Copy Cat Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers

A couple weeks ago I was cleaning up some old posts and came across a Trader Joe’s night dinner including Chicken Chili Lime Burgers, which I had loved at the time.

I remember wanting to recreate them at home at some point, and had even typed out the ingredient list from the package so I could come back later and have a shopping list all ready to go.

I’m so glad I did, because last night I came up with a recipe that both Ben and I liked even better than the original. I present to you a zesty twist on a TJ’s fave: Homemade Chili Lime Chicken Burgers. You’ve got to try these!

How to Make Copy Cat Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers:

For four burgers, you’ll need 1lb ground chicken. I used ground chicken with 5% fat so my burgers would be nice and juicy, but you could use ground chicken breast for a slightly leaner alternative.

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Next add 2 chopped green onions, 1/4 cup minced red pepper, and 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro.

Next add 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, which give the burgers even more zip.

The real hero, though, is the juice of half a lime. It give the burgers a real punch!

Mix all the ingredients together with clean hands, then form the mixture into 4 patties.

You can make these a couple hours ahead of time if need be, just make sure they sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before cooking.

Next, heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat. Chili Lime Chicken Burgers are more of an indoor grill vs outdoor grill type of burger, which is just as well because I found out last weekend that the grill Ben and I have been using for the past four years was recalled like 2 years ago for faulty, I don’t know, flame thingies (?) which could set the grill door (or whatever it’s called) on fire. Awesome!

At any rate, spray each side of the burgers very well with non-stick spray, then grill for 3-4 minutes a side, or until cooked all the way through.

When the burgers are nearly cooked on the second side, add a slice of Pepper Jack Cheese, then place a large pot lid on top to allow the cheese to melt.

While the cheese is melting, mix up a batch of Lazy’s Girl’s Guacamole – that’s just 1 avocado mashed with lime juice and garlic salt. The best!

Place the burgers onto a toasted bun then top with guac!

Soooooo much better than I could have even hoped for! Satisfying, filling, and kind of spicy with a cooling touch from the fresh guacamole. Fantastic! I hope you enjoy!