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    Home > Main Courses > Main Dishes Chicken > Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers

    Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers

    Published: Jul 3, 2022 · Modified: Feb 22, 2023 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Hatch Chile Chicken Burgers.

    Roasted green chile peppers bring a moist and spicy element to these ground chicken burgers. Add some Southwestern seasonings and you’ve kicked up your burger game to Fiesta level.

    Southwest ground chicken burgers with a slice of tomato and watermelon for a side.

    If I were to choose a “last meal” it would be beef burgers, grilled or pan fried, doesn’t matter. Cheese not necessary, topped with onion and some mustard. It’s my favorite thing on earth to eat.

    But when I feel the need to lighten up my burger game, ground chicken burgers are a great choice. Especially if they’re stuffed to the brim with everyone’s favorite Southwestern ingredient, roasted Hatch chile peppers.

    Using ground chicken makes this a healthier choice than ground beef without losing that burger feel that we all love.

    But How Do You Make Juicy Chicken Burgers?

    And one that’s not dry and boring?

    If not prepared correctly, ground chicken burgers can feel mushy which can cause them to break apart once they hit a hot grill or hot stove-top pan.

    A way to fix that problem is by adding bread crumbs to the ground chicken mixture. It’s an easy trick to insure a solid chicken burger patty recipe that will stay together.

    The chicken burgers will cook up like a charm, and by adding a vegetable with a high moisture content, such as chopped Hatch chile peppers, they’ll stay nice and moist.

    Let’s take a look.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    ingredients to make ground chicken burgers.
    • Hamburger Buns: Sesame works well here.
    • 1 Pound Ground Chicken: Either ground chicken breast or a mix of ground chicken breast and chicken thighs.
    • Chile Peppers: Use roasted, peeled, seeded Hatch Chile or Pueblo Chile Peppers.
    • Lettuce: A soft leaf lettuce works well here, such as red leaf, Bibb or Butter Lettuce. Want more of a crunch? Iceberg lettuce would also be a good choice.
    • Tomato, sliced.
    • Cilantro: Fine chopped.
    • Panko Bread Crumbs
    • Cumin
    • Mayonnaise
    • Dijon Mustard

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Cilantro: If you simply don’t like cilantro, just omit it.
    • Dijon: Substitute regular yellow mustard for Dijon.
    • Chile Peppers: If you don’t have access to fresh chile peppers, purchase canned chopped chile peppers on the Mexican food aisle.
    • Mayonnaise: Substitute Sour Cream for extra tang. Or be brave and use Chipotle Mayo in it’s place.

    Tip: On Cleaning Roasted Chile Peppers: Friends don’t let friends use water to remove the blistered skins off roasted chile peppers. Just scrape the skins off with your hands. If you rinse them with water, you’re washing away some of that smoky flavor that we all love.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Ground chicken and ingredients in a bowl to make ground chicken patties.
    Ground chicken meat ready to make chicken patties.
    • Step 1: Combine ground chicken, cumin, chopped chiles, chopped cilantro, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. 
    • Step 2: Using your hands, gently mix until well combined.

    Tip; Hands are always the best tool for mixing ground meat. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the meat mixture to be dry and too dense in texture.

    Ground chicken burger patties.
    Cooking ground chicken patties stove top in a grill pan.
    • Step 3: Divide the meat mixture into four patties.
    • Step 4: Brush grates or grill pan with oil and grill burgers, flipping a few times, until good grill marks are present and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees internal temperature. 8 – 10 minutes.
    Can I Grind My Own Chicken?

    Yes, and It’s so easy. Buy 16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pat them dry, chop them into large chunks and pop them into food processor. A few pulses and voila, ground chicken meat. You can also combine boneless skinless chicken thighs with chicken breast for a fattier blend, which will add flavor and texture.

    What Kind Of Ground Chicken Should I Buy?

