Green Chile Turkey Burger

The best turkey burger you'll ever have with 49g protein

Jan 06, 2024

Many healthy restaurants have a turkey burger, but very few have a memorable one.

When I eat out on a strict calorie budget, I often default to a turkey burger as one of my meals of choice. It’s usually that or the equally thrilling choices of a salad or salmon.

Sadly, too many of these burgers ended up being downright bland, dry, and a bit too tough. Instead of passing as a substitute for beef, they passed more as a substitute for rubber.

I used to think this was the inevitable price of choosing healthier options. If it tastes too good then it’s probably not actually healthy.

But eventually, I realized the real issue: most places treat turkey burgers as if they’re regular burgers.

They often cook them too long, as if they have unlimited fat, or dress them up with so few toppings that the turkey has to wow you with its mild flavor.

As a burger lover, it hurts me to see this.

I know turkey burgers can be more than pretend beef burgers. They can be juicy and flavorful in their own right with a little creativity and improvements in the right places.

So, I set out to make one exciting enough to quell the craving for a real burger, at least temporarily.

This brings me to today’s feature, the Green Chile Turkey Burger. An absolute unit of a burger with 45g of protein that’s smoky, slightly spicy, and anything but dry.

With a seasoned patty topped with melted Gouda cheese, green chile ranch sauce, tomato, and arugula, you won’t even remember what an average turkey burger tastes like.

Here are some notes about this recipe:

Any canned green chiles will work but try to find fire-roasted green chiles.
Save on calories by using a low-carb bun or wrapping the burger in lettuce.
Havarti cheese is a great substitute if you can’t find gouda cheese.
For meal prep, simply cook your burgers and prepare the ranch sauce ahead of time. Everything else should be served fresh.

48G Protein Per Burger | 490 Calories | 25-30 Minutes | 6 Servings

RECIPE

Ingredient List

Turkey Burgers

2 lbs 93% lean/7% fat ground turkey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt
8 oz canned hatch green chiles
Cooking spray

Green Chile Ranch Sauce

1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
4 oz canned hatch green chiles
3 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt to taste

Suggested sides (optional)

Kale salad
Roasted sweet potatoes

Cooking Instructions

Form Patties 🍔

Add the ingredients for the ranch sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
Mix the ground turkey with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.
Form into 5 oz patties and spray each side lightly with cooking oil.

Cook Burgers 🔥

Place the patties in a pan preheated over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add a slice of gouda cheese on each patty to melt at the halfway point.
Toast the multigrain buns in a toaster or broil them in the oven.
Add 8 oz of green chiles to another pan preheated to medium. Season with a little garlic powder and a pinch of salt.
Assemble the burger by adding the ranch to the bottom bun. Top with one of the burger patties and spoon over the cooked green chiles.
To finish assembling, add a handful of arugula and sliced tomato on top. Crown your burger with the top bun and enjoy!