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.
Next add chopped green onions, minced red pepper, and chopped cilantro.
Followed by minced garlic, salt, and 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!
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Copy Cat Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers
Description
Copy Cat Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Burgers are a zesty, fresh twist on chicken for dinner!
Ingredients
- 1lb ground chicken
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lime, cut in half
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
- 4 buns, toasted
- For the guacamole:
- 1 avocado
- garlic salt
- lime juice, to taste
Directions
- Combine chicken, green onions, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and juice of half a lime in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined, then form into 4 patties and spray each side generously with non-stick spray.
- Heat a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill burgers for 3-4 minutes a side, or until cooked all the way through. Place a slice of cheese on top of each burger, then cover with a large pot lid, and allow to melt for about a minute. Remove burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Place each burger on a toasted bun then top with guacamole.
- For the guacamole: Mash all ingredients together with a potato masher or fork.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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!
I made these tonight, and they are fantastic! In fact, my grocery store was out of ground chicken so I made them with ground turkey and they were still amazing. However, I have a couple of comments/questions.
First, I followed the recipe and read the blog later, so that may have been my mistake. However, the blog says to mince the red pepper and the recipe says to chop it. I do believe the burger would’ve held together better had I minced the red onion instead of just chopped it.
Also, I love a quick and easy guacamole. I followed the recipe and used garlic POWDER with salt and pepper. However, the blog says garlic SALT and lime juice. No mention of lime juice in the recipe or pepper in the blog. I’m sure you know the difference between garlic powder and garlic salt, and it’s curious to me that the blog says to use one and the recipe says to use the other. Which do you recommend?
All fixed up for you – thanks for the heads up!
I’ve made these twice now and they’re great! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you enjoy these, Emily!! Really appreciate your star rating, too!
The flavor on these were AMAZING! However, mine turned out a bit dry… anything I can do to boost the juiciness? Or is this just the cost of using ground chicken?
I’m so glad to hear it, Erin! I recommend using ground chicken (which includes white and dark meat,) instead of ground chicken breast. They’ll come out more juicy and tender that way. :)
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