    Buying ground chicken breast from the store is easy and readily available. Most ground chicken is a mix between dark and white meat. The bit of added fat from the dark meat is a plus in adding flavor and texture to your chicken burger. You can also use ground chicken breast.

    Can I Cook Ground Chicken Burgers In An Indoor Grill Pan?

    Don’t have an outdoor grill? Yes, you can use a cast iron skillet or grill pan to make these indoors. Just spray the pan with non-stick spray and brush the pan with olive or canola oil using a brush. Get that pan nice and hot to insure those initial sear marks.

    How Many Burger Patties Will This Recipe Make?

    I usually like to prepare three pound burger patties from one pound meat. However, with the added ingredients in this ground chicken burger, this recipe will make four good sized chicken burgers.

    Are These Chicken Burgers Spicy?

    That’s the beauty of chile peppers. You can purchase mild, medium or hot. Which puts you in control of the heat level.

    Tips For Success

    Here are more tips to make a great chicken burger even greater.

    • Mix fine chopped vegetables into the ground meat. Vegetables have a high water content and will help bring moisture and texture to that chicken burger. Example. This recipe contains chopped Hatch Chile Peppers.
    • Don’t cook them to death! Start with a high temperature to develop a sear, cooking about a minute or so each side, lower heat and finish cooking the burger.
    • Remove your chicken from the heat before you think it’s done. For example, if you like your chicken slightly pink, take your chicken off the grill when it’s a bit pinker, tent it with foil for about 5 minutes. It will continue cooking on its own. Please remember that chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a digital meat thermometer to determine temperature.
    • Add tomato and lettuce to your chicken burger bun, they will bring a juicy slice of moisture to the overall experience.

    The French get involved for a delicious finish to this recipe. A mixture of Dijon and mayo make a great condiment for chicken burgers.

    Storing

    It’s easy to freeze chicken burgers. For just the two of us, I make the chicken patties, then cook just two and freeze the other two raw patties to cook at a later date. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap or a freezer zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator and grill the next day.

    Recipe for Southwest Chicken Burger

    Green chile chicken burger on a sesame bun with red leaf lettuce.

    I hope you give this unique Southwest chicken burger recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

    These homemade chicken burgers are easy enough for a weeknight meal and so satisfying with flavor. They may just be the perfect chicken burger.

    More Popular Burger Recipes

    • Steakhouse Burger with Fry Sauce
    • Juicy Perfect Bison Burgers
    • Chicken Chorizo Burger with Cumin-Lime Quick Pickles
    • Silver Spur Ranch Blue Cheese Burgers

    And if you’re a burger fanatic like us, don’t miss my post which features a line up of Best Grilled Burgers recipes. I’m positive you’ll find something you’ll fall in love with.

    And if you’re looking for more chicken recipes, don’t miss my Chicken Category. You’ll find lots of chicken recipes for dinner, including the most popular on my site for Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet.

    Are you green chile crazed? Take a look at the most popular and most classic chile recipe on my site, How to Make Hatch Green Chili, Colorado Style.

    This recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe = always reliable.

    Southwest ground chicken burgers with a slice of tomato and watermelon for a side.

    Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers with Green Chile Peppers

    Jazz up those Summer burgers with these Green Chile Chicken Burgers. Oozing with green chile and Southwestern flair.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course Chicken
    Cuisine: Southwestern
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 386kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound ground chicken Either ground chicken breast, or ground chicken (combo of breast and thigh meat)
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 6 large roasted Hatch Chile tops and skin removed, chopped (or two cans diced green chile, drained
    • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves fine chopped
    • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs or fresh bread crumbs, chopped well.
    • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • Canola oil for brushing
    • 1 tomato sliced
    • leaf lettuce Soft lettuce like red leaf, butter or bibb
    • 4 sesame seed buns
    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream.
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat grill to medium high, or heat a grill pan over medium high heat stove top.
    • Combine chicken, cumin, chiles, chopped cilantro, bread crumbs and salt and pepper.
    • Using your hands, gently mix and divide into 4 patties.
    • Brush grates or grill pan with oil and grill burgers, flipping a couple of times, until good grill marks are present and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees internal temperature. 8 – 10 minutes.
    • Grill buns, just until toasted, about one minute. Serve burgers on buns with tomato slices, mayo and mustard mixture, and lettuce.

