I’ve posted a recipe for roasting cherry tomatoes elsewhere, but that was for long term preservation. Here is quick refresher:

I had about 4 ounces/60 grams cherry tomatoes. Any amount is fine. You’ll also need salt and olive oil.

Preheat oven to 325/160F

Wash and halve your tomatoes. Place on a foil-lined baking tray. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes. Salt lightly.

Place tray in oven. Bake for 30-90 minutes. This is a wide range, but baking time depends on your oven and how dried out you want your tomatoes.

Tomatoes may be baked well ahead; they’ll keep in a covered container, refrigerated, for a week.

To make the cheddar chicken burgers:

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C

Cover a large baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking liner.

Place chicken and seasonings in a large bowl and mix lightly. Do not overhandle, or the burgers will be tough.

Form chicken mixture into patties; the size is up to you. I make palm-sized burgers, and usually get 9-10 out this amount.

Lay the patties on the baking sheet. Slice the cheese, and place the slices atop the burgers.

If you are cooking onion with the chicken burgers, add it to the baking tray. If you live with onion haters, as I do, park the onion in a corner.

Place tray in oven and cook burgers for 10-12 minutes. Chicken burgers are done when juices run clean and meat is a dull beige color throughout. I usually designate one burger as a tester and slice it in half. If meat appears pinkish, put it back in the oven.

Move chicken burgers off the tray to individual plates or platter.

Allow baking tray to cool completely before removing any cheese that has melted onto the foil. Once cool, it will be easy to remove. Eat it all yourself, in the kitchen, or be generous and share amongst diners.

Serve cheddar chicken burgers with roasted tomato, lettuce, onion (roasted or not), and pickles. We like burgers with tortillas, but any flatbread would work. So would buns. Mustard, catsup, mayonnaise, and hot sauce are tasty accompaniments to cheddar chicken burgers.

Cheddar chicken burgers keep, refrigerated, up to five days and may be frozen, well-wrapped, up to three months.

Notes:

As noted in the post, the seasoning is up to you. Fresh herbs are always delicious. Sumac, ginger, scallions, and finely minced water chestnuts are all good (though not with cheese). The possibilities are endless.

I did not measure the cheese. Once I’d formed the patties, I cut pieces off the block.

Chicken cheddar burgers may be broiled, pan fried, or baked in a toaster oven.