Chicken Parmesan Sliders

At the request of a friend, here is "my"(*) recipe for gourmet Chicken Parmesan Sliders!  They are so yummy!

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Chicken Parmesan Sliders


Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic clove(s), finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mixed baby greens
8 dinner roll-sized buns

Directions:
In a small pot with a tight fitting lid, heat olive oil, over medium heat, add garlic and stir 2 minutes, add tomatoes and cover pot, raise heat a bit and cook tomatoes, shaking the pot occasionally, until tomatoes burst, 8-10 minutes. Mash up sauce with wooden spoon and season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Thicken, uncovered for 2-3 minutes, then stir in basil leaves and turn off heat.

Meanwhile, In a medium bowl, combine chicken with thyme and salt and pepper. Form into small patties (2 per serving). In a separate dish, combine breadcrumbs with sesame seeds and Parmesan cheese and parsley. Coat chicken patties in breadcrumbs, gently pressing patties into crumbs to make them stick. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, shallow non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook patties to golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side.

Place a spoonful of ricotta on bun bottom. Top ricotta with some mixed greens, then the patties, add some sauce and bun tops.

(* I have to give credit, where credit is due.  This is not "my" recipe, I got it from http://www.relishrelish.com/)