    Notes

    Substitute Chipotle Mayo for regular mayo. 
    Tip; Hands are always the best tool for mixing ground meat. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the meat mixture to be dry and too dense in texture.
    Buying ground chicken breast from the store is easy and readily available. Most ground chicken is a mix between dark and white meat. The bit of added fat from the dark meat is a plus in adding flavor and texture to your chicken burger. You can also use ground chicken breast.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1068IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.

    Hatch Green Chile Chicken Burgers … They’re what’s for Dinner.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heather Blake says

      June 18, 2017 at 9:32 am

      Im down for that! Looks yummy! Green chili anything is ok in my book!

      Reply
    2. Ashley Matsko says

      July 27, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for mentioning Hatch Green Chile. We would love to send you a free box of our Hatch Green Chile as a thank you. If you’re interested, please send me an email with your mailing address.

      Reply
    3. Morgan says

      July 27, 2016 at 2:58 pm

      Mm, this sounds so good! I love the side items you went with-very refreshing! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Rocky Mountain Woman says

      July 06, 2016 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      These look amazing. I am with you on Martha. I have almost all of her books and have never been steered wrong by one of her recipes.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:00 pm

        Me too – so far.

        Reply
    5. John/Kitchen Riffs says

      July 06, 2016 at 8:55 am

      I go back and forth on washing the skins off my Hatch chilies. You absolutely do lose some flavor, but they’re already so flavorful that I don’t know if it matters much. I should do a taste test one of these days! Anyway, I love burgers too. And almost always beef for me. Need to try these chicken burgers. Need to wait until later this summer when I can get Hatch chilies again — I’ve exhausted my frozen supply!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:01 pm

        I’ve got a freezer full – come for a visit. 😉

        Reply
    6. Susan says

      July 05, 2016 at 4:43 pm

      I know I’m missing out on something very special with those Hatch chilies! Wish I could find them here. What a great idea to switch up the burger menu and give it a Southwestern twist. They look wonderful!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:01 pm

        You can always order them. There are companies in NM that ship frozen.

        Reply
    7. Linda@ThereandBackAgainFood says

      July 04, 2016 at 8:50 am

      I have never tried a chicken burger, probably because I’m not a fan of turkey burgers. However, this one sounds and looks delicious, so I think I’ll give it a go!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:03 pm

        I’ll take my beef burgers any time, but it’s nice to try something new.

        Reply
    8. Debra says

      July 04, 2016 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      Love Hatch green chiles and love this burger. The flavor pairings sound amazing. (Glad the French got involved at the last minute!)

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:03 pm

        I’m glad the French got involved also – love that Dijon. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Larry says

      July 04, 2016 at 6:32 am

      I’ve never eaten a chicken burger but this sounds very good. Green chiles make everything better and we plan to restock while out that way.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:04 pm

        If you’re coming in July, we won’t have any available yet. Signed Debbie Downer.

        Reply
    10. Vickie says

      July 03, 2016 at 8:12 pm

      What a great recipe! I am very into ground turkey but have texture issues and never thought of adding bread crumbs. This is a game changer. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        July 09, 2016 at 3:05 pm

        Martha’s original recipe didn’t call for bread crumbs, my idea. It seemed to work pretty darn good. I was just too afraid of that odd texture without.

        Reply

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    I'm Lea Ann, Welcome to my Colorado kitchen. I'm a Culinary School Grad with a passion to inspire you to cook as often as you can. Here you'll find Wild West Colorado inspired recipes along some Southwestern and Mexican food favorites. I also share some special recipes from school along pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

    More about me →

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