bought a package a week last year so I could make these flat bread pizzas. So, so good.

If you have the time and the freezer space I highly recommend making Melissa's chorizo to use in this recipe. I can't speak to the quality and flavor of supermarket fresh chorizo because mine doesn't carry it. All they have is the fully-cooked variety, which doesn't have much flavor at all and wouldn't work in this recipe anyway. But if you have access to excellent, flavorful fresh chorizo, by all means, use that.

Chicken Chorizo Patty Melts
From Sunny Anderson

Patties:
1 pound ground chicken
8 ounces fresh chorizo
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Onions:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large or 2 regular Vidalia or sweet onions, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

spreadable or softened butter
4 oblong/rectangular flat breads (can also use naan or pita)
8 to 10 slices Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese
mayo

In a large bowl, gently but thoroughly combine the chicken, chorizo, garlic, oregano and salt. Form into equal-sized thin patties (I got 5) roughly the size of the bread you will be using or in the case of the flat bread, 1/2 the bread size. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

In a medium saute pan on medium heat melt the butter with the oil. Add the onion and season with a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of pepper, to taste. Saute until the onions are caramelized, about 35 minutes, and set aside.

Preheat a griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on both sides of the flat breads. Add them to the grill pan and cook until both sides have nice grill marks and are starting to get crispy. Remove to a plate.

Add the patties to the grill and cook until crispy on the edges and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Add a slice of cheese to each patty in the last minute of cooking. Remove to a plate. Assemble the sandwiches by spreading some mayo on the bread. Place one of the patties on half the flat bread, then top with some of the onions. Fold the other half of the bread over and serve.