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!
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Karen 09.17.2013
I tried these today and my hubby and I both loved them. Wish we could find those “thin buns” you mention. Did you get them from Trader Joes?
Karen
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Trish 04.28.2013
Best chicken burgers ever! They were a hit:). My sis is really picky about ground chicken and she loved them!
Cassie 04.07.2013
I pinned this a while ago and somehow forgot about it. But I’ve made it twice in the last week! I love them!! I add some lemon to my guacamole (I don’t care if it’s lazy girl or not, but it’s seriously the best guac I’ve ever had!) I use roasted red peppers in mine rather than the fresh (That way I don’t get any complaints about crunch in the burger.
So good and so healthy, too!
Oh, and I wish my ground chicken was as cheap as yours!! My 430g pack cost me $6.50 on SALE
Kristin 03.17.2013
Made these tonight. I used turkey for me and ground beef for my husband. Both turned out phenomenal. Ground turkey is hit or miss for me but these were flavorful and moist. We froze extras to have on hand. Oh an they held up well on the outdoor grill. Thanks for a great recipe!
Amber 02.24.2013
Made the TJ chicken chili burgers tonight. Loved them and so did the entire family!!
Becky 02.09.2013
These.are.Amazing! I love the TJ’s version and was thrilled to find this recipe while browsing on Pinterest. They are fantastic and taste very close to the original except for that gross aftertaste…score! Thanks so much for sharing, definitely a keeper.
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Andrea Gurine 01.01.2013
WOW! These were super yummy! Thank you so much for another tasty recipe. PS I added just a pinch of ground cumin to my avocado mash. My bf didn’t want any since he doesn’t like ‘chunks in my burgers’ so I am eating one for lunch tomorrow and freezing the other two for future use. :)
Hollie 12.31.2012
These are soooo good! I made them with ground turkey, my Hyvee didn’t have ground chicken. I was a little scared because I normally hate turkey burgers, but these were so flavorful that I will be making them over and over! My favorite new recipe this week :)
Lindsay 12.31.2012
I just made this for lunch today. It was AMAZING!! I just found your blog recently and will be trying lots more of your recipes! Thanks :)
lordshock01 12.30.2012
wow that looks delicious
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