If you’re looking to take your backyard burgers to the next level, these Hatch Chili Burgers deliver the perfect combination of smoky, juicy, cheesy, and slightly spicy flavors.
Fire-charred Hatch chiles, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, melty American cheese, and a creamy homemade burger sauce come together to create an unforgettable burger that’s perfect for grilling season, weeknight dinners, or game day. These burgers are simple enough for any home cook but packed with bold Southwestern-inspired flavor. Whether you’re cooking on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or cast iron skillet, this Hatch Chili Burger recipe is guaranteed to become a new favorite.
Feeds 4 people
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Why Hatch Chili Burgers Work
Fire-Roasted Hatch Chiles Add Incredible Flavor: Charring the Hatch chiles over high heat creates a rich smoky flavor while softening their natural heat. After steaming and peeling, the peppers become tender and slightly sweet, making them the perfect topping for juicy burgers without overpowering the beef. Combined with the grilled onions, they create a fresh topping that adds bold Southwestern flavor to every bite.
Juicy 80/20 Beef Creates the Perfect Burger: Using 80/20 ground beef provides the ideal balance of lean meat and fat, resulting in burgers that stay incredibly juicy and flavorful throughout the cooking process. As the fat renders, it develops a delicious crust on the outside while keeping the center tender and moist, giving you a burger that’s both rich and satisfying.
Homemade Burger Sauce Brings Everything Together: The creamy burger sauce combines mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, and black pepper for the perfect balance of tangy, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. Preparing the sauce ahead of time allows the ingredients to meld together, creating a smooth, flavorful spread that complements every layer of the burger without overpowering the other ingredients.
Every Layer Adds the Perfect Bite: These burgers are all about balance. Crispy bacon adds crunch and smoky richness, melted American cheese provides creamy goodness, toasted buns hold everything together, and the roasted Hatch chile and onion mixture adds freshness and texture. Each ingredient plays an important role, creating a restaurant-quality burger that’s packed with bold flavor from the first bite to the last.
Ingredients:
Burgers
- 4 (6-ounce) 80/20 beef patties
- 5-6 Hatch chiles
- 1 large white onion
- 8 slices American cheese
- 8 slices bacon
- 4 burger buns
- Beef seasoning or all-purpose BBQ seasoning
Burger Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish
Process Before Burgers
Prepare the Burger Sauce: First, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir until completely smooth. Then cover and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Allowing the sauce to rest gives the flavors time to blend together, creating a richer and more flavorful burger sauce.
Char the Hatch Chiles: Next, preheat your grill or cast iron skillet over high heat. Place the Hatch chiles directly over the heat and cook until the skins are blackened on all sides, turning frequently to ensure an even char.
Steam the Peppers: Once the peppers are fully charred, immediately transfer them to a zip-top bag and seal it for about 15 minutes. This step traps steam inside the bag, which loosens and softens the charred skin, making it much easier to peel away while leaving the tender roasted pepper underneath.
Grill the Onions: Meanwhile, slice the white onion into thick rounds so they stay intact while grilling. Grill each side until nicely charred and slightly softened. Remove from the grill and allow them to cool slightly.
Prepare the Hatch Chili Mixture: After the peppers have steamed, peel away the blackened skins and remove the stems. Dice the roasted Hatch chiles into small pieces. Chop the grilled onions into bite-sized pieces, then combine both in a bowl. Season with the all-purpose seasoning and mix until evenly combined.
Cooking Process
Cook the Bacon: Next, cook the bacon until crispy using your preferred method. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
Season and Cook the Burgers: Season both sides of each beef patty generously with beef seasoning or your favorite all-purpose BBQ seasoning. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked to your preferred doneness. During the final minute of cooking, place two slices of American cheese on each patty and close the grill lid so the cheese melts perfectly.
Toast the Buns: While the cheese melts, lightly toast the burger buns on the grill until golden brown. Toasting prevents the buns from becoming soggy while adding another layer of flavor.
