As tailgating season is almost upon us, as part of a sponsored post for Collective BiasĀ® #CreateAMeal , I made these juicy and flavorful hatch chile chicken burgers using Tyson ground chicken. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.
The Hungryman and I are super excited for the football season to begin...for different reasons. He truly loves the game, especially college football (he bleeds orange through and through - burnt orange, that is), while I am more pumped up about the food - brainstorming recipe ideas and how to make them healthier, cooking and baking, eating - all of it. And when there's good food, Hungryman seems less hostile and defeated when his 'Horns or his Texans lose. I'm praying for a better season (especially for the Longhorns) for the sake of peace in this house.
When I think football and tailgating, burgers are the first thing that come to mind, thanks to my burgervorous husband. I enjoy making them at home as I can control the amount of fat, sodium, etc and the quality of the ingredients...not to mention it's a lot more economical esp when feeding a crowd.
While Hungryman would NEVER order a chicken or other "alternative" burger at a restaurant, he gladly chows down on them at home. This time I used Tyson fresh, all-natural ground chicken, which I found in the fresh meats section of Walmart (you can check out my shopping trip here). Until recently, I had no idea that Tyson offers a wide selection of fresh meat, including beef and pork.
And since it's hatch chile season, I decided to add some southwest flare to this one. This hatch chile chicken burger is super simple to make, requiring minimal ingredients, and can be ready to devour in under 30 minutes.
First, the hatch chiles need to be roasted. Simply place the chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet and place them under the broiler (flipping in between) until both sides are nicely charred, about 10-15 min. I wish there was some way to bottle the spicy, slightly citrusy and earthy aroma that lets you know they're cooking. Delicious! Once they are cooled, gently peel off the black skin, and scrape the seeds out. Nothing to it!
Season the ground chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin. Form into patties and cook on a grill or in a grill pan. Cook on each side for 8-1o min or until they turn golden brown and the internal temp reads 165ĀŗF.
Once they are cooked through, top with pepper jack cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese has covered the patty like a blanket...melted just as it was meant to be. Top with hatch chile relish and cilantro-mayo, and your burger is ready to enjoy! As for the relish, I liked the pop of flavor that the red wine vinegar contributed. It added a nice tanginess w/each bite and compensated for the lack of other burger fixings. However, the Hungryman (who prefers his burgers more classic) didn't enjoy it as much as I did. You can decide. I think it would be perfectly fine to leave out the vinegar all together and savor the hatch chiles in all their roasted glory :).
I'm not one to toot my own horn, but the burgers turned out great! We were able to get a nice crust on the patties, while the meat remained tender and flavorful on the inside. The cumin really added to the southwest feel that I was going for. The cilantro mayo was light and cool and helped mellow out some of the heat imparted by the pepper jack and the relish. If you're not into spicy foods, you may want to consider an alternate cheese, such as monterey jack, as the hatch chiles have plenty of kick on their own.

Ingredients
Burgers:
- 1 Ib ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 3 slices pepper jack cheese
- 3 hamburger buns split and lightly toasted
Hatch Chile Relish
- 4 hatch chiles - roasted peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro Mayo
- 2 Tbs mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 Tbs chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For hatch chile relish and cilantro mayo
- Combine all relish ingredients in a bowl and season w/salt and pepper, to taste. Repeat with mayo ingredients in a separate bowl.
For burgers
- Preheat grill or heat a large nonstick grill pan over med-high heat. Add oil and wait until it begins to sizzle. Season ground chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin. Divide into 3 equal portions. Cook burgers until golden brown on both sides and internal temp reaches 165 F, about 8-10 minutes per side. Top with cheese and place under broiler until cheese is melted.
To serve
- Place hatch chile relish on cheese-covered patty. Spread a generous amount of cilantro-mayo on lightly toasted top bun. Pop the top on and enjoy!
Nutrition
Thien-Kim says
I've never heard of hatch chiles. I'll have to keep an eye for them. I love spicy food.
Linda @ With A Blast says
Congrats Min! Your recipe was the MOST VIEWED link at our All My Bloggy Friends party last week! Can't wait to see what you will link this week š
Min says
Yay! Thank you so much!!
Rae @ Disorganized Musings says
Looks delicious! I will have to try this!
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
Yum! Love Hatch chilies! Shared this on Facebook! Thanks for linking up to All My Bloggy Friends this week! š
Erin @ Table for 7 says
They sound delicious and look beautiful Min! Thank you so much for linking this week at Share Your Stuff Tuesdays š
Jenni @ Jenni's Ferris Wheel of Food says
We love Hatch chilis!!! I just roasted some up and putting them on top of a burger is perfect! Thanks for sharing. Stopping by from Tasty Tuesdays!
Jenni @Jenni's Ferris Wheel of Food
Shawna says
This is right up my alley! I love football and this recipe would be a great burger to serve. Have a great week
Jenna says
Looks and sounds divine, I don't know if I'm brave enough for all those chilies, but maybe one or two! Great flavor combo!
Min says
Yes you are, Jenna! You are brave ;). Bet you can handle more than two hehe
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
We had burgers tonight, and I feel still hungry looking at your delicious burgers! Never had so much chile on the burger and I'm curious to know how it's like! š
Min says
Ooh! What kind of burgers did you guys have? I'm sure they were amazing! The heat and the flavor from the hatch chiles is not as overwhelming as say a jalapeƱos would be and don't overwhelm the burger. Tim would have preferred less vinegar but I kinda liked it as it was.
marcie says
I've had a burger like this on my to-do list for a while, and boy does yours look perfect! I just ate dinner, yet I want one of these!
Susie@homemaker-mom.com says
Wow that looks great! This truly looks like something my husband would love! I am stopping by from Marvelous Monday Blog hop! I look forward to your visit!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
I like watching a little football but I'm like you. I love making food to munch on while we are watching games!
This is a lovely burger, Min. And I just LOVE all of those peppers on top. Pinning this and sharing on FB and Twitter. Thanks for sharing at Marvelous Mondays!
cquek says
Youāve found my weakness.
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
That relish sounds incredible! I think I'd be adding it to everything š
Karen says
Looks like I just stumbled upon my dinner menu for tonight. Having lived in Albuquerque for many years these chiles are a staple in my house whether canned, fresh or frozen. I put them in nearly everything from eggs to dips to beans & soups. Thanks much for the recipe...I'm hungry already!
Min says
You're obviously a hatch chile pro! š Do you have any suggestions for me? What is your most favorite recipe?
Robyn Wright of RobynsOnlineWorld.com says
Ohhh those look good! I've never heard of hatch chiles before either!
Min says
You MUST try them if you can get your hands on some!
felicia | Dish by Dish says
This looks amazing Min! The chiles on top, together with the blanker of cheese....ahh! Can't wait to try one like this! And, Tim's really lucky that you made these for him! I'm sure he's contented as can be! xoxo, love to the both of you!
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos says
I love all of these flavors together! This looks like an incredible burger š