Every once in a while I get a very specific craving for a turkey burger. Not just the patty itself, but the bun, tomato, and the whole deal. I wanted to do something a little different this time, so came up with these super yum Green Chile Turkey Burgers, infused with green chiles, cumin, and pepper jack cheese. They did not disappoint.
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These Green Chile Turkey Burgers only take about 10 minutes to mix up and then depending on how you cook them, just a few minutes more until they’re ready to eat. It doesn’t really get better than that for a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner! I topped my burger with sliced tomato and avocado, but completely forgot to buy the lettuce. The avocado slices were absolutely to die for with this burger, but are completely optional if avocados are out of season or otherwise too expensive. But you know, lettuce would be good too, I guess. :)
Pairs well with:
- Cumin Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Cowboy Caviar
- Warm Avocado and Corn Salad
- Chili Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Cumin Lime Coleslaw
Green Chile Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 19 oz. pkg ground turkey ($4.49)
- 4 oz. can diced green chiles, drained ($0.69)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2-3 green onions, sliced ($0.13)
- 2 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded ($0.61)
- 5 hamburger buns ($2.91)
- 1 large tomato (optional) ($0.95)
- 1 large avocado (optional) ($1.50)
Instructions
- Place the ground turkey, green chiles (drained), sliced green onions, shredded pepper jack, cumin, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Divide and shape the mixture into five patties. The mixture will be fairly wet.
- Cook the burgers in a skillet, on a grill, or using an indoor grill like a George Foreman, until they are cooked through (internal temperature of 165ºF) and well browned on the outside. Cooking time will depend on the method, size, and thickness of your patties.
- Serve each patty on a bun with a slice of tomato, a couple slices of avocado, and a smear of mayonnaise.
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Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Green Chile Turkey Burgers – Step by Step Photos
These burgers are incredibly simple. You only need a few ingredients to add TONS of flavor to the ground turkey. All you need is one 19 oz. package of ground turkey, 2 oz. shredded pepper jack (about 1/2 cup), 2-3 green onions sliced, one 4 oz. can of diced green chiles (drained), 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. To measure the cheese I just cut an 8 oz. block of cheese into quarters then shredded one of them. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl…
Then mix them all together until well combined. This mixture is pretty wet thanks to the green chiles, but I was still able to form them into patties. They held together well when cooked.
Divide this mixture into five equal portions (that’s about 1/4 lb. per burger) and form them into patties.
Cook the burgers in a skillet, on a grill, or on an indoor grill like the George Foreman, until they are cooked through (internal temperature of 165ºF) and browned on the outside. I suggest using an instant read thermometer to make sure. They’re not very expensive and incredibly useful in the kitchen.
Top your Green Chili Turkey Burgers with whatever you like. I added a slice of fresh tomato, some avocado, and a light smear of mayo. SO GOOD!
I made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious! I replaced the 1/2 teaspoon of cumin with a 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder instead. They turned out great! I will be making this again. ๐
I made these burgers precisely as the recipe is written. We loved them. I have been trying to get my husband to like ground turkey, something we both have struggled with over the years. He liked this burger, as do I. It is very flavorful, and the additions make the texture of the turkey well-suited for a burger.
As if this recipe was not easy as it is, I placed the extra 3 in the freezer for an easier weeknight dinner. Thanks so much for creating this great burger.
I really love this baseline recipe. I made this the other night with a couple of tweaks based on what I had on hand. Instead of green chilis, I chopped up a chipotle pepper in adobo, which added a nice smoky, spicy flavor. I also added an egg and maybe a table spoon of breadcrumbs. I used monterey jack instead of pepperjack to balance out the heat from the chipotle. I also used a pineapple and poblano guacamole that I found at Aldi instead of the plain sliced avocado. Finally, instead of mayo I used a sweet n spicy mustard. They were a hit at my house!
SO BOMB!!! And the best part is that they were so easy. Just throw everything together, mix it up and the hard work is done. I added 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs and omitted the cheese in the meat mixture. My toppings were barbecue sauce and melted cheddar. I followed the advice of another commenter and made them in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through and adding the cheddar slices for the last 2 minutes. Absolutely delicious, quick and easy. Beth has done it again.
Very tasty with great flavor. I added an egg to help bind the burgers and keep them from falling apart.
These were great. My whole family loved these burgers. I cooked them on the stove top first then finished the burgers in the oven.ย
I made use of what I had on hand ย an the listed ingredients. So flavorful an tasty.ย
Unbelievable. I made use of what I had an the listed ingredients. So flavorful an tasty.ย
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Iโve made these a few times and I love them!ย
Tasted great but they fell apart. Any tips on preventing that in the future?
Sorry to hear that Liz! You could always add an egg to help bind the meat.
I added a half cup of plain bread crumbs an they were fine.ย
I made this for dinner last night and they were delicious! I wish I doubled the recipe so I had one for lunch today ๐ข, Adding this recipe to my regular rotation.ย
Hi Beth, if you were to freeze these would you freeze them raw, or cook them and then freeze them? Thanks for all your insanely good recipes!
Hi Matt! Honestly you could do either. If you freeze them raw, I would place them on wax or parchment paper so they don’t stick together. If you freeze them cooked, they’ll be easy to reheat and eat in a pinch!
Amazing! I didn’t have green chiles so I used green salsa instead and they were still delicious.
I’ve made tons of your recipes and they’ve all been delicious but I’ve shamefully never left a comment. I’m leaving one now because these were the best turkey burger’s I’ve ever made! I had about 16 ounces of turkey so I added about 3 ounces of bacon but kept the rest the same. Your website has saved me during a lot of lean years so thank you!