Assemble the Burgers: Finally, place each cheesy burger patty onto the bottom bun. Spread a generous amount of the homemade burger sauce over the patty, then add the crispy bacon followed by a generous spoonful of the roasted Hatch chile and onion mixture. Finish with the top bun and serve immediately while everything is hot and melty.
Final Thoughts
These Hatch Chili Burgers prove that a few fresh ingredients can completely transform a classic cheeseburger into something truly special. The smoky roasted Hatch chiles pair perfectly with juicy beef, crispy bacon, creamy American cheese, and the homemade burger sauce, creating layers of flavor in every bite. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a summer cookout, tailgate, or weekend family dinner, this burger is guaranteed to impress. Once you taste the combination of charred peppers and juicy beef, you’ll be making these burgers all Hatch chile season long.
If you are looking for more summer recipes check out this Grilled Souvlaki or these Stuffed Shrimp
Hatch Chili Burgers
Fire-charred Hatch chiles, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, melty American cheese, and a creamy homemade burger sauce come together to create an unforgettable burger that's perfect for grilling season, weeknight dinners, or game day. These burgers are simple enough for any home cook but packed with bold Southwestern-inspired flavor. Whether you're cooking on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or cast iron skillet, this Hatch Chili Burger recipe is guaranteed to become a new favorite.
Ingredients
- 4 80/20 beef patties
- 5-6 Hatch chiles
- 1 large white onion
- 4 slices American cheese
- 8 slices bacon
- 4 burger buns
- Beef seasoning or all-purpose BBQ seasoning
Burger Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet relish
Instructions
Prepare the Burger Sauce: First, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir until completely smooth. Then cover and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Allowing the sauce to rest gives the flavors time to blend together, creating a richer and more flavorful burger sauce.
Char the Hatch Chiles: Next, preheat your grill or cast iron skillet over high heat. Place the Hatch chiles directly over the heat and cook until the skins are blackened on all sides, turning frequently to ensure an even char.
Steam the Peppers: Once the peppers are fully charred, immediately transfer them to a zip-top bag and seal it for about 15 minutes. This step traps steam inside the bag, which loosens and softens the charred skin, making it much easier to peel away while leaving the tender roasted pepper underneath.
Grill the Onions: Meanwhile, slice the white onion into thick rounds so they stay intact while grilling. Grill each side until nicely charred and slightly softened. Remove from the grill and allow them to cool slightly.
Prepare the Hatch Chili Mixture: After the peppers have steamed, peel away the blackened skins and remove the stems. Dice the roasted Hatch chiles into small pieces. Chop the grilled onions into bite-sized pieces, then combine both in a bowl. Season with the all-purpose seasoning and mix until evenly combined.
Cook the Bacon: Next, cook the bacon until crispy using your preferred method. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
Season and Cook the Burgers: Season both sides of each beef patty generously with beef seasoning or your favorite all-purpose BBQ seasoning. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked to your preferred doneness. During the final minute of cooking, place two slices of American cheese on each patty and close the grill lid so the cheese melts perfectly.
Toast the Buns: While the cheese melts, lightly toast the burger buns on the grill until golden brown. Toasting prevents the buns from becoming soggy while adding another layer of flavor.
Assemble the Burgers: Finally, place each cheesy burger patty onto the bottom bun. Spread a generous amount of the homemade burger sauce over the patty, then add the crispy bacon followed by a generous spoonful of the roasted Hatch chile and onion mixture. Finish with the top bun and serve immediately while everything is hot and melty.
Notes
Fire-Roasted Hatch Chiles Add Incredible Flavor: Charring the Hatch chiles over high heat creates a rich smoky flavor while softening their natural heat. After steaming and peeling, the peppers become tender and slightly sweet, making them the perfect topping for juicy burgers without overpowering the beef. Combined with the grilled onions, they create a fresh topping that adds bold Southwestern flavor to every bite.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 800Sodium: 980mgSugar: 4gProtein: 44g