I’ve been making this green chile cheeseburger for my family for over fifteen years now, and it never gets old. My husband first tried one when we visited New Mexico back in 2008, and he wouldn’t stop talking about it for weeks. So naturally, I had to figure out how to recreate it at home.
The thing about green chile burgers is they’re not complicated. You don’t need fancy ingredients or special techniques. What you need is good ground beef, decent green chiles, and the patience to let the flavors meld together. My teenagers request these at least twice a month, which tells you something about how good they are.
Living in the Midwest, finding good green chiles used to be a challenge. I’ve tried every brand in the grocery store, and I’ve learned which ones are worth buying and which ones taste like water. The Hatch brand is solid if you can find it. The 505 brand works well too. In a pinch, I’ve even used the canned ones from the Mexican food aisle, though they’re not quite the same.
What Makes These Burgers Work
The secret isn’t really a secret – it’s just good timing and not overthinking things. I warm the green chiles in a small pan with a little garlic powder and salt while the burgers cook. This step makes a difference. Cold chiles straight from the jar just don’t taste right on a hot burger.
I use 80/20 ground beef because anything leaner dries out too easily. My kids are picky about texture, and dry burgers end up in the trash. The fat content matters more than most people realize.
For cheese, I stick with American. I know it’s not fancy, but it melts perfectly and doesn’t overpower the green chile flavor. My daughter went through a phase where she insisted on cheddar, but she came back to American after a few tries.
How I Make Them
I keep this simple because weeknight dinners need to be manageable. Form four patties from a pound of ground beef, making them slightly bigger than your buns since they’ll shrink. Season both sides with salt and pepper – that’s it. No fancy spice blends needed.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties about four minutes on the first side, flip, and cook another three to four minutes depending on how you like them done. I go for medium because that’s what my family prefers.
While the second side cooks, I heat about a cup of chopped green chiles in a small saucepan with half a teaspoon each of salt and garlic powder. Just warm them through – takes maybe three minutes.
Add the cheese to the burgers in the last minute of cooking. I learned this timing through trial and error. Too early and the cheese gets weird and rubbery.
Toast the buns if you want, though honestly, I skip this step half the time because I’m usually juggling three other things while making dinner.
What I’ve Learned Over the Years
Don’t press down on the burgers while they cook. I see people do this all the time, and it just squeezes out the juices. Let them be.
Room temperature meat forms better patties than cold meat straight from the fridge. I try to remember to take it out about thirty minutes before cooking, though I’ll admit I forget sometimes.
If your green chiles seem watery, drain them before heating. Some brands pack them in more liquid than others, and nobody wants soggy burgers.
Make the patties with a slight indent in the center. They puff up as they cook, and this helps them stay flat instead of turning into meatballs.
Dealing with Spice Levels
My youngest can’t handle much heat, so I always taste the green chiles before using them. Some batches are hotter than others, even from the same brand. If they’re too spicy, I mix them with a little sour cream or use less per burger.
For my husband, who likes things spicier, I keep a bottle of hot sauce on the table. He can add heat without making the whole meal too spicy for the kids.
The Real Recipe
For 4 burgers:
1 pound ground beef (80/20) Salt and black pepper 4 slices American cheese 1 cup chopped green chiles (I use Hatch or 505 brand) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 4 hamburger buns
Whatever toppings your family likes – lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard. We usually keep it simple with just lettuce and tomato.
How to make them:
Let the ground beef sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes if you remember. Divide into four portions and gently form into patties about 4 inches across. Make a small indent in the center of each patty with your thumb. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties 4 minutes on the first side without moving them. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more for medium doneness.
While the second side cooks, put the green chiles, salt, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and heat for about 3 minutes until warmed through.
Add cheese to the burgers during the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat when the cheese starts to melt.
Put the burgers on buns and top with the warm green chile mixture. Add whatever else your family likes.
What I Serve With These
Usually just baked potato wedges or regular fries. Sometimes I’ll make a simple salad if I’m feeling ambitious, but honestly, these burgers are filling enough that sides don’t need to be complicated.
My kids like them with regular yellow mustard. My husband prefers them plain so he can taste the green chiles better. I usually add a little lettuce and tomato because I feel like I should eat some vegetables.
Storage and Leftovers
Cooked patties keep in the refrigerator for a couple days. I’ll sometimes make extra and use them for quick lunches later in the week. The green chile mixture keeps even longer – up to a week in the fridge.
You can freeze the cooked patties for up to three months, though the texture changes slightly. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag.
The raw patties can be formed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for a day, or frozen for up to three months. Put parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together.
This recipe has become one of those reliable dinners I can make without really thinking about it. After fifteen years of making them, I know exactly how my family likes them prepared. Some nights when I can’t decide what to cook, I just default to these burgers because I know everyone will actually eat them without complaining.
Green Chile Cheeseburger
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 slices American cheese
- 1 cup chopped green chiles (Hatch or 505 brand preferred)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 hamburger buns
- Optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard
Instructions
- Let ground beef sit at room temperature for 30 minutes if possible. Divide into 4 portions and gently form into patties about 4 inches across. Make a small indent in the center of each patty. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 4 minutes on the first side without moving them. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more for medium doneness.
- While the second side cooks, combine green chiles, salt, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and heat for about 3 minutes until warmed through.
- Add cheese to burgers during the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat when cheese starts to melt.
- Place burgers on buns and top with warm green chile mixture. Add desired toppings and serve immediately.
Notes
- Room temperature meat forms better patties than cold meat
- Don’t press down on patties while cooking – this squeezes out juices
- If green chiles seem watery, drain before heating
- Taste green chiles first as heat levels vary between batches
- Cooked patties keep in refrigerator 2-3 days or freeze up to 3 months
